Labour and education in the news
Below are recent news stories on labour and education related issues. Click the headline to be taken to the article. Some may require a subscription. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for article text.
March 16, 2024
Some Bell MTS employees in Brandon face choice: Relocate to Winnipeg or take buyout
CBC
Bell MTS is moving many jobs currently in Brandon to Winnipeg, a move that its union says effectively results in layoffs for nearly 30 people
Ontario has to pay public sector workers $6B and counting in Bill 124 compensation
CBC
Ontario is so far on the hook for more than $6 billion in payments to broader public sector workers as a result of the provincial government's wage restraint legislation being found unconstitutional.
Job growth not keeping up with population growth
CUPE
Employment rose slightly in January, after remaining mostly stable during the final three months of 2023. Although this increase is encouraging, new jobs have not kept pace with the growth in the number of workers aged 15 and up. Over the past year, while 345,000 new jobs were added, the working-age population expanded by 1 million.
Federal unions’ budget priorities include focusing on Phoenix, in-house staffing
Ottawa Citizen
As the Liberal government prepares to table the 2024 federal on April 16, two of Canada’s largest public service unions are calling for fixes to the Phoenix pay system and more emphasis on developing in-house expertise and capacity as the government reduces outsourcing.
Airbus Canada union members in Mirabel vote for strike mandate
The Gazette
A union representing Airbus Canada workers at a plant in Mirabel, where the company assembles A220 jets, says employees have overwhelmingly rejected the firm’s latest offer.
Why Biden’s Pro-worker Stance Isn’t Working
The Atlantic
Joe Biden courted the leaders of the Teamsters this week, looking for the endorsement of the 1.3-million-member union. He will probably get it. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, calls him “the most pro-union president in history.” He’s already won the endorsement of many of the country’s most important unions, including the United Auto Workers, the AFSCME public employees’ union, the Service Employees International Union, and the main umbrella organization, the AFL-CIO.
How the public sector strike will hit France on Tuesday
The Local
Public sector workers – including school staff and nurses – across France are set to strike on Tuesday after unions called for walkouts in a protest over pay and the rising cost of living.
RRC Polytech student gives back to college
Winnipeg Free Press
A student nurse, whose studies were interrupted for two years by pandemic-related struggles and mental health challenges, is helping other students even before she graduates.
‘It gives you more confidence’: U of M virtual, augmented reality systems train health practitioners
Winnipeg Free Press
Lami Olaide said it’s nice to know future nursing students won’t have to worry about hurting patients or making mistakes when they push an IV into the arm of a patient for the first time.
AI will revolutionize education — and reality
Winnipeg Free Press
On a recent test, a student submitted a perfect paper. I recognized that he had used OpenAI’s Chat GPT to produce the answer, so I gave him full marks.
Canada's GED high school equivalency test ends after March, leaving adult students in limbo
CBC
For weeks, Gail Feliciant has been trying to book a General Educational Development (GED) test but hasn't heard back from schedulers.
Strike averted at NSCC, classes continue Monday
CTV News
A strike that was set to begin Monday(opens in a new tab) at Nova Scotia Community College(opens in a new tab) (NSCC) has been averted.
1600 McGill teaching assistants could be on strike for the end of term
Cision
In the midst of negotiating their collective agreement, McGill 1600 teaching assistants have just voted 87% in favor of an eight-week strike bank, with a record turnout that could affect the end of the university semester.
TA, postdocs rally for livable wages, supports
The Gazette
Around 100 community members attended a rally on Thursday afternoon in support of Western’s graduate teaching assistant and postdoctoral associate union’s demands for living wages and better supports.
Rutgers student sues over ‘selfish and illegal’ faculty strike
New Jersey Monitor
A Rutgers University student sued seven local and national faculty unions Friday for last spring’s weeklong walkout, accusing the labor groups of “a selfish and illegal strike” and demanding compensation for lost educational time.
Enough sympathy: Jews need real action to stop antisemitism
New York Post
President Biden’s State of the Union address notably ignored America’s current tidal wave of antisemitism and failed to reference the May 2023 launch of the first ever National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.
