Articles
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ROOTED IN UNITY
The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists on the Move, Together
The need for unity could not be greater, whether we’re facing the rise of white supremacist ideology in the U.S. (and Canada); Ontario premier Doug Ford’s unremitting cuts to public services, police oversight and environmental regulations; or Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s genocidal destruction of the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous peoples. Keep reading…
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How I Became a Climate Activist
When Climate Change Becomes Personal
For years, I considered myself a bad climate activist. Sure, I went to meetings, took classes, and learned about feedback loops, carbon budgets, and what the difference between 1.5 and two degrees Celsius would mean. Still, climate change wasn’t what got me out of bed in the morning. Now it is, and it’s all about the future of the people and places we love. Keep reading…
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STAND UP, SPEAK OUT!
An Interview with Shelina Merani on Comedy, Islam and Unions
Comedian, union activist and award-winning digital media strategist Shelina Merani uses stand-up comedy to empower and educate by breaking down stereotypes and building bridges. Keep reading…
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Green is Not White
Environmental Justice for All
The Green is Not White workshop brings cases of environmental racism closer to home by providing local examples and giving participants the tools to identify environmental injustices in their own homes, communities, and workplaces. Keep reading…
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Digital Dreams (Part 2)
Lighting New Pathways of Connection
How do unions “see” our members in this era of content marketing and surveillance capitalism? Do we see them as prospects to market to, or as agents of social change, to equip and organize? Keep reading…
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GM Workers Can Lead Us into the Future
The reorganization of GM’s formerly vibrant Oshawa production facility could support a wider economic and social program aimed at creating a comprehensive Green New Deal for Canada. But first we need to see the accumulated knowledge and skills of auto workers as assets to be built on, not as relics of a forgotten past to be purged. Keep reading…
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WHY 162 WORKERS DIED IN ALBERTA
Mourn, Then Organize
Alberta workplaces are inspected roughly once every 17 years. And, despite hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year, the government prosecutes fewer than 20 employers each year. Keep reading…
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Our Spirits Cannot Be Stolen
Islamophobia is a Public Health Issue
Every time there is an incident of Islamophobia, no matter how small or large, the reverberations reach our families and communities. We are like trees with intertwined roots, sharing sustenance from the same earth. When one of us is harmed, the whole ecosystem suffers in ways that may not be immediately apparent. Keep reading…
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The Power of Song
Gil’s Hootenanny
Every year this songfest in honour of a beloved trade unionist’s memory brings people together in the Ottawa area to sing songs of protest and hope, belting out their belief in the power of collective singing for change. Keep reading…
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Why Was I a Bystander?
Confessions of a Feminist Union Activist
I thought that if I complained to male trade union leaders they would not even listen or accept what I was saying. I thought they would say, “It’s just X. You’re being too sensitive.” Or, “The other women haven’t complained.” Or, “This is just you being a feminist.” Keep reading…
