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.
August 16, 2019
City councillors call on mayor to deescalate tensions, avoid transit strike
CTV News Winnipeg
Two Winnipeg city councillors are calling on the mayor to diffuse escalating tensions with the transit union.
Pair of councillors side with Transit union on contract process
Winnipeg Free Press
A group of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 members and two city councillors gathered at a bus stop on Main Street during early-morning rush hour to express their dissatisfaction with the City of Winnipeg's most recent Transit contract offer.
Canada’s unions applaud return of tripartite decision-making to EI appeals
Canadian Labour Congress
Canada’s unions applaud the federal government’s decision to restore tripartite decision-making to the Employment Insurance (EI) appeals process, an outcome of the Social Security Tribunal Review first initiated in 2017.
American unions have been decimated. No wonder inequality is booming
The Guardian
Congress hasn’t raised the minimum wage in a decade, the longest stretch without such an increase since the federal minimum wage was first enacted in 1938. One state legislature after another has passed right-to-work laws to undermine unions. Donald Trump has taken numerous anti-worker actions: scrapping several worker safety rules, rolling back a regulation extending overtime pay to millions more workers, and killing a rule that required Wall Street firms to act in the best interests of workers when overseeing their 401(k) plans. Trump has even nominated as labor secretary a lawyer who has spent decades fighting on behalf of corporations to weaken worker protections.
German Unions Are Waking up to the Climate Disaster
Jacobin
The call to stop the production of coal and cars often sounds like a threat to jobs. But German trade unions have realized that the green transition needs to happen — and they’re fighting to make sure it’s bosses, not workers, who pay for climate justice.
Head of Ontario high-school teachers’ union vows to ‘cultivate resistance’ ahead of labour negotiations
Globe and Mail
The head of Ontario’s high-school teachers’ union has vowed to “cultivate resistance” to changes being proposed by Premier Doug Ford’s government to the provincial education system.
Wilfrid Laurier University part of national program to boost equity and diversity in research
CBC
Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo is one of 17 post-secondary schools that will be part of a national program to focus on equality and diversity barriers in research.
Colleges and universities can do more to protect students and faculty against hate crimes. Here are some ideas.
The Washington Post
The national discussion on school safety is more often than not focused on K-12 schools — but it is just as much of a concern to those who work, visit or live on college and university campuses.
Ottawa kick-starts push to bring men and boys into fight for gender equality
The Star
Trumpeting the need for men and boys to enlist in the fight for gender equality, the federal government is awarding $562,000 to four organizations in a bid to lay the foundation for its promised national strategy.
August 15, 2019
Up For Debate pushes gender equality
Winnipeg Free Press
Gender equality hasn’t been the focus of a political leaders debate in Manitoba’s recent history, but heading into next month’s election, more than 20 local agencies are working to change that.
Transit workers vote on contract as bus service shutdown looms
CBC
A decision this Friday by bus drivers, mechanics and other workers could see thousands of Winnipeggers looking for a ride next week.
Former Stella's employee claims wrongful dismissal
CBC
A former general manager of Stella's Café and Bakery claims she was wrongfully let go and "blacklisted" in a new lawsuit against the Winnipeg restaurant chain.
GE secures four-year labor deal with unions for 6,600 workers
The Guardian (PEI)
General Electric Co has clinched a labor deal with all 6,600 of its unionized workers in the United States, averting potential strikes that could have hit the ailing conglomerate's jet engine production, the company and unions said on Wednesday.
SHA yanking RFP after health unions insulted by 'whistleblower hotline' idea
Regina Leader-Post
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) says it is withdrawing a request for proposals for a “whistleblower hotline” in the wake of heavy criticism from health sector unions, who say they were never consulted on the idea.
Report: NFLPA Issues 'Work Stoppage Guide' To Players
Sports Illustrated
The NFL Players Association has issued a "work stoppage guide" to players to guide them through a possible work stoppage that could occur at the end of the 2020 season, reports ESPN.com's Dan Graziano.
