Canadian Union of Public Employees

With 618,000 members across Canada, CUPE represents workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.

Union supports Chief Theresa Spence

Jan 142013

Workplaces

CUPE signs Amnesty statement on Idle No More.

from the Canadian Union of Public Employees

Joint statement supporting Chief Spence and Idle No More:

Indigenous and human rights organizations stand in solidarity with Chief Theresa Spence in her appeal for full respect for Aboriginal and treaty rights by the government of Canada. There is an urgent need for Canada to demonstrate genuine respect and long-term commitment, initiated by a meeting between First Nations’ leadership, the Prime Minister and the Governor General.

Full honour and implementation of Indigenous peoples' treaties are crucial to the evolution of Canada and the principle of federalism. Cooperative and harmonious relations cannot be achieved by devaluing treaties or by unilateral government actions.

Bills C-38 and C-45 remove environmental protections to First Nations lands in order to pave the way for more corporate development of resources.

We firmly support grassroots actions of the "Idle No More" movement. It has put the spotlight on federal policy and legislative agendas that are trampling the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples affirmed in domestic and international law.

Read the resolution passed by CUPE's National Executive Board

CUPE National will:

Support the Idle No More protests currently taking place in communities all across Canada and encourage all CUPE locals to attend and support these peaceful protests in their communities.

Support Chief Theresa Spence in her efforts to force the federal government to engage in a meaningful process of nation to nation negotiations aimed at addressing outstanding treaty rights and federal government obligations to First Nations communities.

Provide information to all CUPE locals outlining the issues that have given rise to both the Idle No More protests and the hunger strike of Chief Theresa Spence.

Support the Assembly of First Nations and demand that the federal government engage in a meaningful process to respect all treaty rights and begin to address the Canadian government obligations negotiated in First Nations treaties.

Because:

Canada traditionally has not met its obligations to First Nations People to provide safe drinking water, safe housing, and high-quality education.

Currently, disease and poverty are the only things increasing at an alarming rate on Attawapiskat and other First Nations lands.

The federal government has passed several pieces of legislation affecting aboriginal people, without consultation or negotiation and in the process trampling on the treaty rights of First Nations.

The federal government continues to support large scale and foreign developments on First Nations Territories; an occupation without consent or compensation.

Profits that are currently extracted from First Nations Land are not shared with First Nations communities.

Bills C-38 and C-45 remove environmental protections to First Nations lands in order to pave the way for more corporate development of resources; ignoring treaty rights and threatening water, wildlife and all resources depended upon by First Nations peoples and all Canadians.

Wave of P3 promotion misses the point

Dec 142012

Public Values

Forensic accountant Ron Parks found the P3 model was 130 per cent more expensive in building Vancouver General Hospital's Diamond Centre.

P3s are more expensive.

by Barry O’Neill

Did we miss the proclamation of “P3 Week” in British Columbia? Earlier this week, the Sun ran three op-ed pieces in two days, all lauding the supposed virtues of “public private partnerships (P3s).”

The three op-eds had a couple of things in common. First, they were written by people with a bias in favour of P3s. Two were written by law firms that make big money from P3s. The last was written by the head of a health authority which has had P3s foisted on it by the provincial government.

Canadian union activists learn lessons from Wisconsin

Dec 112012

Public Values

Wisconsin public sector "asleep at the wheel".

from the Canadian Union of Public Employees

As labour law changes loom in Saskatchewan, CUPE members gathered in Regina last week to hear Wisconsin firefighter and union leader Mahlon Mitchell describe the attack on public sector collective bargaining rights.

Cuts to pension benefits, essential services legislation and public private partnerships had been taking place for years, Mitchell told delegates to CUPE's Solidarity conference. The labour movement failed to heed the early warning signs.

"Governor Walker didn't just dream this up overnight and say: "You know what? We are going to attack public sector employees," Mitchell told the crowd.

The Republican governor cut $1.6 billion from public education, slashed pension benefits and eliminated collective bargaining rights for public sector unions, he said.

“Like the frog in the pot of water, we didn’t notice the water was getting hotter, until it was too late,”

In fact, 40 percent of public sector workers voted for Governor Walker, which Mitchell said was like a chicken voting for Colonel Saunders.

"Union members always have to be ready to defend their rights — always," he said. The strength of the labour movement lies in its people."

He urged public sector workers to strengthen their ties in the communities and work in coalitions to defend collective bargaining rights and make life better for ordinary people.

Here's a copy of Mitchell's speech

Source

Quebec patients charged for priority access to care

Nov 252012

Public services

Quebec allows doctors to organize their medical practice as a corporation with share capital.

Recent report documents "new and complex" forms of health care privatization.

from the Canadian Union of Public Employees

Montreal–A recent report published by Marie-Claude Premont, professor of law at l'Ecole nationale d'administration publique in Montreal, documents new and complex ways doctors, private clinics and brokers are charging patients for priority access to health care paid from the public purse.

Cities want local sources

Mar 132012

Workplaces

Municipal opposition grows to Canada-EU trade pact.

from CUPE

As the Harper government pushes to wrap up trade talks with the European Union, there is growing concern in Canadian municipalities representing nearly four million citizens about the dangers of the new deal.

Canadian trade negotiators are in Brussels this week and next for an 11th round of talks on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Last week, councilors in Toronto and Thorold, Ontario joined 26 other municipalities in calling for exemptions from CETA, and for a full public debate on the pact. Another 23 communities have expressed concern about CETA restrictions on local government powers. Together, these municipalities represent almost four million Canadians.

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