Good Decision for Tenure Rights in Tufts Med School Case
AAUP
On March 14, 2024, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued an important decision in Wortis v. Trustees of Tufts College that recognizes academic freedom and economic security—two concepts central to the AAUP’s 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure—as “important norms in the academic community.” The case concerns Tufts University School of Medicine’s unilateral introduction of a compensation plan that required faculty to raise a portion of their salaries by obtaining external grant funding. When the plaintiff faculty members did not meet those requirements, Tufts inflicted punitive salary cuts, reductions in lab space, and reduced their employment status from full to part time. The faculty members sued, claiming that Tufts violated the terms of their tenure contracts, which included documents that incorporated language pertaining to academic freedom and economic security, taken verbatim from the AAUP’s 1940 Statement.
March 15, 2024
Desperate immigration hopefuls implore NDP to help as clock ticks down on expiring student work permits
Winnipeg Free Press
Newcomers to Manitoba and skilled workers are pleading with the NDP government to fast track their immigration applications before they are forced to leave, following Ottawa’s decision last year to pull the plug on post-graduate work permit extensions.
International students face growing mental distress in Canada, advocates warn
Winnipeg Free Press
When Gobindbir Singh describes the stress international students are under, he remembers a young man who called in tears.
York University workers strike nearing 3-week mark(video)
CityNews
Strike action continues for roughly 3000 York University academic workers as they push for better wages and job security. As City's Jazan Grewal reports, CUPE 3903, the union representing these workers and employer are still not seeing eye to eye.
STF president 'incredibly disappointed' Sask. government won't agree to binding arbitration
CBC
The president of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) says she is "incredibly disappointed" to hear the provincial government is unwilling to agree to binding arbitration to address the issues of class size and complexity.
40% of Western University undergraduate students food insecure
Global News
The University Students’ Council (USC) food centre is reporting a 600% year-to-year increase in Western students requiring their assistance.
NSCC faculty set to go on strike Monday
CTV News
For what could be the first time in Nova Scotia Community College’s history, hundreds of union members are set to officially go on strike Monday.
Finnish university of applied sciences launches 'world's first' course taught on Tiktok
YLE
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki announced on Friday that it is launching a course entirely taught on the social media platform Tiktok.
Amid faculty objections, UC considers limiting what faculty can say on university websites
EdSource
In a move faculty say infringes on their academic freedom, the University of California will soon consider a policy restricting them from using university websites to make opinionated statements. Such statements have come under scrutiny since last fall, when some faculty publicly criticized Israel over its war in Gaza.
Unions caught off guard by Alberta’s move to create independent police force
Global News
The union representing Alberta’s sheriffs says it was not consulted about a plan announced this week to have a new police service handle much of the work they currently do.
Strike by Edmonton city, library workers averted as tentative deal reached
CBC
Hours after a planned strike by more than 5,000 Edmonton city workers was averted Thursday, the city and the union have reached a tentative deal.
BC Is Closing a Loophole that Forced Workers to Cross Some Picket Lines
The Tyee
B.C. is changing the Labour Relations Code to fix a loophole that forced some workers to cross picket lines.
More than three quarters of Canadian workers want to leave their jobs: report
BNN
A new report says 71 per cent of Canadian workers want to leave their jobs this year and look for better opportunities.
Teaching Each Other to Strike
Labor Notes
Recently I heard members of the Newton Teachers Association recount the path to their 11-day January strike. The audience at the Massachusetts Teachers Association winter skills conference gave them a standing ovation.
The Trust Gap Between Employers And Workers
Forbes
There is a growing trust gap that is emerging between the C-suite and rank-and-file workers, according to global accounting, audit and management consulting firm PwC’s recent Trust Survey. The study sheds light on the trust levels between business executives, employees and other stakeholders.
March 14, 2024
Look to other university strikes when U of M is quiet
The Manitoban
Having lived through UMFA’S 2016 and 2021 strikes as an undergraduate and as a graduate student, I like to keep my ear to the ground about labour disputes in other post-secondary institutions across Canada. Early March is bargaining season for unions at post-secondary institutions across Canada, so the first week of the month played out like a sordid gumball machine bleakly dispensing news of obstinate employers.
Manitoba Government Introduces New Legislation that would Remove Barriers to School Attendance, Help Set Students up for Success
Government of Manitoba
The Manitoba government has introduced legislation that would lower the age a child is required to attend school and remove barriers to students enrolling in schools in the area where they live, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Nello Altomare announced today.
Manitoba to change school attendance law
Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba children will be required to attend school by age six, under legislation introduced Wednesday.
