Unions were first formed to uphold the dignity of workers and to counter the abuse of power in the workplace. Since the earliest days, unions have also fought for social justice and for democracy – the ability of working people to affect the decisions that shape our lives.
Through collective bargaining and democratic struggles, we have won the gains that are crucial to our quality of life – decent work, public healthcare, quality education, social programs and public services. Those still need to be improved, but many of these achievements are now under threat.
Here in Ontario and across the world, conservative politicians are using their power to benefit the wealthiest 1% . Doug Ford and his MPP’s plan to re-shape Ontario, masking their actions in polulist slogans. It’s up to all of us to challenge their real agenda.
Who Benefits and Who Loses? – The real elites in Canada are not defined by what kind of coffee they drink, but by the money and power they have. The families of CEO’s have 4,400 times more wealth than average Canadians, and that’s just not fair. Doug Ford rails against “downtown elites” but reduces taxes for billionaires while dismantling workers’ rights – and cancelling the scheduled $15 wage for over a million people.
What do the Slogans Mean? – When Ford Conservatives say “open for business” what they mean is no limits to employer abuse, no rules for temp agencies, and making it harder for workers to join unions. When they attack “carbon tax” that translates into immediate job loss and no action on climate change. When they say “smaller government” they intend to strip assets, privatize public services, and reduce social programs – all while giving more tax breaks to the rich.
Stand for Dignity! – Creating a snitch line to punish any worker doing their job is an affront to human dignity. Targeting refugees is meant to turn us against each other – but this is a country where almost all of our families came as immigrants or refugees. When young people can’t earn enough to put a roof over their head because corporations are allowed to pay poverty wages – that’s simply wrong.
Defend Democracy! – Across the world, Conservatives have been changing the rules in order to reduce accountability to the public. When key decisions are made in the back rooms, bad things happen. Slashing elected representation is designed for one purpose – to reduce the ability of those who share our values to fight for justice. And that’s not fair.
In the next four years, we must find the courage to speak out and mobilize against all injustice. Not just what affects us directly, but to always uphold our common humanity. An Injury to One is an Injury to All.
