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click on the graphic to go to the Cancel the Corporate Tax Cuts page
 SAVE TRANSIT CITY - CALL McGUINTY TODAY With the release of the Ontario Budget, Premier McGuinty broke an important promise by cutting $4 Billion in funding for Transit City. At best, this means a five year delay. Most likely however, this cut will kill the Transit City Plan. Premier McGuinty promised Torontonians $8 billion to help build Transit City. He promised this money would flow quickly. Now, he's broken his promise. We need to share our frustrations with our MPPs and force the Government to reverse this very bad decision. With your help, we can put Transit City back on track! To send a message now go to www.ttcriders.ca. Make sure to join the TTC Riders' list-serve if you want to stay in touch and help us, community groups, and advocates build an organization that represents TTC riders' interests. To read labour council's statement go here Public Transit Matters BIG BUDGET FUSSIN' Ever since the 1998 amalgamation, budget setting in Toronto has been a very public high wire act. This year the budget crisis is heightened by a massive campaign by Bay Street to paint the city as "out of control" in order to set the stage for privatization and an assault on public sector workers. Economist Hugh Mackenzie debunks the myths and talks about real solutions in his study commissioned by CUPE 416. To read "Reality Check" click here . "DEFICIT WARS AHEAD" The logical consequences of the global financial meltdown of 2008 will be the deficit wars of 2010. Ontario projects a $25 billion shortfall, the federal government twice that amount, and municipalities everywhere are faced with the dilemma that they are forbidden to run a deficit. The budget crisis will be played out according to a well-known script – sell off public assets, reduce public services, and attack the rights and living standards of public sector workers. Naomi Klein's important book Shock Doctrine details how global capital seizes on any national crisis to further its agenda of privatization, driving down wages, and reducing labour rights. The expansion of Milton Freidman's Chicago School doctrine wasn't limited to neo-cons like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher – it has been actively encouraged by corporate leaders and accepted by politicians from across the political spectrum who come to believe that there is no alternative. But there are alternatives. To read more go here Deficit Wars Ahead, for the flyer version click here Deficit Wars Ahead flyer CUPE is airing TV ads that promote the value of public services. Using the theme of "a good deal for all Canadians," the ads are a reminder that public services are the bedrock of our communities and our country. You can watch them on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/cupescfp#p/c/EFF9415AB6A2A4A0 EI FIGHT TAKES TO THE STREETS The Good Jobs For All coaliton - a community-labour alliance of more than 35 organizations – is building a major campaign to fix Employment Insurance. It started with a rally on March 5th, where more than 300 unemployed workers and union activists rallied in front of the EI office at 25 St.Clair Ave. Other rallies have taken place at the Scarborough Town Centre and the Dufferin Mall. A series of town hall meetings have been held across the GTA to highlight the real impact of the broken EI system on working families. A petition campaign is now underway to demand action from all MP's in the Toronto region. To download the E.I. Petition click here petition "Left Out in the Cold - an analysis of what is needed to fix EI", click here analysis LIVING WAGE REPORT "What does a family living in the Greater Toronto Area and working full-time need to earn in order to pay for the necessities of life, to enjoy a decent quality of life, and to be able to participate fully in the economic, political, social and cultural life of the community? A new report outlines A Living Wage in Toronto, by Hugh Mackenzie and Jim Stanford. For full report click here Living wage report SUMMIT DEMANDS GOOD JOBS AND A GREEN ECONOMY Over 1000 participants from labour, environmental, social justice and community organizations throughout the Toronto region came together in the Good Jobs Summit at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 22nd. Participants crafted strategies for creating and protecting good jobs and called on the Ontario and federal governments to commit to a good jobs economy. To read, and print the rest of the report click here Good Jobs Summit report For pictures of the Jobs Summit please click here. To download the Declaration on Good Jobs for All click here declaration  NEW COALITION DEMANDS: A FAIR DEAL FOR OUR CITY NOW A strong, new coalition of community, environmental, labour and social justice groups has been formed to fight for a fair deal for Toronto and its residents. Under the banner “ A Fair Deal For Our City”, the coalition will be active in the months leading up to the October election demanding the