President Ken Georgetti wrote to John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding Canada’s position in the current negotiations toward the UN Human Rights Council’s annual resolution on violence against women:

The Honourable John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Minister:

On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and its 3.3 million members across the country, I am writing to express concern at Canada’s position in the current negotiations toward the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) annual resolution on violence against women. The draft text, prepared by Canada, puts the well being of rape survivors around the world at risk. The absence of references to comprehensive sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health services is contrary to already agreed-upon commitments, including the conclusions reached at the most recent UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW).

You indicated in an address to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations that women’s rights are an important part of Canada’s foreign policy and a personal priority of yours. You further said that  “As citizens of a global community, we have a solemn duty to defend the vulnerable, to give voice to the voiceless, to challenge the aggressor, and to promote and protect human rights and human dignity, at home and abroad. Speaking out when we see hate and violence also means we cannot be selective about which basic human rights we defend, nor can we be arbitrary about whose rights we protect.”

At the recent session of the UN Commission of the Status of Women, we appreciated the constructive efforts of Canadian negotiators in ensuring the agreed conclusions did not compromise on existing rights and contained strong language on a range of issues, not the least of which were the importance of sexual and reproductive health and services. Canada’s leadership was noted by many of our international colleagues. So the current state of negotiations at the UNHRC is profoundly disappointing as it represents, in our view, a step backwards from Canada’s leadership at the UNCSW.
Survivors of sexual violence are among the world’s most vulnerable and deserve the full realization of women’s rights, including access to sexual and reproductive health services such as emergency contraception, safe abortion, post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and screening and testing for sexually transmitted infections. You have stated that Canada will promote prevention, protection and remedies in its efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls;  sexuality education is an important measure to reduce and prevent gender-based violence, and access to safe abortion services for survivors of rape is fundamental.

Minister Baird, I urge you to shift Canada’s approach at the UN Human Rights Committee and ensure that the text include (at a minimum), commitments to:

1. providing survivors of sexual violence with essential sexual and reproductive health services;
2. providing comprehensive sexuality education to adolescents which would promote not just sexual and reproductive health and rights but also gender equality, and hence reduce gender-based violence; and
3. reviewing abortion laws and regulations that restrict or deny access to safe abortion in cases of pregnancy resulting from rape.

This resolution must represent a move forward from the agreed conclusions of the 57th Session of the UNCSW, not a step backward.

Sincerely,

Kenneth V. Georgetti
President

The Supreme Court of Canada just upheld important restrictions on management rights in an appeal by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) against Irving Pulp and Paper and reinforced the importance of collective bargaining in balancing the interests of workers and their employers.

A union grievance had challenged the employer’s unilateral, mandatory and random alcohol testing policy. Under the policy, 1 in every 10 employees in select positions were to be randomly chosen for breathalyser testing.

The Supreme Court ruled an employer can test an individual worker in a dangerous workplace if there is reasonable cause.  This said, a “dangerous workplace” alone is not sufficient to justify an automatic, unilateral imposition of random testing, when it carries disciplinary consequences.

In today’s 6 to 3 decision, the Supreme Court confirms that if the employer decides to proceed unilaterally without negotiating with the union, it must show reasonable cause before making workers subject to potential discipline.

In essence this ruling is about the importance of collective bargaining and how it balances interests.  This case involves balancing legitimate safety concerns and privacy interests of workers.  Collective bargaining has not kept employers from introducing comprehensive drug and alcohol policies in dangerous workplaces. Rather, it has served to ensure that these policies are fairly administered and  to balance interests in such a way that incursion into the rights of employees should be negotiated with the union.

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

A report released this week in Switzerland by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has taken aim at Canadian government trends to interfere with strike actions, and the plight of migrant workers.

The ITUC released its annual survey of trade union rights at the annual meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and has reported on trade union  violations throughout the world.

The report was released on the same day that Canada was being spotlighted by the ILO on ‘freedom of association’ violations.

Unions at a special hearing provided a damning analysis of the Harper Government’s disregard for the freedom of association, despite Supreme Court rulings that make it a cornerstones of industrial relations in the country.

ALL UNION AFFILIATES ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.

If you have any items you would like to see on the agenda, feel free to contact me or bring it up at the meeting.
If any union affiliate has a report for the WKLC, if you can email it to me prior to the meeting it would be greatly appreciated.

In Solidarity,

Andrew Chernoff
WKLC Recording Secretary

Quorum presently is: Ten (10) of the registered delegates comprising of three (3) different affiliated union locals including at least three (3) members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Above in the tab titled “Documents” you will find the present Constitution and Bylaws the Council is following at this time.
Changes were made to this version back in 2006 but the changes were not approved by the Canadian Labour Congress when they were submitted, due to them being misplaced/lost at the CLC in Ottawa.

It is hoped that in the near future that the WKLC will address the updated version of the Constitution and Bylaws from 2006, with possible revision, and resubmission to the CLC for approval. Once done it should become more possible  for the Council to be able to fulfill its purpose and mandate as outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Below is a poster promoting the event. I would ask that you do what you can to help promote this most worthy event within your union affiliates, circulating through any email databases you have.

Violence Against Women In Relationships Committee

The BC Federation of Labour will be electing officers at the BC Federation of Labour Convention in Vancouver the last week of November. Both Michelle Laurie and Trevor Davies will be running for the office of President and Secretary-Treasurer and you will be able to meet with them in Trail on:

Monday, October 29^th, 2012

Trail Selkirk College

Recital Room

6:00 – 9:00pm

900 Helena Street

Trail, BC

Come and meet Michelle Laurie who is running for the President of the BC Federation of Labour.  She has been involved in British Columbia’s labour force for 35 years, and has lived and worked in communities around the province in many industries, including mining, fish processing, electrical utilities, and as a part-time paramedic.  She was appointed to the BC Federation of Labour’s Executive Council in 2002, and served as a Vice-President of the Fed from 2005 to 2010.  She has been a member of the Fed’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee since 1999, and was Chair or Vice-Chair of the Committee from 2003 to 2010.  Michelle believes our labour movement is at an important crossroads.

Come and meet Trevor Davies who is running for Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour, and is proud to have come into the labour movement and activism through the Young Workers committee of the Fed. He is one of four General Vice Presidents of CUPE BC, first elected to that position in 2010, and re-elected earlier this year. Trevor is the President of CUPE Local 374, representing over 600 members in six municipalities in the Greater Victoria area.  He has been involved in a number of CUPE BC committees including Environment, Municipal, Young Workers and currently chairs the Occupational Health & Safety and Library Committees.  Trevor has been involved in the past with the BC Federation of Labour as a Facilitator for the High School OH&S project, as a volunteer, working on the $10 minimum wage campaign and speaking at public hearings on the New and Young Worker Regulation reviews with WorkSafe BC.

Come and meet Michelle and Trevor and enjoy some Snacks Refreshments.

If you have any items you would like to see on the agenda, feel free to contact me or bring it up at the meeting.

If any union affiliate has a report for the WKLC, if you can email it to me prior to the meeting it would be greatly appreciated.

If you plan on attending as a delegate to your union or know of a delegate to the Council attending from your union, could you could advise me prior to the meeting so we could better make arrangements for food it would be greatly appreciated.

The Recording Secretary email is: wklc1958@gmail.com

In Solidarity,

-- 
Andrew Chernoff
WKLC Recording Secretary