unions

Has the meaning of 'organizing' been forgotten? | What's Left

Rising inequality, US anti-union laws crushing organized labour south of the boarder, and the slow unrelenting decline of union density here in Canada has renewed the focus on labour union organizing. The response from the leadership of the movement has been focused – rightly – on changes to law regulating labour unions that make it harder to organize. However, changing labour laws will not undo the slow decline in union density alone. Unions will also have to actually go out and talk to workers, sign them up, establish a local, bargain a first agreement, and enforce those terms.

Labour union activists confront climate change at LaborNotes #ln2014

For the first time, unions and how they need to mobilise against climate change made it on the list of discussion points at Labor Notes. There is a lot of history to why it took so long to make climate change and green alternatives a priority (spoiler: it has a lot to do with some powerful trades unions being opposed). However, the progressive (and historically correct) position on this is winning across the labour movement and it is now considered an essential struggle by the majority of workers.

Labour is a Social Movement | The Citizens' Press

Labour, organized into politically active and democratic unions, is essential to the support for all other social justice movements. It is why the Conservative activists in Canada and around the world are so hostile to them. No matter what nonsensical reason right-wingers put forward, their main reason to attack unions is to undermine the most powerful opposition to their regressive agenda.