Manitoba government introduces law to lower school age, simplify enrolment process
Global News
The Manitoba government has introduced a law that would lower the age of a child to attend school and remove barriers to students enrolling in schools in the area where they live, Early Childhood Learning Minister Nello Altomare announced on Wednesday.
The future of post-secondary education cannot be left to politicians
Toronto Star
When it comes to the concerns around post-secondary schools and international students, no one seems to be interviewing the students who genuinely want to be in a Canadian college classroom, to either launch their careers in Canada or return to their home countries with specific skills and practices.
Settlement Reached in Education Law Fight
Florida Trend
The state and attorneys for students, parents and teachers have settled a battle about a 2022 Florida law that restricts instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools.
Florida ban on school diversity programs impacts students
Tampa Bay Times
The big story: Much of the debate over diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Florida’s universities, colleges and schools have centered on talking points.
Manitoba plans regular hike to minimum wage, labour group wants more
Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba minimum-wage earners will make an extra 50 cents an hour as of Oct. 1, Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday.
No changes to Filipino health-care worker recruitment program: NDP
Winnipeg Free Press
The NDP government says no immediate changes are being considered to make it easier for Filipino health-care workers offered jobs in Manitoba hospitals and care homes to join the bedside.
Longueuil white-collar workers on strike Wednesday and Thursday
CTV News
White-collar workers at the City of Longueuil began a two-day strike on Wednesday morning.
March 13, 2024
Manitoba Government Introduces Proposed Legislation that would Make Workplaces Safer
Government of Manitoba
The Manitoba government is introducing proposed legislation that would strengthen protections for Manitoba workers’ safety and health, Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino announced today.
After missing an opportunity last year, Manitoba will hike minimum wage to $15.80 in October
CBC
Manitoba's NDP government is vowing to raise the minimum wage by 50 cents in October, after passing up an opportunity to increase the province's lowest wage shortly after taking office last year.
City workers not getting paid overtime amid Hamilton's ransomware attack: unions
CBC
Employees who work for the City of Hamilton aren't getting overtime pay amid the ransomware attack that has lasted two weeks and disrupted access to central services, according to the public workers' unions.
Public sector hiring is driving Canada's labour market
Financial Post
Employment gains in the public sector more than offset losses among Canadian businesses last month, highlighting a labour market that has been propped up by government hiring.
Strike by Edmonton civic workers closer after mayor, union head fail to break impasse
Globe and Mail
More than 5,000 Edmonton civic workers appear poised to strike Thursday after an unsuccessful meeting Tuesday between the head of the union and the city’s mayor.
Ford government refutes LCBO privatization claims as union members rally in 11 cities
Global News
Liquor Control Board of Ontario employees represented by OPSEU are rallying in 11 Ontario cities on Tuesday in what they are describing as a push to “fight for good jobs and keep $2.5 billion LCBO revenues invested in public services, not big box store CEO pockets.”
Alberta post-secondary students and faculty warn flat 2024 budget will squeeze universities, students
Edmonton Journal
University faculty and student leaders say Alberta’s latest budget squeezes post-secondary institutions and will jeopardize the quality of university education across the province.
First Nations University of Canada to offer Indigenous journalism degree
Global News
The First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) is launching the first four-year Indigenous journalism and communication degree in North America.
University of Guelph union workers closing in on potential strike
CTV News
Some union members at the University of Guelph are one step closer to a potential strike.
Sask. labour lawyer's pitch to end teachers' job action: 'empower the principals'
CTV News
As the contract stalemate between the province and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) continues, a Saskatoon labour lawyer says some creative thinking is required to get both sides back to the negotiating table.
'Chaos raging in our education system': Sask. NDP criticizes gov't on deal with school boards association
CTV News
The Sask. Party continues to face criticism following the announcement of a funding agreement with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SBBA).
Gordon reappointed at University of Windsor
CTV News
Dr. Robert Gordon has been reappointed as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Windsor.
N.S. assessing proposals for fast-tracked teaching degrees from 4 universities
CBC
Advanced Education Minister Brian Wong says his department is weighing proposals from four universities that would lead to accelerated education degrees, similar to what Cape Breton University announced late last year.
Top French University Faces Yet Another Crisis as Leader Resigns
The New York Times
One of France’s most elite universities found itself without a leader for the second time in just three years on Wednesday after its director, Mathias Vicherat, resigned to face a court case over accusations of domestic violence.