For the low price of $437.20 plus applicable service fees, you can spend an afternoon with Tony Blair. What a bargain! The event is hosted by the Toronto Dominion Bank Financial Group. Make sure to check out New Labour at its finest.
Remember when 'labour friendly' politicians spoke at plant gates and in union halls? Like Bob said, the times are changin'.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Has Buzz Hargrove lost his mind?
Buzz Hargrove is working hard to sell his 'Framework of Fairness' agreement to other non-union industries in Canada, most notably Ontario's Honda and Toyota automotive plants and Dofasco Steel. The 'Framework for Fairness Agreement' allows for the employees to vote on a first contract while management remains neutral during the organizing drive. In exchange, the union gives up its right to strike (all disputes are resolved through binding arbitration). Furthermore, traditional union stewards elected by the workers are replaced by 'employee advocates' who are jointly selected by management and the union.
Hargrove claims that the agreement will not adversely affect the bargaining power of unionized employees at rival General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. Perhaps Hargrove is right. After all, the union dues of employees without the right to strike could subsidize striking workers. Maybe that's why the agreement was endorsed by a vast majority of C.A.W. employees (most with the right to strike) at the union's recent convention.
Hargrove has indicated that he will not offer the same agreement to the Big Three automakers. "It's a non-starter," he said, adding "You don't change 60 years of history." Wait a second. Doesn't the 'Framework for Fairness' agreement change labour history? Auto workers fought, and even died, for the right to strike and for basic workplace democracy. Now that same union goes and trades it away. Does Buzz think that the brothers and sisters who hit the streets in Oshawa in 1937 or Windsor in 1945 would accept his logic? On the contrary, they'd recognize that this agreement erodes the struggles of the past and harms unionized and non-unionized employees alike. Removing the right to strike and to elect ashop steward, the most fundamental and basic rights of workers, forever changes labour history for the worst. Wake up Buzz.
Hargrove claims that the agreement will not adversely affect the bargaining power of unionized employees at rival General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. Perhaps Hargrove is right. After all, the union dues of employees without the right to strike could subsidize striking workers. Maybe that's why the agreement was endorsed by a vast majority of C.A.W. employees (most with the right to strike) at the union's recent convention.
Hargrove has indicated that he will not offer the same agreement to the Big Three automakers. "It's a non-starter," he said, adding "You don't change 60 years of history." Wait a second. Doesn't the 'Framework for Fairness' agreement change labour history? Auto workers fought, and even died, for the right to strike and for basic workplace democracy. Now that same union goes and trades it away. Does Buzz think that the brothers and sisters who hit the streets in Oshawa in 1937 or Windsor in 1945 would accept his logic? On the contrary, they'd recognize that this agreement erodes the struggles of the past and harms unionized and non-unionized employees alike. Removing the right to strike and to elect ashop steward, the most fundamental and basic rights of workers, forever changes labour history for the worst. Wake up Buzz.
Welcome
Some of you might remember me from my old blog. Hopefully you appreciate the play on words that is the name of my new blog. I've been uber-busy with graduate school for the past few months, which explains in large part my absence from the blogosphere (facebook may also have a bit to do with said absence). Quite a bit has happened since my last post...
Buzz Hargrove has worked hard to shoot organized labour in the foot (not that new C.A.W. members need their feet since they can't walk a picket line anymore). In the process, he has thrown over a hundred years of working-class struggle out the window. Thanks Buzz!
The NDP were dealt defeats in both Ontario and Saskatchewan. Hopefully party members in each province will actively seek to replace their lame duck leaders.
Speaking of lame duck leaders, how about that John Tory? What a disaster.
My old blog was also nominated for a a left-wing blog award in the 'Best Labour Blog' category. I didn't win, likely because I hadn't posted in the two month period prior to the voting. Oh well, I'll gladly take the bronze metal.
Hopefully the terms of reference for this blog (weakly, err, weekly dissent) will be adhered to more strictly. Dissent on a daily basis was hard work.
Keep on rockin' in the world they call free.
Buzz Hargrove has worked hard to shoot organized labour in the foot (not that new C.A.W. members need their feet since they can't walk a picket line anymore). In the process, he has thrown over a hundred years of working-class struggle out the window. Thanks Buzz!
The NDP were dealt defeats in both Ontario and Saskatchewan. Hopefully party members in each province will actively seek to replace their lame duck leaders.
Speaking of lame duck leaders, how about that John Tory? What a disaster.
My old blog was also nominated for a a left-wing blog award in the 'Best Labour Blog' category. I didn't win, likely because I hadn't posted in the two month period prior to the voting. Oh well, I'll gladly take the bronze metal.
Hopefully the terms of reference for this blog (weakly, err, weekly dissent) will be adhered to more strictly. Dissent on a daily basis was hard work.
Keep on rockin' in the world they call free.
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