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.
May 6, 2026
Recognition is not power: the battle for the soul of McGill
Canadian Dimension
On a cold, grey April afternoon, faculty from across McGill departments gathered on the steps of the Arts Building to issue an ultimatum. Under the banner of the Confederation of Faculty Associations of McGill (COFAM)—an alliance uniting the university’s newly unionized faculty associations—they set a deadline: after nine months of stalled first-contract negotiations, they wanted a full counter-offer by April 10, rather than the incremental, article by article responses which have left bargaining at a standstill.
University of Guelph receives $51M investment for business school
CTV News
The University of Guelph has received a $51 million investment for the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics (LANG).
MUN puts faculty, school structure under the microscope
CBC
Memorial University is doing a review of its faculty and school structure. It's a move the president hopes will give the struggling institution some control over factors such as decreasing enrollment.
Manufacturing silence on Canadian campuses
Briarpatch
“They are well known in their field and I was afraid that rejecting them (more than once) would lead me to be unable to continue my studies in the field but also to ruin my reputation among other scholars that I would eventually meet. In the long run it seemed simpler to go along with it than to keep trying to stop it because of the long-term repercussions I felt I would face.”
Canada is losing to the U.S. in these five categories, report on higher education finds
Unpublished
A recent global ranking of the top higher education and research systems sees Canada come in at an impressive fifth place worldwide — but it’s still behind the United States.
‘Close to zero impact’: US study casts doubt on effect of phone ban in schools
The Guardian
Strict bans on mobile phones in schools have “close to zero” impact on student learning and show no evidence of improvements in attendance or online bullying, a study has found.
Florida’s largest teacher union sues state over education funding
WCTV
Florida’s largest teacher union is suing the state, accusing it of not investing enough in schools.
How Administration’s 2026 Immigration Crackdown Is Changing U.S. Higher Education
Forbes
American higher education confronts an existential crisis. Universities have relied on international students and scholars for innovation, research, and revenue. Aggressive policy moves by the Trump administration in 2025 and early 2026 have triggered fear, judicial turmoil, and projected financial losses of nearly $7 billion. In this uncertainty, higher education administrators must act. Immediate steps include convening crisis response teams and scenario planning for different outcomes. Administrators should strengthen communication to support international students. They must also use financial modeling to assess and reduce risks. By proactively adapting, institutions can better protect their academic missions and communities.
Australian Education Union cancels strikes in Victoria to impose Labor’s austerity agenda
World Socialist Web Site
The Australian Education Union (AEU) has taken a major step toward completely selling out the struggle by public school educators in Victoria against their low pay and intolerable conditions, by calling off even the limited regional half-day stoppages scheduled over the next two weeks.
Winnipeggers honour workplace injury victims at annual fundraising event
CBC
Hundreds of Winnipeggers came together to raise money for Canadians whose lives have been impacted by workplace injuries — and to honour those who've died.
Telecom workers say AI being used to monitor employees, disguise accents of offshore agents
CBC
Telecommunications workers are calling for government restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in the sector, suggesting the technology is being used to monitor workers and disguise the accents of overseas call centre workers.
Nearly 9,000 Hydro-Québec workers set to strike as unions escalate standoff
The Gazette
Two of Hydro-Québec’s largest unions representing nearly 9,000 workers have moved in tandem to escalate pressure on the Crown corporation.
Is Canada really one of the world’s most dangerous places to work?
Canadian Occupational Safety
A report from an American safety equipment retailer has ranked Canada among the most dangerous countries in the world for workers – a claim that occupational health and safety experts say is built on unreliable data, inconsistent definitions, and a methodology that obscures more than it reveals.
Gen Z workers face distinct challenges. Here’s how and why employers should help
Globe and Mail
Over the past few years, companies across Canada have been seeing rising numbers of Gen Z workers reporting stress in the workplace and taking mental health leaves. Some older workers have dismissed this as an indication that younger workers aren’t willing to put in the effort or ‘can’t cut it.’ But they miss the real and distinct challenges faced by Gen Z compared to previous generations.