4-day school week coming for some Kootenay kids
CBC
Seven Summits Centre for Learning in Rossland, B.C., says it will not hold classes Fridays
New mental health resource helps 1st year students cope
CBC
As first-year university and college students prepare to head to class, many are worrying about how they'll handle the new responsibilities and workload.
Young people more sceptical of need to go to university, poll finds
The Guardian
Young people in Britain are increasingly sceptical of the need to go to university and are more aware of apprenticeships, according to polling, as a record proportion of school-leavers await their A-level results.
August 14, 2019
Police, city hall on collision course over pension issues
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg city hall is setting up a showdown with the powerful police union over the controversial issue of including overtime in pensionable earnings.
Employees’ Use of Employer’s Email System to Send Union-Related Messages in a Collective Bargaining Context
Langlois Lawyers
In its decision in Association professionnelle des ingénieurs du Gouvernement du Québec v. Procureure générale du Québec1 rendered on July 4, 2019, the Quebec Court of Appeal overturned a judgment of the Superior Court2 granting a motion for judicial review of a decision of the Labour Relations Board (Commission des relations du travail) (the “Board”) now known as the Administrative Labour Tribunal3.
A&W Tells Anti-Union Conference It Keeps a Secret ‘Watch List’ To Make Sure Workers Don’t Unionize
Press Progress
Canada’s fast food giants seem to be nervous about low-wage workers exercising their right to collective bargaining.
Push to unionize Foodora could be ‘watershed moment’ for Canadian gig economy: employment lawyer
Global News
A union certification vote is underway for Foodora couriers in Toronto to decide whether they’d like to join the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), and with similar pushes in Canada and beyond, an employment lawyer calls this a potential watershed moment.
Portugal faces fuel rationing as tanker drivers strike
AlJazeera
Portuguese motorists are facing fuel rations across Portugal after fuel-tanker drivers began an open-ended strike on Monday.
School year in limbo as teachers head into collective bargaining mediation
City News 1130
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With children across the province set to head back to school next month, parents are being told there is no guarantee teachers will be back in the classroom.
Teachers union, province in mediation as start of school year approaches
CBC
The B.C. Teachers' Federation (BCTF) and the provincial government have eight days of mediation scheduled for later this month to wrap up negotiations on their collective agreement.
Canadian post-secondary school reps focus on reconciliation in Yukon gathering
CBC
Representatives from 31 post-secondary schools across Canada are meeting in Yukon this month to talk about ways to advance reconciliation with Indigenous people.
Thousands protest in Brazil against Bolsonaro's education cuts
AlJazeera
Thousands of students and teachers have protested across Brazil against President Jair Bolsonaro's federal cuts in education spending.
August 13, 2019
Government of Canada making post-secondary education more accessible and affordable
Government of Canada
Back to school is an exciting time of year, but it can also be financially stressful for parents and students.
Thousands of EU academics left posts at leading British universities after Brexit vote, analysis finds
Independent
Thousands of EU academics left their posts at Britain’s most prestigious universities in the year after the Brexit vote – an 11 per cent rise on the year before, analysis shows.
Union representing some Ontario school board workers takes first step toward job action
Ottawa Citizen
Leaders from the union representing 55,000 workers at Ontario’s school boards have voted in favour of job action.
University of Alberta receives $2.2 million in federal research funds
Edmonton Journal
A federal grant is helping to provide a University of Alberta researcher with the tools to find the reason why some unborn babies don’t get as much oxygen as they need in the womb.
Kaiser Permanente workers in California vote to approve strike
Los Angeles Times
A swath of Kaiser Permanente workers in California has voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike that could draw in more than 80,000 employees of the healthcare giant across the nation, according to the coalition of unions representing them.
Manitoba election gets underway
Winnipeg Free Press
The 2019 Manitoba election campaign is officially underway.
