Graham Cox is a labour union researcher at Unifor focusing on economic, bargaining, and policy in the energy, road, rail, and marine sectors.
Previous to Unifor, Graham was a researcher at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). At CUPE his work focused on economic and policy analysis for the anti-privatization, trade, post-secondary education, utilities, employment insurance, special projects, and organizing files.
Before working at CUPE, Graham served the student movement as National Researcher of the Canadian Federation of Students and chairperson of the National Graduate Caucus.
Graham has worked as a union organizer for the PSAC, CUPE, and the CFS with a focus on graduate student teaching assistant, research assistant and contingent academic staff union drives. This included leading drives to organize academic workers at the University of New Brunswick, UPEI, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Please also see articles under the author Editors (What’s left).
Increased automation of back office, management, and sales services are not guaranteed to have positive outcomes for companies or society. However, some negative outcomes are rather well known at this point and work should be done so they are avoided.
There are massive differences in the industrial strategies from the left and those promoted by the new conservative movement circling Trump. It is essential for the movement's leadership to articulate the difference for workers. A right wing version industrial policies will only lead to war, domestic conflict, stagnant wages, inflation, and capital profiteering from misery.
There are indications that the mess that occurred since the election of Trump in the USA has returned valuations to where it started. The difference now is that we are living through a much more volatile world, so it is a now not about growth, but downside risk.
The political narrative around Trump is that he does not want global conflict and war. However, it is clear Trump has no plan to affect the current conflicts raging that he promised to end within days of being elected.
Understanding the difference between harmful and useful regulation is essential for the left. But, focusing on supposed inefficiency of government does not get us there.
One thing that will be interesting to watch during this tariff and investment war the USA has launched against the world is how it will affect prices.
The capitalist economy of the USA requires large amounts of debt to operate effectively. That debt does not just need to be accessible to new, starting companies and consumers making large purchases, but also to already (highly) indebted companies and consumers. Competition and lack of real pay growth means that the only way to finance growth is through debt spending.
It seems as though if you want to hobble your own economy, you can get access to the US market at a reduced tariff rate.
One of the biggest complaints that the left get from Capital when we raise regulations is the cost of implementation of those regulations. But, looking around the world right now, it is hard to understand that is even a thing to worry about for standard regulatory programs.
There is pressing need for Canada to develop a robust industrial strategy centered on public investment, strategic diversification of export markets, industrial investment, and the safeguarding of publicly funded intellectual property.