Vocational Nurses, Techs Ready 30,000-Worker California Strike
Bloomberg Law
An impending strike at the University of California hospital system adds to a growing list of high-profile work stoppages among healthcare employees faced with a tightening labor market and rising consumer costs.
May 5, 2026
Manitoba teachers face rise in students with complex needs, 'erosion' of support staff: union
CBC
The majority of public school educators in Manitoba who responded to a recent survey say they're facing a growing number of students with complex needs in their classrooms as support staff dwindle, the head of the union says.
Class sizes, more students with complex needs among teachers’ biggest challenges: survey
Winnipeg Free Press
New research suggests it’s no longer unusual for seven or more students with “complex needs” to be learning in a public school classroom in Manitoba.
Classroom antisemitism in full swing, U.S. academic tells city synagogue
Winnipeg Free Press
Universities and colleges are fertile ground for promoting antisemitism, an American academic told an audience at Congregation Shaarey Zedek recently.
MUN President Tasked with Reviewing Faculty and School Structure
VOCM
Memorial University’s Board of Regents has instructed president Janet Morrison to review the faculty and school structure.
France serves up €1 meals to all university students in effort to cut hardship
The Guardian
French universities have begun offering €1 (86p) meals to all students regardless of income in a measure designed to address financial hardship.
One in four humanities students in Australia to take more than 25 years to pay off student loans, Treasury finds
The Guardian
One in four humanities students will take more than 25 years to fully repay their student loans because of Morrison government changes to university fees, newly public Treasury modelling reveals.
How UK universities ‘spy’ on pro-Palestine students (video)
Al Jazeera
A joint investigation by Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates has found that 12 universities paid a private company, led by ex-military intelligence officials, to profile academics and scan social media use by students.
Manitoba Nurses Union reacts after 3 workers were assaulted at Grace Hospital last week
CityNews
After three healthcare workers were threatened and assaulted at Grace Hospital last week, the president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, Darlene Jackson, is frustrated with the normalization of abuse towards frontline workers.
Federal public service union calls wage offers ‘insulting’ and ‘unacceptable’
iPolitics
A union representing more than 120,000 federal public servants whose contracts are up for renegotiation says wage offers presented by the federal government are “insulting” and “unacceptable.”
Up to 33,000 temporary foreign workers to be fast-tracked for permanent residency
CTV News
Up to 33,000 temporary foreign workers who live in rural and remote communities are now eligible for an accelerated transition to permanent residency.
The Safety Net Isn’t Ready for Artificial Intelligence
The New York Times
Economists aren’t sure if or when artificial intelligence will cause widespread job losses. But they do agree on one thing: The federal safety net isn’t ready for such a shock.
Spirit Airlines Closure a Devastating Blow to More Than 2,000 Pilots, Thousands More Workers
ALPA
Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement today after Spirit Airlines ceased operations:
‘Almost every Fortune 500 is tracking overall AI usage’: What that means for employees
CNBC
With companies spending more than ever on artificial intelligence, they are also tracking how employees use AI in unprecedented detail. Yet many CEOs hope, but still can’t tell, if it’s making workers more productive.
May 4, 2026
U of W students advocate for elimination of sick notes
Winnipeg Free Press
Sick notes sought for missed exams and other student absences are under growing scrutiny.
Study probes experiences of Indigenous grads
Winnipeg Free Press
Brandon Murdock recalled thinking in 2020 that, despite his struggling academic performance, he had “a solid case” to remain enrolled at the University of Winnipeg.
Algoma University’s $16M deficit forces tough decisions, including layoffs
CTV News
Algoma University says it expects to run a $16.45 million deficit in the coming year, driven by plunging international student enrolment, something that is behind revenue shortfalls for institutions across the province.
"Historic" $78.5M funding for Canadore College, Nipissing University
North Bay Nugget
A $78.5 million “historic” post-secondary investment was announced Friday.
University Health Network recruits senior NIH investigator, more than 70 global scientists
Globe and Mail
American neuroscientist Ariel Levine was at a point in her career when she was open to change – and a tenuous science research landscape in her country played into her calculation.
Canadian professors on how AI is changing education
Globe and Mail
A big issue hangs over university students and professors, and that’s artificial intelligence. There are some rules and guidelines, but professors are largely left on their own to determine how much they want to adopt AI or not – and that’s created a wide range of opinions.
U of L refuses to sign off on 12% wage increase
Alberta Worker
Earlier this week, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees posted an update on their website regarding contract negotiations for workers employed by the University of Lethbridge.
TTC says it's prepared to lock out workers after labour ministry fast-tracks bargaining ahead of FIFA
Toronto Today
The TTC says it is prepared to lock out over 700 technical and trades workers after the provincial labour ministry granted the transit agency’s request for a no-board report, speeding up negotiations and triggering a 17-day countdown to potential work stoppages.
FedEx Workers in Fort McMurray Win Their Union, Join Teamsters
Globe and Mail
Approximately 50 workers at FedEx Express in Fort McMurray have won their union, joining Teamsters Local Union 362 after a lengthy legal battle.
Public service executives return to office on full-time basis
Globe and Mail
Starting today, executives in the federal public service are expected to work on-site in the office five days a week.
Canada lags global peers and is falling when it comes to gender equity, study shows
Globe and Mail
In recent years, American businesses have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and there are signs the trend has crossed the border into Canada.
Study ties government policies to youth unemployment
HRD
A new study published by the Fraser Institute links Canadian government policies to a sharp rise in youth unemployment, warning the situation could have lasting consequences for an entire generation of workers.
‘Insulting wage offer’: Federal union slams 4 year, 3.5% raise proposal for public servants
CTV News
Canada’s largest public sector union is calling the federal government’s contract offer to tens of thousands of public servants “insulting,” saying the proposal “amounts to less than one per cent per year.”
Strength in numbers: what have 50 years of labor union documentaries shown us?
The Guardian
“We better start pulling together or, by God, they’re going to bury us,” says a meat packer during a union meeting in Barbara Kopple’s 1990 documentary American Dream. It’s a desperate plea for survival; “they” are the Hormel Foods Corporation, who took advantage of union disorder to replace a huge portion of their workforce during a costly strike. American Dream sees the 1985-86 labor crisis in Austin, Minnesota, as symbolic of the state of organized labor in the United States – call it an alternative State of the Union address.
May 1, 2026
RRC Polytech reduces program offerings, lays off 26 staff
Winnipeg Free Press
RRC Polytech has announced it will let go 26 employees as it prepares to end some programs and suspend others.
RRC Polytech closing programs, some permanently, 'to remain sustainable'
CBC
Red River College Polytechnic will permanently close some programs and temporarily shut down others, or reduce their student intake — a move Manitoba's advanced education minister says is a direct result of the federal government's international student cap.
Manitoba Teachers’ Society reacts to province banning social media, AI chatbot platforms for children
CityNews
The Manitoba Teachers Society is weighing in on the announcement by Premier Wab Kinew over the weekend regarding a ban on social media for children, but some teachers think it might not be so simple.
Ontario Investing $8 Million to Protect Homegrown Research and Innovation
Government of Ontario
The Ontario government is protecting the province’s homegrown research and innovation by investing up to $8 million through Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) to expand intellectual property supports for publicly assisted colleges, universities and research institutions. This expansion delivers on the government’s plan to protect Ontario by ensuring discoveries made in the province create jobs, attract investment and build a stronger, more self-reliant economy.
Post-secondary bargaining can be brutal, but we’re making it work
AUPE
“Are we there yet?”
Peter MacKinnon: The clear and present danger to universities is not from without, but within
National Post
Two University of Regina education professors have edited a new volume: Knowledge Under Siege: Charting a Future for Universities (University of Regina Press, 2026) in which fascism, settler colonialism and other right-wing influences are identified as threats to higher education.
