USW@Work October 2015
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USWA magazine for the United Steelworkers WorkOctober 2015 make history USW@Work October 2015 Official Publication of the United Steelworkers in Canada y is our chance! Canadians Leo W. Gerard International President r Now will go to the polls on Ken Neumann National Director for Canada o Monday, October 19. Stephen Hunt District 3 Director t s This will be the most-expensive Daniel Roy District 5 Director i election ever and the longest Marty Warren District 6 Director h campaign since 1872. It will also Stan Johnson Int’l Secretary-Treasurer be one of the most important and e Thomas M. Conway Int’l Vice-President (Administration) exciting. k Fred Redmond Int’l Vice-President (Human Affairs) a Carol Landry Int’l Vice-President at Large NDP Leads in the Polls Jon Geenen Int’l Vice-President m Tom Mulcair and the New Democrats Gary Beevers Int’l Vice-President S t n have momentum. The NDP can win! We ee ca have the chance in this election to elect Tom lw rs Mulcair as our Prime Minister in the first-ever orke New Democratic federal government, a government on the side of people, communities and workers. We must not waste this opportunity. We must work harder than ever to support and elect the NDP across Canada, for a stronger middle class and a government that’s on our side. Only the NDP can Beat Harper’s Conservatives USW Canadian Leaders: Daniel Roy, Ken Neumann, Stephen Harper and the Conservatives have had their chance. Harper’s Marty Warren, Stephen Hunt Editor and Department Head: Bob Gallagher Conservatives are guilty of fraud and corruption, using the politics of Contributing Editors: Lesley Stodart, Pat Van Horne, fear to distract from their terrible record on jobs Paula Ferreira, Levin Joseph, Frank Linhares, David Cantatore, Ron Palmer and the economy. Stephen Harper’s plan just Designer: Lesley Stodart isn’t working. Direct inquiries and articles for Steelworkers haven’t forgotten all the Liberal USW@Work to: United Steelworkers Communications and Political Action Department broken promises, never delivering childcare [email protected] while they had the chance over 13 years in government. Or how they eliminated nted w ri it P h the federal minimum wage! The Ink V B i g si r i t w .o e inequality in our country o ww apim l .n b Renewa today is the result of Certified Reg#Sun391 On the cover: NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and USW National Director Ken Neumann at the Labour Day Parade. Printed on USW-produced paper. uswmetallos @SteelworkersCA Join our online community of activists. MAIL PUBLICATION AGREEMENT #40006737 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: United Steelworkers Communications Department 234 Eglinton Ave. E., 8th Floor, Toronto, ON M4P 1K7 ELECTION 2015 the cuts and dismantling of social programs done by previous Liberal governments. Election Issues How the parties compare Canadians want change and the NDP is the party that can beat Stephen on our issues p. 4 Harper’s Conservatives. Our union and our members played a key role in the incredible New Democratic Party breakthrough in Alberta in May. Now we can build on that momentum and elect a progressive NDP government in Ottawa that’s on our side. Who Can Win A look at election make history Tom Mulcair’s NDP: Ready for Change possibilities p. 6 Tom Mulcair’s New Democrats are ready. Ready to bring change. The change we need. A national $15-a-day affordable childcare program. A $15 federal minimum wage. Repealing Bill C-51. Abolishing the Senate. Voting Guide What you need to A concrete plan for good jobs for the middle class. Retirement security know to vote p. 6 for seniors. A responsible and sustainable approach to the environment. Calling an inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Steelworkers Make A Difference Our Next Prime Minister Steelworkers make a difference when we vote. Let’s work harder than The middle-class values of Tom Mulcair p. 8 ever. We are proud of our roots supporting the NDP since its founding in 1961. I’m also proud that we have at least four USW members running for the NDP in this election: ▶▶Erin Weir in Regina–Lewvan Candidate Profiles Meet some of the candidates, ▶▶Amandeep Nijjar in Vancouver South including three Steelworkers! p. 9 ▶▶Scott Duvall in Hamilton Mountain ▶▶Claude Gravelle re-election in Nickel Belt Making a Difference Let’s support our NDP candidates across the country. Let’s volunteer, Steelworkers share their motivation for political activism p. 12 donate, organize and mobilize our USW members to get involved in the campaign. For a stronger middle class. For a better Canada. Together, let’s join the Orange Wave. Let’s make history! Leader Profiles In solidarity, Harper, Trudeau, Mulcair: How they compare p. 14 Ken Neumann National Director Connecting at Conferences District 3, District 6 conferences and first-ever Aboriginal workshop p. 16 Choosing Steelworkers American Airlines-US Airways employees choose USW p. 19 Stop The Killing Campaign builds grassroots support p. 20 New Deals, Big Gains New contracts for TWU-USW and members in Quebec p. 22 SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT $15 Federal Minimum Wage 100,000 Low-Income Federal Workers Deserve a Raise No one should work full-time and still provide leadership and build fall below the poverty line. Canadian momentum to increase wages for workers and families deserve fair workers at the provincial level. wages and a decent living. When the NDP proposed a $15 Canadians are working harder than minimum wage in the House of ever and they’re tired of being told to Commons, Liberal Leader Justin settle for less. But that’s the message Trudeau didn’t even show up to from Stephen Harper’s Conservatives vote. Hardly surprising, since it was and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. Prices are going up while wages stay the same. No one a Liberal government that actually should work full-time and still fall below the poverty line. Unions support advances for workers’ rights that extend to all workers. That’s why we support stronger health eliminated the federal minimum Only Tom Mulcair and the New and safety laws, expanding the Canada Pension Plan/ Quebec Pension Plan (CPP/QPP) and other measures that improve lives for all workers. 343> cope-sepb <sru-sdr, wage in the 1990s. Democrats will reinstate a federal Only Tom Mulcair and the NDP are proposing fairness with a $15 federal minimum wage. Make history. Vote NDP. minimum wage and increase it www.usw.ca/election2015 For Stephen Harper, helping the PLEASE POST to $15 by the end of its first term. lowest-paid working families isn’t Restoring the federal minimum federally regulated industries such even on his radar. He’s more interested wage is part of the NDP’s plan to as airports, transportation, banks, in tax giveaways to big corporations fight growing income inequality. broadcasting, telecommunications, and his wealthy supporters. ■ A $15 minimum wage will help tens fisheries and Crown corporations. Issue sheets @ of thousands of working families in A federal minimum wage would www.usw.ca/ election2015 NDP Conservatives Liberals the odds makers say either It’s not simply Tom Mulcair’s strong Without Quebec, British Columbia All Stephen Harper or Tom showing in the polls that suggest he and the industrial heartland of Mulcair will end up Prime Minister will be our next PM. Ontario, Team Red simply isn’t in the after the next election. The fact is, the vast majority of contest of forming government. For the first time in Canadian history, Quebec has solidified Orange, and In the last election, Conservatives this election is not a race between Orange is virtually the only colour in placed first or second in 231 ridings. Team Blue and Team Red. This time, B.C. other than a few disappearing New Democrats came first or good money is on Team Orange. Blue seats. second in 224 ridings. Team Red 4 USW@WORK • October 2015 • www.usw.ca SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT • SPECIAL ELECTION 2015 SUPPLEMENT Affordable, Quality Childcare Good for Families, Good for Our Economy Too many families struggle to The NDP plan will create or maintain find decent childcare, and when one million quality childcare spaces they do, it’s expensive. And they’re across the country and keep costs for tired of broken promises. parents at no more than $15 a day. The Liberals promised national We know it can be done and that childcare in 1991. They had 13 investing in childcare is not only years in power to deliver, but never good for families, as the Quebec came through, recycling the same model shows, it’s good for our promises in election after election. economy. Too many families struggle to find decent childcare, and when they do, it’s expensive. Liberals promised national childcare in 1991 but never delivered during 13 years in power. Stephen Harper promised In the 1980s, the Mulroney 125,000 new spaces, but hasn’t created even one. Our economy grows by $2 for every Affordable, safe quality childcare gives a strong start for our kids and our economy grows by more than $2 for every $1 invested. Quebec has 70,000 more women in the workforce since childcare Conservatives also promised a was introduced. Unions support progressive policies like affordable $1 invested in affordable, quality childcare – for our kids, our families and our economy.