STICKING WITH THE UNION

Challenging neoliberalism

by Carolyn Egan

Corporations and governments around the world are launching massive attacks on workers and the poor. They tell us that “we are all in it together” and that the austerity agenda is necessary to keep governments from going bankrupt and corporations competitive.

It is becoming clearer and clearer that this is not simply a question of cost trimming, cutting deficits or bringing budgets into line. Neoliberal forces are using this opportunity to change fundamentally the nature of society and the role of the state.

The question that all this poses is: why should the working class and the poor, particularly women and racialized communities, pay the price when we did nothing to cause the crisis?

We are seeing the unions and precarious workers in Greece joining together in the streets opposing the vicious attacks that the social democratic Pasok government is inflicting on its people at the urging of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

General strikes have rocked the country, as the Greek working class says a resounding “no” to the government’s agenda.

Postal workers

In this country, Canada Post demanded significant cuts from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), including the loss of a defined benefit pension plan and lower starting wages for new hires.

Health and safety issues are also a major concern for postal workers. It is clear that the corporation was intent on taking away gains that have been won over decades. It callously made the decision to lock out the workers, after rotating strikes were called across the country.

The Conservative government in a calculated move tabled a bill with heavy penalties legislating CUPW back to work.

It also imposed arbitration with a twist. Instead of allowing the parties to agree upon an arbitrator they are appointing one. The legislation also imposes a wage settlement lower that what Canada Post had tabled and allows for a winner-take-all approach. Canada Post and the union are both ordered to put forward contract offers and the arbitrator chooses one, which will then be imposed.

This process essentially takes away the right to collective bargaining and is an attack on workers across the country. The Harper government is upping the ante in the class war not only by taking away the right to strike but also by imposing a concessions contract which will have repercussions for years to come.

To its credit the New Democratic Party now the official opposition in Ottawa, launched a filibuster against the legislation. Its 103 MPs, the vast majority from Quebec and new to parliament, stood one after another denouncing the attacks on workers’ rights.

If only they had done the same regarding Canada’s role in the attacks on Libya.

In the end, the legislation passed and is unfortunately a glimpse of what the working class and the poor will be up against in this country in times ahead.

We recently saw the Liberal government in Ontario take away the right to strike from the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATM) in Toronto claiming that the transit system is an essential service.

Breaking strikes and imposing arbitrated settlements stacked against the workers are all part of the neoliberal bag of tricks.

Trade union leaders must raise the stakes and plan a coordinated fightback. Union activists must do all we can to strengthen the rank-and-file and support calls for action by trade union leaders who are urging a fightback in order to strengthen the movement.

Tailing the leadership is not the way forward; we always have to work to strengthen the rank-and-file and not subordinate the fight to the union officialdom. We must build solidarity with everyone under attack.