Workplace harassment and bullying to be discussed at annual police-chief meeting in Calgary
Globe and Mail
How to deal with bullying and harassment in the workplace is to be discussed as Canada’s police chiefs gather in Alberta for their annual meeting.
August 12, 2019
Red River College board, province silent on CEO's sudden ouster
Winnipeg Free Press
Red River College's board of directors remained tight-lipped Friday about the removal of chief executive officer Paul Vogt, and the province continued to deny any involvement.
Pattern of questionable decisions
Winnipeg Free Press
The recent decision to end the tenure of Paul Vogt as president and CEO of Red River College has been met with widespread condemnation from some surprising sources.
Universities and colleges brace for impact of students opting-out of post-secondary fees
The Star
From fewer clubs to cutbacks to on-campus jobs, universities and colleges are bracing for the impact of the province’s new rules around opting out of some ancillary fees.
Whistle-blowers are not welcome in the world of science; just ask Françoise Baylis
The Globe and Mail
Françoise Baylis is a reputed bioethicist, policy-making expert and member of the Order of Canada who recently completed a 14-year tenure as a top-tier federal research chair in her field.
Sexual misconduct complaints at Cambridge University
The Guardian
A recent decision regarding Cambridge University’s disciplinary procedure means that students are unable to have their complaints regarding sexual misconduct heard, a fact that the university has failed to acknowledge thus far.
Untrained drivers assigned to 'bendy buses': union
Winnipeg Free Press
A day after the city implemented new rules for how transit drivers’ schedules are decided, the president of the transit workers’ union says some drivers are being scheduled to drive articulated buses — even if they aren’t trained to do so.
Bus drivers' union wants city bosses probed
Winnipeg Free Press
As tensions flare between city hall and the transit workers’ union over stalled contract negotiations, the union’s president is asking for members of the city’s senior administration to be placed on paid leave while an integrity investigation into their behaviour is conducted.
Ingham: If Ottawa wants better transit, maybe the union could bargain for it
Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa is on the cusp of urban maturity. With the eventual opening of the LRT, it will have a fully fledged public transit system, but the recent political gridlock on questions of fare affordability should be a reminder that we are not a transit city yet. The recent move by Ottawa Council to continue freezing fares is a win for transit riders but the defeat of a motion to reduce fares by a vote of 18 to 6 shows that this is not the end of the debate but just the beginning.
August 9, 2019
Treasury Board bargaining: strike timeline
PSAC
The Labour Board has set dates for Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings for four Treasury Board bargaining tables
Why some gig workers are pushing to unionize
Globe and Mail
Unionization in the gig economy might sound like an oxymoron, but for those who feel mistreated by the platforms they work for, independence is beside the point.
Red River College appoints new president
Winnipeg Free Press
RED River College has appointed its vice-president of finance and administration, Darin Brecht, as interim president and CEO, effective immediately.
Sessional lecturers and music instructors in contract talks with UVic
Times Colonist
Sessional lecturers and music instructors will return to the bargaining table with the University of Victoria today after voting in favour of strike action last month.
Queen's University v Queen's University Faculty Association, 2019 CanLII 58233 (ON LA)
CanLII
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION BETWEEN: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY ("the University") AND: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY FACULTY ASSOCIATION
Government funding will be tied to uni performance from 2020: what does this mean, and what are the challenges? (Australia)
The Conversation
Education minister Dan Tehan met with university Vice Chancellors in Wollongong this week to discuss a new report on an upcoming funding formula for universities – performance-based funding.
Tuition fees cut could be devastating for universities, say peers
The Guardian
Proposals to reduce tuition fees for students in England would have severe consequences for universities, which are already struggling in a challenging financial environment, a Lords committee has said.
City's new actions seen as 'bullying' bus drivers
Winnipeg Free Press
City hall has upped the ante in ongoing contract negotiations with the transit workers' union, with moves the union’s president describes as intimidation tactics.
