Radiolabour

The International Trade Union Confederation has produced a report describing how automation, algorithms and artificial intelligence systems are effecting workplaces. It suggests what unions and government can do to help workers. The Canadian Labour Congress is an affiliate of the ITUC. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Many unionists are attending the 67th session of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women being held in New York until March 17, 2023. The focus of the conference is on recruiting women into STEM jobs - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. But there is also the problem of women dropping out of STEM jobs because of sexism. Women leaving STEM jobs in Canada is discussed. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

More than 400 children have been killed by the war in Ukraine, hundreds have been wounded and thousands traumatized. Teachers are helping by purchasing generators for the schools and their bomb shelters plus organizing mental health programmes for the children. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

The global unions UNI and IndustriALL created a successful programme to protect garment workers in Bangladesh after the Rana Plaza disaster which killed 1,200 mainly young women and wounded 2,400 others. The programme, called the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry, has now been extended to Pakistan. A RadioLabour interview with the Deputy General Secretary of UNI Global Union, Alke Boessiger. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

The Canadian Labour Congress was instrumental in getting the International Labour Organization to adopt a new global labour law which is aimed at eliminating violence and harassment at work. Canada is the 25th country to ratify Convention 190 of the International Labour Organization. A RadioLabour interview with CLC Executive Vice-President Siobhán Vipond. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Karen Brown, the president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, has been named one Canada's most accomplished Black women leaders. In an interview with RadioLabour, she talks about the challenges facing young racialized women in the labour movement. Her message: find your passion and get involved in the union. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Being a teacher in an underfunded system while being poorly paid and resourced can be heart breaking. Education International, which has affiliates in Canada, has started a global campaign to  Go Public! Fund Education. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

When Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian seafarers were on their vessels away from their families. Transport unions helped by flying families out of the country, purchasing supplies and providing mental health counselling for the children. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

The British government has adopted legislation demanding  during a strike. Employees designed under the Strike – Minimum Service - Bill  for striking. Plus: How the right wing in the US is attacking public education. And the LabourStart report about union events. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

A report by the National Union of Journalists in the United Kingdom shows that especially in the past two years violence against women journalists has been increasing. NUJ General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet reports on what the NUJ is doing to help. The NUJ is working with Canadian media unions to develop a safety kit for women journalists and is creating a database to provide real time reporting of incidents. The report was prepared for the International Federation of Journalists which has affiliates in Canada such as Unifor and the Canadian Media Guild. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that everybody has the right to join a union. The Declaration was written by the Canadian legal scholar John Humphrey who was the Director of the UN's Human Rights Division. Its proclamation is celebrated every December 10th.   

What happens if Twitter shuts down? Or, becomes even more noxiously right-wing? LabourStart - the labour movement's news and campaigning service - has produced a programme exploring what unionists can do if Twitter closes or Elon Musk uses it to promote racist, misogynist, anti-LGBT+ and antisemitic views. "Musk, himself, is not neutral. He doesn't pretend to be neutral. Lots of these tech billionaires act like 'we just provide a service; we have no views.' Musk is not like that. Musk is very clear about his views. His views are far-right." - Eric Lee, founder editor of LabourStart  RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Labour unions in the global south are calling for a just transition to more sustainable economies through education. A report from the International Trade Union Confederation in the Asia-Pacific region. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

USW registers complaint against $1 per hour garment worker wages The United Steelworkers union in Canada has registered a complaint with the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) alleging that Mark's and its parent company Canadian Tire is failing to protect the human rights of garment workers in its supplier factories citing the case of Bangladeshi garment workers who do not earn a living wage. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

The International Trade Union Confederation - the ITUC - is calling for a new social contract and wealth distribution at its 5th World Congress in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 17-22, 2022. Many Canadian unionists are participating in the Congress activities. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Union solidarity stopped an attack on CUPE education workers in Ontario With the threat of a province-wide general strike unions in Ontario forced the provincial government to withdraw its legislative attack on 55,000 CUPE education workers and cancel Bill 28 with its use of the constitutional not-withstanding clause. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

A RadioLabour interview with Education International's research coordinator Jennifer Ulrick about the need to teach the next generation about climate change.  RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

55,000 CUPE education workers may be forced to strike on November 4, 2022, to win decent wages and quality public services for students. Comments by the president of CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions, Laura Walton. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

Krista Devine, the General Counsel for the Public Service Alliance of Canada, joins RadioLabour this week to describe why whistle blowing is crucial to the development of quality public services. Plus the need for more teachers to save the planet and Marc Bélanger shares the LabourStart Report about union events. Finally: 'You Knew Granpa, You Knew" by Australia's Victorian Trade Union Choir. Used with permission. RadioLabour is the international labour movement’s radio service. It reports on labour union events around the world with a focus on unions in the developing world. It partners with rabble to provide coverage of news of interest to Canadian workers.

This week on RadioLabour, we explore how to fight for social justice globally. To meet the climate crisis the world needs teachers to help educate the next generation of young people. Marc Bélanger also shares the LabourStart report about union events. Finally, we share “Everyday People.”  “Everyday People” was produced by the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union – UFCW-Canada.