STICKING WITH THE UNION

Mass rally against Ford cuts

by Carolyn Egan

Mayor Rob Ford called on the citizens of Toronto to come out to the Executive Committee of City Council to let him know their thoughts on the KPMG recommended cuts to city services. And come they did: over 300 registered to make deputations.

The committee met through the night and into the next morning. Only three supported Ford’s austerity agenda. Ford Nation was nowhere in sight and it was obvious that many who had cast a ballot for him were now asking for their votes back.

The mayor who guaranteed during the campaign that there would be no cuts in services has no problem going back on his word. Sixty-eight per cent of those who filled out the online survey said no to the cuts. They swamped the public meetings, and have been voicing their concerns through letters to the editor and community forums.

The Toronto and York Region Labour Council along with community organizations called a march and demonstration on April 9 and 12,000 came out expressing their anger over Ford’s agenda of contracting-out, privatization and huge cuts.

City Council meetings were packed with citizens from across the city demanding that the majority of council stand up to Ford’s bullying. CUPE 416—the city outside workers—has been going door-to-door in the wards talking to neighbours about what the changes would mean to the quality of life of individual Torontonians.

The LGBTQ community was outraged by the homophobic snub of every Pride event. The noted author, Margaret Atwood, is leading the charge along with the library workers’ union, over possible cuts to city libraries. Families with seniors in long-term care facilities, bike riders, and mothers concerned about cuts to child care are all speaking out.

Day of action

Another mass demonstration is being called for September 26 at 6pm when City Council will be meeting to vote on recommendations from the executive committee. This has to be built in every union, both public and private sector, and in communities from downtown to the inner suburbs.

We have seen massive protests across the globe in Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland; workers fighting back in South Korea, China, and South Africa; uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and other countries of the Middle East. South of the border in the US, workers in Wisconsin and other states have taken to the streets against the neoliberal agenda.

There is a tremendous volatility and a huge employers’ offensive attempting to pay for the economic crisis on the backs of the poor and the working class. We have seen that people are not prepared to accept these attacks and are organizing to fight back.

Growing opposition

Although Ford won by spinning a tale about “stopping the gravy train” and preying on the anxiety and fear that so many are feeling in these uncertain times, the opposition is growing, and more and more are seeing through his lies. The working class of Toronto in all its diversity is coming together and not allowing the corporations and the city government to continue to divide us.

The campaigns that are being waged include both unionized workers and the unorganized. Groups such as Good Jobs for All that represents unions and community organizations throughout the city have been instrumental in the fight back.

We have two months of building actions leading up to September 26 when the working class and the poor of Toronto will join with their brothers and sisters internationally in pushing back the neoliberal agenda.