October 22, 2000
Volume 30, No. 30
World Women's March Shows Strength In Ottawa
As part of the World Women's March more than 30,000 women rallied in the streets of Ottawa raising their voices on the issues of poverty and violence against women. Approximately 600 CAW women took part in the October 15 event. Tracey Sims of CAW Local 444 said the march in Ottawa provided an opportunity to speak out at a critical time. "With the election about to be called I think that this is an important time for women to bring their issues to Ottawa so our voices can be heard - so that it can send a real message - so that they know we have demands and we want them met," said Sims. Peggy Nash, assistant to CAW president Buzz Hargrove, said governments that continue to ignore the priorities of women risk paying a price at the ballot box. Women (and in fact the overwhelming majority of Canadians) want strong social programs instead of tax cuts. Cheryl Kryzaniwsky, director of the CAW Women's Department, said the Ottawa march shows the strength of the women's movement. "We haven't seen that many women together since the start of the Women's movement in the seventies," said Kryzaniwsky. "I feel this resurgence of women, lots and lots of young women, it's kind of like we've lost a generation of women and now we are getting them back and I think that is going to mean a lot for women's equality and women's issues." Here are some key demands of the march: * the main focus for the CAW is the establishment of a National Child Care program that will help women realize other critical goals such as; * the elimination of violence against women; * economic equality - for example, raising the minimum wage so women can get out of poverty; * elimination of discrimination, especially for lesbian women.
Reality Check: Liberals Reneg On 50/50 Spending Promise
Between the 1997 election and the fiscal year 2001, the federal Liberals will have spent only two per cent of the fiscal dividend on social investment, compared to 98 per cent on tax cuts and deficit reduction, an Alternative Economic Update shows. The update shows Liberal actions run counter to their pre-1997 election promises to spend 50 per cent of the fiscal dividend on social programs. The report, by the Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) coalition, is titled "Reality Check: An Alternative Economic Update." "Our evaluation shows that federal program spending fell by one quarter as a share of Gross Domestic Product during the Liberal's first term. This has left federal programs smaller as a share of GDP than at any time since the 1930s and even smaller than federal spending in the US," said Jim Stanford, a CAW economist and chair of the AFB's Macro-Policy Working Group. Paul Leduc Browne, AFB co-chair, said a country can't be built on tax cuts. "We challenge the federal government to choose to rebuild and protect social Canada by investing the entire surplus in rebuilding health care, education, social services and income support," he said. The full study can be downloaded on the internet from www.policyalternatives.ca
Outstanding Search And Rescue Achievement Award Handed To CAW Member
Philip Jennex, a Marine Communications Officer at the Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, was recently presented with the highest Canadian award for achievement in Search and Rescue by Minister of Defence Art Eggleton, at the National Search and Rescue SARSCENE Awards dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Laval, Quebec. Approximately two years ago, Phil Jennex, an experienced Coast Guard Communications Officer, while working as a training specialist at the Coast Guard College noticed that vital Search and Rescue communications equipment were not functioning properly. After investigations, he found that it had been overlooked by the manufacturer. Jennex contacted Search and Rescue authorities, who advised the manufacturer, to correct existing communications equipment on board ships. The Marine Communications Officers recently joined CAW as Local 2182. These workers provide a vital safety service for all mariners using Canadian waters from sea to sea to sea and on the Great Lakes.
Fatigue Kills! ITF Road Transport Action
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) focussed international attention once again on the serious issue of truck driver fatigue in a Day of Action held October 4th. CAW Local 114 was the most active local union participating in the Day of Action. Bill Gaucher, Local 114 Financial Secretary, reports members handed out leaflets in British Columbia cities; Prince George, Kamloops, Nanaimo, as well as throughout the Lower Mainland. The ITF material was an easy way to get professional drivers to open up and speak out on the subject of Hours of Work. Owner-operators and independents are especially torn on the issue, however, since working excessive hours is often the only way they can barely make a decent living. The deregulation of the trucking industry as well as privatization and contracting out have greatly expanded the number of owner-operators in relation to hourly paid workers. Tired drivers put themselves and the public at risk.
Bulletins
Globe and Mail Column CAW staff economist Jim Stanford is now writing a monthly column in the Globe and Mail. His work appears in the front section of the newspaper, where his first column ran October 10. Stanford previously had a monthly column in the National Post, but he resigned as a Post columnist last December out of respect for the CLC boycott sparked by the Calgary Herald strike. Pension Post Card Update The CAW's Royal Oak pension post card campaign, which originally called for the cards to be returned to the National Office by October 20, is now extended to November 10. Completed cards should be sent to the CAW National Office, 205 Placer Court, Toronto, M2H 3H9, c/o Hemi Mitic, assistant to CAW president Buzz Hargrove. Falconbridge Support The strike by 1250 CAW Local 598 members has entered its 12th week. CAW Locals are encouraged to donate generously to help Local 598 members in Sudbury, Ontario. Cheques and messages of support can be sent to Marcel Brabant, Financial Secretary, CAW Local 598, 19 Regent Street South, Sudbury, Ontario, P3C 4B7.
WEB PREVIEW: CAW Web Page
Here's a brief look at just some of the information available on the CAW home page. Facts from the Fringe No. 30, October 13, 2000 by Jim Stanford, Economist, CAW www.caw.ca/fringe/index.html Alms for the Rich It smells like an election in Ottawa. And we all know what that means. Years of hard-won fiscal discipline and policy fortitude are at risk as every special interest group in the nation converges on Ottawa-like pigs sniffing out truffles-in search of pre-election goodies... For the full text, go to the CAW web site, www.caw.ca, under Newsletters - Facts From The Fringe.
