Articles

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Rock the Boat for Change

    Forcing Climate Action

    As long as you play by capital’s rules, you’re always going to lose. It’s a lesson that the climate movement learned long ago and one that trade unionists need to remember if we want to rebuild the labour movement — and secure a liveable future. Keep reading…

  • The Last Ship

    Rise Up Singing

    The Last Ship, a stirring musical about collective solidarity, celebrates workers who take over a shipbuilding factory threatened with closure. Keep reading…

  • After the U.S. Midterms

    The racism and sexism women experience online and in real life, during elections and after. Keep reading…

  • Hope is not a Plan

    Confronting Violence in the Canadian Classroom

    “I’ve been a teacher for over 25 years in intermediate, elementary, and special needs,” says Joy Lachica, president of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT), “and I have seen the violence escalating.” However, putting the blame for violence on individual students, parents, or teachers only obfuscates the reality: inadequate school funding contributes to classrooms becoming unsafe workplaces. Keep reading…

  • Together We Sing

    BC Work-Songs Contest

    In the end it was Lyndsay Wills’ song “9:30 at the Factory” that caught the judges’ attention and won her first place in the We Do The Work Song Contest for B.C. songwriters. Keep reading…

  • The Power of the Union

    Postal workers like me, and labour activists across the country, are outraged that, once again, our rights as workers have been removed through back-to-work legislation. Keep reading…

  • Hack the Boss and Other Good News

    Some good news from New Zealand: soon some workers will be bossless. The wiggy news is that they will be taking direction, instead, from a chunk of software, presenting all kinds of interesting options for future workplace resistance. Keep reading…

  • Digital Dreams (Part 1)

    Beyond Corporate-Controlled Platforms

    Digital “conversations” are brittle and transient, when what the world needs — and what our organizations and movements need — are places where we can have open conversations and connection grounded in solidarity. Keep reading…