College students are changing course in search of 'AI-proof' majors but no one knows what they are
The Canadian Press
Two years ago, Josephine Timperman arrived at college with a plan. She declared a major in business analytics, figuring she'd learn niche skills that would stand out on a resume and help land a good job after college.
Graduate student workers at UIC go on strike: ‘We want to be paid a living wage’
Chicago Tribune
Isobel Araujo, a second-year Ph.D. student, earns $24,000 a year as a teaching and resident assistant at the University of Illinois Chicago. Between classes, coursework and dorm duties, she babysits to make ends meet. She’s now searching for new housing on a tight budget.
GB News
A free speech tsar has faced calls to resign over what has been described as a "biased" Sussex University inquiry that overturned a £585,000 fine.
Manitoba construction groups call for journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio rework
Winnipeg Free Press
While Ottawa moves to invest billions into skilled trade workers, Manitoba construction groups say the provincial government refuses to budge on its apprenticeship ratio guidelines at the cost of their industry.
Police chief announces ‘flex’ unit to staff public events and improve lower-priority response times
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Police Service has formed a new 32-officer “flex team,” using existing personnel, that will focus on public protests and parades, and respond to incidents when there’s a surge in calls.
What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war
Winnipeg Free Press
Activists worldwide gathered for May Day rallies and street protests Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war.
CRA staff stuck in precarity when Canadians need them most
Rabble
Canadian taxpayers are increasingly relying on their tax refund to make ends meet, according to a survey done by EQ Bank, but the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) says the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) workers are facing too much instability to be able to best deliver the services Canadians need.
Uber drivers ratify first union contract for app-based workers in Canada
HRD
Uber drivers in Victoria, B.C. have ratified their first union contract, in what United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada describes as the first collective agreement of its kind for app-based drivers in Canada.
Canada’s labour market outpaces U.S. as wages rise faster than inflation: report
HRD
Canada’s economy avoided recession in 2025 and continues to generate jobs at a faster per‑capita pace than the United States, according to the federal government’s Spring Economic Update 2026.
Canada’s China EV deal risks breaking forced labour rules, committees hear
Global News
Canada’s plan to import Chinese electric vehicles is raising forced labour concerns, according to experts who testified before parliamentary committees over recent days.
AFGE Outraged Over Supreme Court Voting Rights Decision
AFGE
Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, is outraged over the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais.
Strikes Are Down, but Workers Are Rediscovering Their Power
Jacobin
In the summer of 2020, we decided to count every strike in the United States. The Labor Action Tracker (LAT), currently the only comprehensive strike database in the country, was conceived amid the upsurge of activism during the most intense phase of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. At the time, many businesses shut down, and people walked out of work to protest racism and police violence. Most prominent, the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks players refusal to take the court after the police shooting of Jacob Blake inspired a series of strike actions by athletes in various sports. In targeting systems of racism and broader social oppression at the workplace, these activists were reviving the strike as a political tool. But given the inadequacy of official data sources, we had no way of precisely assessing how these strikes fit in with historical trends.
May Day protests to highlight struggles of workers across the US
USA Today
In more than 30 years of working fast food jobs, Terrence Wise, his fiancée and his three daughters have known homelessness and hunger.
Thousands in US to join ‘no school, no work, no shopping’ May Day protest in economic blackout
The Guardian
Thousands are set to join an economic blackout for International Workers’ Day on Friday, as part of 3,500 “May Day Strong” events across the country. Organizers are calling for “no school, no work, no shopping” with walkouts, marches, block parties and other gatherings planned into the evening.
Argentine workers mark May Day with protests over Milei's labor-law overhaul
Canadian Press
Argentine workers protested in the capital of Buenos Aires on Thursday, as annual May Day demonstrations in the South American nation coincided with smoldering anger over President Javier Milei's recent overhaul of long-robust labor protections.
