History
Newsletter
Elected Officials
Picture Gallery
Links
Message Board
Home
Page
IN THIS ISSUE- April 1999New Collective Agreement
The Origins of May DayILA Local 273 has signed a new two year collective labour agreement with the Port of Saint John Employers Association.
The new pact will expire on December 31st, 2000 and provides for a 2% increase in wages in each of the agreements for two years. Additionally moneys for training and the pension and welfare plan were negotiated.
Unique features of the new agreement are that it includes an interest to merge the three ILA Locals at the Port of Saint John an interest to lower shipping costs while protecting jobs. These resolves should prove to be a real challenge for the parties involved.
top of the page
The Origins of May Day -
International Workers' DayIn most countries around the world, May 1st or May Day is officially recognized as International Workers' Day. Ironically, it is only in North America -- where May Day got it's start-- that recognition has been given to another day (Labour Day).
May Day has it's origins in the movement for an eight-hour day that swept the United States and Canada during the mid-1880's. In 1886, and association of unions and other supporters of the eight-hour day began making preparations for mass demonstrations for May 1st in most major North American cities. At this time, most people worked between 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week.
As the workers made their plans, the other side prepared as well. Everywhere, police and military were readied for emergency actions, and leading business men created anti-labour committees which began arming and training volunteers for the expected confrontation.
When May 1st came, impressive demonstrations occurred in dozens of cities across the United States and Canada, including Toronto and Montreal. At the same time, workers and many plants decided to strike in support of their demands - over 30,000 in Chicago alone walked off the job.
The strikes and demonstrations continued; with employers actually capitulating in some cases. On May 3rd, however police in Chicago fired on a crowd that was confronting strike-breakers at the strike-bound McCormack farm equipment plant. Four demonstrators were killed many others were seriously wounded.
At that point, streetfighting erupted, lasting throughout the day. A rally was called for that evening at Haymarket Square to protest police brutality. The rally started peacefully. Speeches were already finished and only 300 people were left in the rain, when about 180 policemen marched in and commanded the crowd to disperse. At that point, a bomb exploded killing one officer, after which the police formed ranks and fired into the crowds.
With this incident, the authorities had what they needed. They engineered a wave of hysteria depicting trade unionists as " bomb-throwing anarchists ". Seven unionists were seized, tried in summary fashion and sentenced to death. Four were eventually hanged, even though the police produced no evidence connecting them to the bombing. (Just recently, in fact, the State Court in Illinois has recognized this by granting posthumous pardons to he dead workers).
The repression did not end with Chicago. Following the Haymarket incident, military and police throughout the United States and Canada used the " Riot " as an excuse to crush hundreds of strikes for the 8-hour day.
In 1889, in recognition of the Haymarket Martyrs, the American Federation of Labour declared May 1st as Workers' Day. Since that time, May 1st has become recognized around the globe as the day when workers celebrate their achievements, honour the sacrifices of those who have gone before, and renewed their commitment to fight for a better world for themselves and their children.
As we enter the new millennium, it is proving extremely difficult for workers to join unions and to bargain collectively. Unions are under attack. Employers, regardless of workers' rights, are determined to operate union free. And they are succeeding!
In 1998 only, 81, 567 workers, 22% of the province's labour force, enjoyed collective bargaining rights. This compares to a high of 31.9% in 1975. Unionization levels in the private sector are now much lower than the public sector and dropping quickly. Only 35,864 workers, roughly 15% of the employed private sector in New Brunswick, belonged to unions at the end of 1997. Although unhappy with their working conditions, many workers, fearful of losing their jobs, are afraid to talk openly about unions.
Since 1994, the labour movement has waged an active campaign to improve access to unions. Through the Make It Fair campaign, we demanded better labour law protection for all workers... the same rights and protection extended most other Canadian workers.
The New Brunswick government is not listening
We still do not have anti-scab legislation or first contract arbitration. Our demands for stronger successor rights and protection for casual workers have been ignored. More and more, exercising one's right to join a union is like choosing to live a bad nightmare. In four years, government has only addressed on of our concerns - an expedited arbitration system for speedier settlement of grievances.
McKenna, Frenette, Theriault... it really doesn't matter. For each, and their respective governments, building a better and more prosperous New Brunswick has meant weaker, not stronger unions. Discouraging, not encouraging free collective bargaining.
Premier Theriault has flatly refused several requests to meet with the Federation and key union leaders to discuss labour law reform. The priority of the Labour Minister is a review of the province's employment standards laws, not stronger organizing laws. Just as the third wave of Liberalism does not include a fair deal for trade unions, similarly, Bernard Lord and the PCs have also declined to meet to discuss labour law issues. Only the NDP agrees workers need stronger labour laws.
It's time to make it fair
The time has come for union members to make choices. To choose to accept the disrespect and contempt. To choose to accept the disrespect and contempt the old line parties show the labour movement or, to choose to fight for better labour law protection...anti-scab legislation, first contract arbitration, successor rights, better access to unions, an end to discrimination against casual public employees and real improvements in workplace health, safety and compensation. The choice is ours.
1. Be aware of the issues. Educate yourself about the need for labour law reforms and the government's response to labour's proposals.
2. Speak up for your rights and your union! Talk abour the issues with your friends and co-workers, even your employer. Explain how the Theriault agenda has created an unfair environment for workers in New Brunswick.
3. Organize a workplace action, like wearing a black armband. Nothing drives management crazy more than workers who are up to something!
4. Write a letter to your MLA at their eonstituency office or at the legislature. Talking to them in person or by phone can be very effective. Laws that are unfair to workers are a recipe for workplace conflict, and that's bad for all New Brunswickers. If you need help preparing facts, contact the NBFL office.
5. Participate in your local union's fight for stronger labour laws. Go to Fair Labour Laws meetings. Organize a demonstration or government office sit-in.
6. Write 'letters to the editor' (individually and on behalf of your local) to your newspaper. Keep them short and focused, you don't have to take on all the issues at once! Use real examples and information in the NBFL fact sheets.
7. Be sure where your political party stands on labour's legislative proposals.
8. Talk to opinion leaders in your community about the unfair agenda of the government. While not everyone is in a union, every New Brunswicker has a stake in a fair and stable provincial economy.
9. Present your opinions to the government's Social Policy review hearings, which will be held over the next several weeks. This is an important opportunity to have your voice heard in the legislative process. Contack the NBFL office for information and assistance in participating in the committee hearings around labour law reform issues.
New Brunswick Federation of Labour
96 Norwood Avenue, Room 208
Moncton, NB
E1C 6L9
Phone (506) 857-2125
Fax (506) 383-1597
E-mail: fttnbfl@nbnet.nb.ca
hosting and design by
Avenue Digital