provincial politicians commit to a fair deal for Toronto and other Ontario cities. To find out more about this campaign visit www.fairdealforourcity.ca On the other side are right-wing politicians engaged in relentless union-bashing and demands for privatization and contracting out. To read more about it click here Stand up To read Labour council's statement go here Stand up for Toronto OMB VICTORY FOR JOBS AND COMMUNITY In a stunning and long-awaited ruling, the Ontario Municipal Board last week rejected a developer's plan to build big-box shopping plaza in Leslieville. To read the rest of the ruling click here Victory  The demand for RESPECT! And as the crisis in manufacturing and out-sourcing continues, this demand will get louder and louder. All around us, good jobs are disappearing through shut-downs, lay-offs, and outsourcing. Provincial and federal politicians say times are good – but more and more workers find themselves trapped in a justin- time economy. In greater Toronto, 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in the last five years. But white-collar workers are no longer immune from the race to the bottom. Leading companies like Bell, Enbridge and Bombardier are sending IT and call service jobs overseas. For the corporate elites, people’s jobs are just part of the disposable society. Working people, however, want those in power to value all of us - who we are and what we do. Our demands are simple, yet vital: To see the 6 points of RESPECT click here points For more information visit the Million Reasons website at www.amillionreasons.ca A MILLION REASONS More than a million workers in the Toronto Region earn less $29,800 per year. In key sectors of the economy - healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, clerical and service work - therew are hard-working women and men who deserve much better. To find out more visit the million reasons website go here million reasons MADE IN CANADA MATTERS "YES WE CAN: Legal opinion shows that our cities can adopt a "Made in Canada" procurement policy for all their purchases. For the sample resolution click here Resolution . For the legal opinion click here www.caw.ca/en/4708.htm "Manufacturing Jobs Matter" In the midst of an apparently healthy economy, Canada's manufacturing sector is in a state of deepening crisis. Tens of thousands of jobs have already been lost, and many more layoffs and plant closures are on the way as company after company announces plans for downsizing and restructuring. To read Labour Council's statement visit here Manufacturing Jobs Matter To download the Made in Canada backgrounder click here backgrounder Flawed, Failed, Abandoned Billions in Public Taxes Risked by P3 Hospital Privatization: 100 Failed, Flawed and Abandoned Projects Used to Warn Politicians: A new report, released today by health coalitions across Canada, outlines 100 failed, flawed or abandoned infrastructure projects undertaken using the controversial P3 privatization model. Click here for the website to retrieve more information www.web.net/ohc BOOK OF SHAME Stories of the treatment of non-union workers in greater Toronto in 2004 In November 2004 the Toronto & York Region Labour Council and allied community organizations sponsored two forums on workers rights. One was held in English and Punjabi, the other in Cantonese and Mandarin. These are some of the stories told by working women and men about their experiences in a wide variety of workplaces. Most of them are new Canadians, who came here to work hard and make a better life for themselves and their families. Their stories leave no doubt that labour laws and employment standards need to be restored in the province of Ontario. For the book click here , book of shame CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION  The Campaign for Public Education is a coalition of parents, teachers, students, support workers, and education activists who have come together to
defend the standards of public education in Toronto. We are working together to find the solutions needed for the kind of education system that we can
all be proud of; where those who learn interact in the most positive ways with those who provide the learning environment. click here Ontario Health Coalition 
We are a non-partisan group committed to maintaining and enhancing our publicly-funded,
publicly-administered health care system.For further information about Ontario Health Coalition and to find out how you can help please visit the website at www.web.net/ohc Go here Brampton Summary to read the report on the Brampton P3. For more information visit www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca Brampton case shows P3s work - – JUST NOT FOR THE PUBLIC TheStar.com - News, January 10, 2008- Thomas Walkom The Brampton Civic Hospital saga provides a sobering lesson in the economics of public-private partnerships. To read the article visit BramptonArticle Go here Brampton Summary to read the report on the Brampton P3. For more information visit www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca | |||