Keeping workers and society safe and defending workers’ rights

By Rob Ashton

BC longshore workers stand in solidarity with striking Montreal Dock workers, April 27, 2021.

Rob Ashton is the President of The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada

We’ve been fairly successful in keeping COVID-19 off the waterfront. In the longshore industry we’ve been able to, from March to March, keep it to about 140 positive or presumptive cases out of 7,000 people. We have really good protocols in place on the waterfront that we’ve developed over the last year, most developed jointly, some by the union locals. Each local has their own protocols with the employers. If we do have a bit of an uptick, if someone tests positive, it gets squashed quickly because of the policies we have in place. We changed the way we do dispatch in a couple of the locals until the pandemic is over because we can’t all come into one place for dispatch now, so some locals went to an automated or phone dispatch. Everybody does the check-in at the start of the shift. There are cleaning crews at most sites, almost every shift, depending on the terminal.

Government passes back-to-work legislation against Montreal dock workers

Members of cabinet and Conservative MPs should go work on the docks. Perhaps that will notch their anti-worker arrogance down a peg or two. Support the demands of the dock workers! Denounce the government legislation and anti-worker arrogance! #CUPE375

Oppose the Criminalization of Workers’ Just Demands!

Dock workers at Port of Montreal launch general strike

In the News – For the information of readers, we are reposting a news article from Worker’s Forum on the strike of the port workers who are being threatened by emergency back-to-work legislation of the Trudeau government.

Maritime strategy of the Quebec Liberals: Serving the interests of the United States of North American monopolies

For your information: two articles on the Maritime Strategy of Quebec – the latest plan of the ruling circles to build infrastructure and establish Gateways and Trade Corridors across Canada to facilitate the transportation of energy resources and manufactured goods to North America, Europe and Asia.

The Couillard government promotes its Maritime Strategy.

By LOUIS LANG

The statements of the Couillard Liberals promise economic growth and thousands of jobs all over Quebec. In fact, it would seem that what is being proposed is a new version of the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP). The SPP, in which the Paul Martin government was involved, was a plan integrating the Canadian, U.S. and Mexican economies into the United States of North American Monopolies. This was to form a trade and military bloc in the inter-imperialist striving over control of world markets, spheres of influence, cheap labour and resources and zones for the export of capital. The Maritime Strategy being put forward by the Quebec Couillard government as a “pivotal project“ to develop the economy of Quebec is not a plan to build an independent national economy for the benefit of the people of Quebec but rather it is to put the resources and transportation infrastructure of Quebec in the service of North American monopolies.

Workers’ Forum – Seafarers boldly declare: No quarter for neo-liberal free traders!

Annul the Canada-Europe Free Trade Agreement!

Annul the Canada-Europe Free Trade Agreement!
• Seafarers Boldly Declare: No Quarter for Neo-Liberal Free Traders!
• What the Workers Had to Say
• CETA Opens the Door to Dismantling the Marine Transport Sector – Interview, Patrice Caron, Executive Vice-President, Seafarers’ International Union of Canada
• European Seafarers’ Solidarity Statement
• U.S. Seagoing Unions’ Solidarity Statement

For Your Information
• CETA Breakdown – Seafarers’ International Union of Canada

Militarization of Canadian ports: Violation of rights of Maritime workers and annexation in the name of ‘security’

By TONY SEED

REPRESENTATIVES of Canadian maritime port workers have denounced draconian “security” measures aimed at criminalizing their rights. Under the aegis of the “war on terror” of the Bush administration, the federal government announced by executive order on 16 November 2006 that maritime port workers in Canada will be required to pass background checks. News agency reports are vague about both the origin of the demand and the content of the new Marine Transportation Security Regulations.

Canada’s transport infrastructure taken hostage

The U.S. Customs Service is sending “special agents” to the ports of Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver. GARY ZATZMAN

HALIFAX (19 March 2002) – More than 40 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) derives from exports, and more than 85 per cent of that is with the United States. With their road-rail links and container-handling facilities, the ports of Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver play an especially crucial role in providing essential transportation infrastructure. As of March 25, the US Customs Service is sending “special agents” to each location to monitor cargo handling in the name of stepping up the so-called “war against terrorism” of the Bush administration.