News
CAW/CEP union talks kick off with conference and new website

At a conference organized to kick-off the new union discussions between the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, labour experts stressed that corporate power and anti-worker governments are…

At a conference organized to kick-off the new union discussions between the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, labour experts stressed that corporate power and anti-worker governments are driving the need for union renewal.

The two unions have set up a website to keep members updated and engaged on discussions about the possibility of creating a new union, www.newunionproject.ca. The site features the conference presentations, statistics on CEP and CAW, a timetable, and other information and resources.

A the joint CAW-CEP conference in February, Pradeep Kumar, Queen’s University Professor Emeritus, noted that “the main reason for urgency on union renewal is the declining union power and influence due to a fundamentally different political, economic and social environments hostile to unions, combined with a sense of complacency and possibly a ‘battle fatigue’ after more than two decades of defensive struggles.”

“Union renewal and labor movement revitalization will remain fragmented and ineffective without a coordinated approach and a common vision and agenda,” he said.

The two unions will be continuing discussions in Ottawa from March 15-17.