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Labour Reporter
Canadian
www.labourreporter.com
January 5, 2015
news
strange bedFelloWs
Health-care workers in Nova Scotia are embroiled in a battle for fair rep-
resentation. The government introduced the Health Authorities Act,
which merges nine district health employers into one and reduces the
number of bargaining units from 50 to four — all to be represented by a
single union. Currently, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Uni-
for, the Nova Scotia Nurses' Union and the Nova Scotia Government &
General Employees Union are vying for the spot — to be decided by an
arbitrator later this month.
Photo:
Trevor
Beckerson
/
Unifor
Photo:
Mark
Blinch
(Reuters)
BIGGEST WIN:
TIM HUDAK'S DEFEAT IN ONTARIO
"Soon-to-be ex-leader of the Ontario Conservatives, Tim Hudak
(right), made a grave mistake when he threatened so-called
right-to-work legislation. Hudak wasn't just out to get labour —
his policies would have set Ontario back decades. The promise to
lay off 100,000 public sector employees would have had a
devastating impact on the local economy in both rural
and urban communities.Labour mobilized and played
a key role in Hudak's defeat in a
battle that was about more
than just our rights."
biggest hallenge:
retireMent
seCUrity
"At a time when more Canadians are
fearful about their future — wondering how
they'll ever be able to afford to retire — the
federal government seems intent on making the
situation worse for more people by converting
defined benefit pension plans into less secure target
benefit plans. This means asking workers to pay more for reduced service and
less secure benefits. It would also allow once-secure pension benefits, earned
for past service, to be reduced if a plan suffers a shortfall. The result? Hurting
people when their needs are greatest."
Photo:
Christinne
Muschi
(Reuters)
PLETHORA OF
PENSIONS
After Ottawa balked on expanding
the national pension plan, Ontario
Premier Kathleen Wynne (below)
forged ahead alone. Her brainchild,
the Ontario Retirement Pension
Plan, will be mandatory for work-
ers without a company retirement
plan. Should the legislation pass,
employers and employees will each
contribute 1.9 per cent of their sal-
ary — much to the dismay of busi-
ness groups.
From the experts:
Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, comments on the biggest wins and losses for labour in 2014.
