http://www.unionbug.ca/ Unionbug.ca is an MGEU (Manitoba Government and General Employees Union) Blog that looks at current issues related to MGEU and other Canadian unions. Unionbug.ca also addresses current political, social and other related topics. en-us Copyright 2012 MGEU - The Manitoba Government and General Employees Union 180 Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/284 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/284 Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Despite federal government scare tactics that the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) may not be sustainable in the future, it is now reported that the CPP Fund hit a record high value of $161.6 billion last year, adding more than $13 billion to its assets as its investment manager diverted money from battered stock markets to ramp up its stake in private equity. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/283 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/283 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 A new NUPGE study looks at one of the most recent threats to public services. Social Impact Bonds are the newest idea to catch the eye of governments attempting to “reform” the public service to save money. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/282 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/282 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 There has been much discussion about the direction Manitoba Hydro (MH) is heading in and the role it should play in our province. It’s an important discussion to have because MH is one of the most significant drivers of our economy. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/281 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/281 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Bill C-377 – An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (requirements for labour organizations) has recently passed second reading in the House of Commons. If it becomes law, it will force unions to provide an onerous level of detailed financial disclosure about their work on behalf of their members. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/280 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/280 Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 During the last round of contract negotiations with the Province of Manitoba, Manitoba’s Civil Service bargaining committee negotiated a two-percent long-service step (which would become effective in October 2012) for members that had reached 20 years of employment. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/279 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/279 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is joining a broad range of organizations to support the Not Myself Today campaign initiated by the newly-formed Partners for Mental Health. On hand for the campaign launch was NUPGE National President James Clancy and Vice-President (Ontario) Nancy Pridham. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/278 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/278 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The walkout of several Air Canada mechanics and ground crew at major airports across the country last Thursday and Friday was a clear expression of the frustration they feel at being denied their basic human right to bargain collectively and take job action, according to the Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights (CFLR). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/277 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/277 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 In the continuation of a troubling trend in the United States, New York became the latest state to dramatically overhaul its pension plan against the wishes of its public employees. Last week the state legislature passed a series of measures expected to save the state $80 billion over 30 years while cutting retirement payments guaranteed to state workers. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/276 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/276 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Evidence is mounting every day that the Harper government is contemptuous of democracy; they are not just undemocratic, they are actively anti-democratic. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/275 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/275 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Not long after winning a majority in the last federal election, the Conservative government tabled Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act. It was passed in the House of Commons in early December and has now proceeded to the Senate. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/274 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/274 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 The Harper government recently created a significant level of concern with its admittance that it is considering raising the age of eligibility for Old Age Security (OAS) to 67 from 65 because the system is “unsustainable.” http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/273 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/273 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 We’re living in tough times and our political leaders are calling for “shared sacrifice.” http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/272 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/272 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Caterpillar has announced that it will soon close its Electro-Motive plant in London Ontario, where locked out employees have been off the job since January 1 of this year. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/271 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/271 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Prime Minister Stephen Harper is attempting to deflect increasing criticism over his recent comments about planned cuts to government-funded pensions by saying his government will delay their implementation. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/270 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/270 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600 A new study by David Macdonald of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) takes a look at the three waves of cuts to federal programs, staff, and operations since the Harper government came into office in 2006. And he finds that these cutbacks will slash services and increase unemployment. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/269 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/269 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Although the Occupy Wall Street movement has dissipated and no longer occupies Wall Street, the issue of class conflict has captured a growing share of the American national consciousness. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/268 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/268 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600 The gap between Canada’s best-paid CEOs and the average Canadian worker continues to grow. A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has shown that it takes the average member of Canada’s top-paid chief executives a half-day of work to make the same amount of money ($44,366) as the average Canadian’s annual pay. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/267 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/267 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 It’s a busy time of year for everyone and the union is no exception. The 2011 annual report has been hitting mailboxes over the past week and the union has been busy negotiating a number of great discounts just for MGEU members. As you head out to find those last minute gifts, I encourage you to support all of these local merchants who choose to offer deals for MGEU members. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/266 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/266 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 A new study released by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has found no evidence the average pay of public sector workers in Canada is consistently higher than comparable occupations in the private sector. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/265 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/265 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 The 340,000-member National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is using December 10, International Human Rights Day, as an opportunity to promote the fact that labour rights are human rights. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/264 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/264 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600 A recent study by Statistics Canada shows that Canadian workers are failing to keep up with the rising cost of living as real wages continue to fall dramatically. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/263 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/263 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600 A November 24 Winnipeg Free Press editorial entitled “How NDP ‘pause’ was made sweet” criticized the provincial government’s “concessions” in light of its mandated two-year wage freeze for certain unions, including the MGEU. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/262 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/262 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600 The response of the mainstream media, business class and political establishment to the Occupy movement has been dismissive, patronizing and hostile. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/261 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/261 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0600 Health care costs in Canada doubled over the past decade and will cross the $200 billion threshold for the first time this year, a report released last week reveals. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/260 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/260 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500 In a grim analysis issued on the eve of the G20 leaders summit, the International Labour Organization (ILO) says the global economy is on the verge of a new and deeper jobs recession that will further delay the global economic recovery and may ignite more social unrest in scores of countries. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/259 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/259 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz recently commented that an “ardent faith” in austerity measures in the face of an ongoing recession around the globe is “effectively a suicide pact” for the international economy. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/258 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/258 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 A new study by a Canadian research institute shows that baby boomers are retiring as the wealthiest generation in history while younger couples with children are stuck in an economic squeeze. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/257 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/257 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The Harper government is clearly sending a message to Canadians that it has little respect for human rights. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/256 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/256 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The federal Conservative government has recently launched another attack on labour organizations, this time via a private member’s bill designed to force Canada’s unions to open their books to the public. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/255 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/255 Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Manitoba Progressive Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen has been careful so far in this election campaign in not straying too far from the political middle in his (and his party’s) messaging. Statements that don’t tow the party line – as Gord Steeves made with regard to privatizing Manitoba Public Insurance – are quickly corrected and rebuffed. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/254 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/254 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500 MGEU President Lois Wales has authored a letter to the membership with specific regard to public pension plans. In particular, she addresses a response from the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives to a questionnaire sponsored by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/253 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/253 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Analysis from the Conference Board of Canada finds that, since the mid-1990s, income inequality has been rising more rapidly in Canada than in the United States. The findings are part of the Conference Board’s 'How Canada Performs' analysis of world income inequality. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/252 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/252 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Most Canadian workers spend at least a portion of their time at work using the internet for personal purposes. But where is the distinction between using it legitimately and responsibly and abusing the privilege entirely? http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/251 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/251 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Every year on Labour Day we celebrate workers and everything the labour movement has done to enrich our lives and communities. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/250 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/250 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Provincial PC candidate Gord Steeves has recently gone on record with regard to his belief that private corporations should take over Manitoba’s public auto insurance program. But, as demonstrated in an article on the MGEU website, for the average driver, privatizing our insurance just doesn’t add up. In fact, in most cases, private insurance would cost Manitobans more and provide less coverage than our public system. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/249 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/249 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, one of the world’s richest people, has done something virtually unheard of – he’s suggested that the richest Americans undertake a greater share of the financial burden and pay more in income taxes. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/248 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/248 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Two recent polls have shown that Canadians have been thinking about debt more than normal. Unfortunately, they seem to be doing little about it. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/247 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/247 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0500 There has been considerable discussion and concern over the last while about the aging of the Canadian population and what this will mean to our social programs. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/246 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/246 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Last week the Conference Board of Canada released a new report showing income inequality on the rise across the country. The report, Canada Inequality: Is Canada becoming more unequal?, suggests that over the last 20 years the poor and middle class have lost ground to the rich and super-rich. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/245 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/245 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Over the past 40 years, Canada’s retirement income system has provided satisfactory pension incomes for increasing numbers of retirees and has served to reduce poverty among seniors. Although it has performed impressively, there has been pressure of late for systemic reform. Almost a third of middle-income Canadians are not saving enough to avoid a significant drop in their quality of life after retirement. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/244 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/244 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The public response to the recent labour disputes at Air Canada and Canada Post have been disconcerting, to put it mildly. A real air of hostility has emerged towards those public service employees to are striving to maintain (and hopefully improve) their working conditions. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/243 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/243 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The Canadian government is well along the way towards negotiating a deal with the European Union on what is referred to as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/242 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/242 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The announcement by Lisa Raitt, federal Labour Minister, that the government will push through back-to-work legislation to end strikes at Air Canada and Canada Post is “a troubling sign the Harper government intends to spend the next four years trampling on the fundamental rights of workers”, according to the president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/241 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/241 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 MGEU President Lois Wales has contributed the following blog to Working Families Manitoba. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/240 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/240 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Although most Canadians still find themselves slowly fighting their way out of the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009, Canada’s top chief executive officers have had no such difficulty. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/239 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/239 Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500 A Wisconsin circuit judge has issued a permanent injunction against Republican State Governor Scott Walker's controversial anti-union bill that would have eliminated collective bargaining rights for most public sector employees. The law is effectively dead until the Wisconsin Supreme Court acts on it. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/238 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/238 Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The Government of Manitoba has just unveiled a new hospitality strategy aimed at modernizing liquor laws, reducing red tape, balancing safety enhancements, and introducing new initiatives to curb underage drinking. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/237 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/237 Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Delegates at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) convention have overwhemingly endorsed major resolutions regarding inter-union relationships, primarily committing to the end of raiding. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/236 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/236 Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500 A recent study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) looks at how the Canadian financial sector can pay fairer taxes. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/234 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/234 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500 In a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, David Macdonald examines corporate income tax cuts and their effects on the Canadian economy. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/232 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/232 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500 A recent court decision in Ontario has broke new ground on an issue that is exploding into the court system – the extent to which internet information is private and beyond the reach of the law. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/231 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/231 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Although March 21 marks the International Day For the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a new study by the Wellesley Institute and the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives reveals a troubling trend. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/229 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/229 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600 There has been a lot of attention on Wisconsin of late, what with Republican Governor Scott Walker attempting to gut collective bargaining and destroy the public sector union that represents government workers there. But there are other, more subtle attacks on unions taking place in other states that are going relatively unnoticed. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/228 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/228 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600 Sometimes I think I live in a parallel universe to Margaret Wente. Today I know so. She watches the remarkable events unfolding around the world and then compares unionized workers in Wisconsin to reactionaries. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/225 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/225 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600 Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview recently that he will propose removing nearly all public employee collective bargaining rights in an effort to close a $3.6 billion hole in the state budget. And he’s prepared to bring in the National Guard to help do it. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/224 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/224 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600 The Harper government has made it clear that it remains committed to further reducing the general corporate income tax rate even though recent polls have shown that the majority of Canadians, including business owners, do not want any further cuts. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/223 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/223 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600 A recent poll suggests that Canadians believe that Ottawa’s focus should be on health care and not the economy. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/221 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/221 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600 It’s becoming somewhat fashionable in certain circles to criticize unionized workers, particularly those in the public sector. This more than likely is the direct result of the ongoing recession which, of course, was caused by a deregulated financial system run amok. But in times of stress, people (and magazines) point fingers in all directions. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/220 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/220 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600 By the time you’ve read this, the average of the best-paid public company CEOs in Canada will have already pocketed what it would take the average Canadian working full-time an entire year to earn. In fact, many will have earned many times more than that. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/218 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/218 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600 Maclean's magazine recently published a lengthy piece on the impact of our aging society and the picture isn’t a particularly encouraging one. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/217 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/217 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600 Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) economist Jim Stanford recently made a good case for investing in social well-being that has the added advantage of addressing expanding health budgets. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/216 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/216 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600 The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is currently in a dispute with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) over the fundamental issue of raiding (when one union tries to take members away from another union). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/214 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/214 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600 A new report from the Health Council of Canada has found that Canadians are generally satisfied with and confident in the health care system and the care they receive. But it also identifies some gaps in important areas. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/213 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/213 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600 The Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives (CCPA) recently released its annual Alternative Federal Budget. In “Big Train Coming: Does Canada Really Have a Deficit and Debt Problem?,” Canadian Labour Congress Chief Economist Andrew Jackson cautions the federal government about returning to the major public spending cuts of the mid-1990s. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/212 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/212 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia has found that Canadians who work night shifts and rotating shifts are almost twice as likely to be injured on the job than those working regular day shifts. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/211 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/211 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Most people are well aware that Canada is facing a retirement income challenge as more and more Canadians are about to enter their retirement years without adequate income security. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/210 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/210 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Financial rewards for damages caused by mental injury at work have increased over the past five years by as much as 700%, according to a report released by the MHCC. The report warns that a perfect legal storm is brewing in the area of mental health protection at work and points to emerging responsibilities for employers to provide a psychologically safe workplace. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/209 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/209 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Canada lags behind Sri Lanka, Lesotho and Latvia at No. 20 in a global ranking of equality between men and women. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/208 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/208 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Over the last few years, the widening income gap between the rich and poor in Canada has received a considerable amount of focus from groups like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Likewise, this blog has addressed the topic on a number of occasions. But now, many in the United States are realizing that the gap between rich and poor is a problem in their country as well. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/207 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/207 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A total of 1,785 private Canadian bank accounts – containing billions of dollars – have turned up on a list of secret accounts in Switzerland, according to a joint investigation of suspected tax evasion activities by CBC News and the Toronto Globe and Mail. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/206 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/206 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A new study indicates that Canada’s battle with the bulge is continuing to escalate with nearly a quarter of Canadians rated as obese. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/205 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/205 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A new report makes yet another call for Canada to introduce a public drug insurance plan. In “The Economic Case for Universal Pharmacare”, Marc-Andre Gagnon of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) demonstrates that, contrary to accepted wisdom, such a public program could save the federal government billions of dollars. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/204 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/204 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Mental illness is linked to more lost work days than any other chronic condition, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion a year in lost productivity, says a new study reported by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/203 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/203 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500 This summer Canada ratified its first International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention in over a decade. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/202 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/202 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500 The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has recently released its 10th edition of the National Report Card on Health Care. At the top of the list of concerns among Canadians is the fear that the quality of health care in the country will decline as a result of increased strain on the health care system as the baby boom generation gets older. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/201 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/201 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500 With the Canadian economy slowly improving, it is more important than ever that policymakers realize that we could just as easily drift back into recession if we do not continue to make targeted and strategic stimulus investments. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/200 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/200 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500 After years of putting a priority on premium reduction, the Alberta WCB simply doesn't have the funds to fulfill its mandate of supporting and rehabilitating injured workers. But instead of increasing premiums, they find new ways to deny claims and otherwise reduce pay-outs. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/199 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/199 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500 This past June a study was released by the Commonwealth Fund – a US organization that promotes evidence-based quality health care there – that compared the American health care system with that of six other nations, including Canada. Not surprisingly, it ranked the United States last or close to last in almost every category. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/198 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/198 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500 What the Federal Government must have perceived as a relatively minor policy change has developed over the last week or so into a much more significant political issue. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/196 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/196 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500 June 30 marks the Climate Change Impacts in Singapore Day on Canada's Climate Change Calendar. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/195 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/195 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page, who has had a difficult relationship with the Harper Conservative government to put it mildly, has just released a bombshell of a report that is making headlines across the nation. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/194 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/194 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/193 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/193 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Prime Minister Stephen Harper concedes that he will face a fight at the upcoming G-20 meetings in Toronto over his opposition to a Robin Hood tax on financial transactions. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/192 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/192 Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A new report from TD Economics paints yet another grim picture of the future of Canada’s health care system if significant changes are not implemented. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/191 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/191 Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500 As expected, Winnipeg City Council yesterday voted to approve the hiring of Veolia Canada to design and build upgrades of and partially operate two sewage treatment plants in Winnipeg. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/190 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/190 Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/189 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/189 Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500 With her announcement yesterday that she would be running for Mayor in this fall’s municipal election, former Manitoba MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis has entered the fray as the main (and perhaps only) competitor to incumbent Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/188 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/188 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Because young people are especially at risk from health and safety hazards in the workplace, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has chosen to put the spotlight on young workers in marking this year's National Day of Mourning. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/187 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/187 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500 An article in a recent issue of Maclean’s magazine has highlighted yet again some of the crucial issues facing the health care system in Canada. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/186 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/186 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500 The campaign for a Robin Hood tax on global financial transactions is beginning to heat up in Canada in advance of the planned G20 meetings in June. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/185 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/185 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Recently, the Government of Manitoba released its annual Budget outlining in detail its investment priorities for the upcoming year and into the future. After years of record tax reductions and in the midst of a sputtering provincial economy the government finds itself in a situation where, for the first time, it will be challenged to maintain services and jobs. But that is exactly what this government should be doing – maintaining jobs and services. Instead, the government has announced it... http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/184 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/184 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Last week the notoriously pro-business Fraser Institute released a study that looked at the Canada Economic Action Plan and whether it had stimulated the economy and helped move the country out of recession. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/183 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/183 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A few days in advance of Manitoba's provincial budget, Errol Black and Linda Fernandez of the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives (CCPA) have co-authored an interesting piece about the government's current approach. It is reproduced below. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/182 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/182 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600 As confirmed in the recent federal budget, Canada seems headed for structural deficits in the medium term and perhaps even larger ones in the longer term. Revenue lost from years of tax cuts, the regressive nature of our income tax system, and the recession have combined to make it likely that things will continue to be difficult for the average Canadian for the forseeable future. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/181 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/181 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600 March 8th, 2010 commemorates the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/180 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/180 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600 As we approach budget day, March 4, Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page tells us we are headed for structural deficits in the medium term and even larger ones in the long term and Stockwell Day, the President of the Treasury Board tells us there are bleak times ahead, the issue of taxes is being forced onto the political stage. There are many elements to this story: the tens of billions in revenue lost yearly to 10 years of tax cutting, the upcoming additional corporate tax cuts and lastly,... http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/179 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/179 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600 The Manitoba government recently announced that it would be introducing a wage freeze of two years for public service employees. In response, the Winnipeg Free Press published an editorial on February 18 that agreed with this position. It relied on a study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to support its argument. In response, Peter Olfert sent the following letter to the Winnipeg Free Press: http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/178 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/178 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/177 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/177 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600 Every provincial government in the country is currently trying to find ways to address deficits of varying severity. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/175 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/175 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600 A new union contract for employees at the Brandon Maple Leaf plant includes groundbreaking new language for migrant workers who have come to Canada under the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/174 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/174 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600 A recent issue of The Economist magazine highlighted the fact that, within the next few months, women will cross the 50 percent threshold and become the majority of the American workforce. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/173 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/173 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600 It seems that even a recession of unheralded scope is not enough to quell the rate at which the salaries of Canadian CEOs continue to escalate. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/172 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/172 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600 While Manitoba has so far decided not to be one of the provinces introducing a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), others are moving forward. Ontario is the latest to opt in to the Federal Government’s initiative. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/171 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/171 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/170 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/170 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600 The long-anticipated collapse of the Asper family's Canwest Global media empire -- which included 11 daily newspapers, the Global TV network of 11 stations, 13 specialty TV channels and more than 80 websites -- in October 2009 was the latest development in the shameful history of corporate-owned media in Canada. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/169 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/169 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600 Provincial, Aboriginal and territorial representatives from sheltering organizations recently met in Ottawa and created the first-ever national network of women’s shelters. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/167 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/167 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/166 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/166 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/165 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/165 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 A report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) argues that, despite considerable progress in the past decades, societies continue to fail to meet the health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adolescent years and into older age. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/164 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/164 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 Let’s start with the most obvious of facts. Canada, like most of the world, is still struggling with the effects of the Great Recession. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/163 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/163 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 We’re long overdue for serious tax reform in this country. Most Canadians agree on this. But the new unfair Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Ontario and BC is not what most of us had in mind. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/162 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/162 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) examines how federal and provincial benefits actually get wiped out with minimal wage increases, thereby doing more harm than good. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/161 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/161 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Over the last decade public employees have been taken advantage of by governments that used the excuse that public sector employees were to blame for the deficits governments were facing. Civil service jobs were slashed to finance tax cuts, although it never was public sector workers that were the cause of these deficits. But the deficit excuse was used to justify the erosion of the bargaining rights of workers. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/160 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/160 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/159 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/159 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500 The Fraser Institute has just released a new study in its Studies in Labour Markets series. Entitled “Labour Relations Laws in Canada and the United States,” the report claims to be an “empirical” comparison between labour law in the two countries. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/158 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/158 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500 A report by the Conference Board of Canada says Canada ranks a dismal 15th among 17 developed countries in poverty, mainly because of alarming levels of poverty among children. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/157 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/157 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500 US President Barack Obama recently spoke to Congress in a bid to gain much needed consensus for his proposed overhaul of the US health care system. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/156 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/156 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Pointing out that the Fraser Institute has released a perverse study ignoring established facts in order to make its case is a bit like pointing out that the sun rises in the east. It’s kind of self-evident. But the institute's latest bit of silliness is over the top even for the notoriously fact-averse Fraserites. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/155 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/155 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/154 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/154 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Recently, Manitoba Finance Minister Greg Selinger indicated that Manitoba would be studying Ottawa’s offer of tax harmonization. More specifically, to blend the General Sales Tax and Provincial Sales Tax into one Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). Following the lead of other provinces such as BC and Ontario, Selinger and others are likely concerned that Manitoba will lose out on Federal financial incentives if they do not make the shift to an HST. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/153 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/153 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Barely two years ago, the unionization of migrant Mexican farm workers in Manitoba was hailed as a victory for the labour movement. This was the first time a group from this sector had ever been unionized – at least in Canada – and was believed to not only improve their working conditions but to open the door to further gains in this industry. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/152 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/152 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500 A new pension ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada is bad news for workers across the country. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/151 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/151 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/150 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/150 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 There has been significant debate of late about the U.S. “Buy America” policies and the effect they have on trading partners like Canada. This issue seems to come up every few years, but this time has been revived as a result of the Buy America provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is more commonly known as the ‘stimulus’ package that was signed into law by US President Barack Obama in February 2009. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/149 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/149 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 As Canadians are living longer, more are expected to receive pension benefits from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) for a longer period of time, according to a study released by the Chief Actuary of Canada. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/148 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/148 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/147 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/147 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/146 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/146 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Members of Parliament have told the Harper government to claw back $7 million in bonus payments to top Canada Pension Plan executives. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/145 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/145 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Last Week TD Economics released a report that examines some of the key opportunities and challenges that affect the economic well-being of aboriginal peoples in Canada. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/144 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/144 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Under the heading of ‘better late than never’, our governments have discovered that we have a pension crisis in Canada. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/143 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/143 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Despite a loss of $23.7 billion last year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ruled out cancelling a whopping $7 million in bonuses to the top four executives at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/142 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/142 Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500 It’s almost that time of year again where the Fraser Institute trots out it’s well-worn “Tax Freedom Day.” This is an annual event they use to highlight the fact that Canadians pay too much in taxes (in their opinion). Tax Freedom Day marks the moment when Canadians have collectively “paid off the total tax bill imposed on them by government and can finally start working for themselves.” http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/141 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/141 Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/140 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/140 Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Within the next two years, the first of the “baby boomers” will turn 65. By the year 2026, when the last of the boomers reaches that age, more than 20 percent of Canadians will be seniors. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/139 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/139 Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500 In late 2007, the Canadian Health Care Coalition (CHC) held a series of hearings in communities across Canada on the matter of Canadian’s experiences and insights with regard to the cost, effectiveness, appropriateness and availability of prescription drugs. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/138 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/138 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500 To celebrate the 15th year of the Winnipeg MayWorks Festival and the 90th Anniversary of the 1919 General Strike, organizers have chosen a historic theme for this year’s festival, which opened this week and runs until May 30. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/135 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/135 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/133 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/133 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500 The Harper government announced last week that it will put an extra $60 million into the federal Employment Insurance (EI) system but the move did little to appease a rising chorus of criticism about the way the program is operating. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/132 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/132 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Recently-elected US President Barack Obama has more political drama to deal with now that it has been revealed that $165 million in bonuses have been paid to executives of AIG, the insurance company bailed out by the US Government to the tune of $170 billion last year. And these bonuses are in addition to the $55 million that were paid out this past December. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/131 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/131 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Employers across the country, including several in Manitoba, have tried to find ways to deal with the economic crisis without resorting to layoffs. The belt tightening has meant cuts to ad budgets and caps on raises/bonuses. Others have dealt with the downturn by eliminating shifts and/or introducing a reduced workweek. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/129 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/129 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/120 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/120 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600 I was recently surprised to see a full-page ad from the Manitoba Government in Time magazine. I’m not sure what surprised me more: the fact that the Government would spring for full-page ad in Time or the fact that they were trying to attract people from other provinces as Alberta and others have done for many years now. http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/74 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/74 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 Those who advocate for the increased privatization of the medicare system in Canada now often resort to the promotion of what is referred to as “parallel health care.” This is the notion that we can have two separate and relatively independent health systems – one private and one public – coexisting and, most importantly, having a positive effect with regard to reducing wait times in the public system. But history has shown us that not only are such parallel systems no better in terms of wait... http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/72 http://www.unionbug.ca/home/11/72 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600