Canada
Toronto: auto workers occupy factory
150 auto workers occupied their factory yesterday in a dispute over unpaid severance pay whilst hundreds more demonstrated outside.
Workers barricaded doors at the Collins & Aikman plant in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto, yesterday. The factory produces floor, acoustic systems and cockpit modules for cars.
200 workers have been laid off at the plant since it filed for bankruptcy in 2005, but they have not been paid severance pay. The company claims that its US arm won't release the funds.
Canada: Wildcat strike in post wins extra staff
Sorting office workers downed tools yesterday morning after managers had failed to take heed of complaints about excessive workloads.
Citynews.ca reported that workers at a Canada Post sorting facility at Keele and Wilson briefly walked off the job Monday 19 March morning in a wildcat strike.
The reason for their special delivery protest? They claim they've been waiting three months for management to take action on complaints about their excessive workloads.
Canada: Paper mill workers end wildcat strike
Staff at the Nackawic paper mill returned to work on Tuesday following an unofficial walkout over hiring practices.
The Canadian Press reported that the wildcat strike that stopped operations at the AV Nackawic mill in New Brunswick ended at noon on Tuesday 6 March.
Local 219 of the Canadian Auto Workers walked out Monday afternoon, leaving a few hourly workers to maintain the boilers at the mill in Nackawic. Tembec Birla bought the mill after St. Anne Nackawic went bankrupt in September 2004.
Canada: Rail strikers defy back to work calls
Workers who have been on strike for two weeks, against the wishes of the United Transportation Union, are to vote on a new one-year deal.
Wltribune.com reported that CN Rail and the United Transportation Union (UTU) have signed a tentative one-year agreement, ending a two-week walk out by 2,800 conductors and yard services employees.
The union remains in legal strike position pending the results of a ratification vote March 26.
Defying the rule of law: Lessons learned from the BC teachers strike, 2005
A short account and comment on the two week illegal strike of teachers in British Columbia which won gains on wages and class size reductions.
by Chris, Northwest Anarchist Federation
Nine Years of the Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation, 1989-1998 - Wayne Price
NEFAC's Wayne Price's interesting account and analysis of the development and decline of the North American continental anarchist federation the Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation.
Mass sick-in by Canadian hospital staff
On Friday, around 125 hospital tech staff in the Cape Breton district called in sick.
Radiological and laboratory staff at around five hospitals in the district had been threatening industrial action over wages, and followed this up with the sick-in on Friday, successfully disrupting blood work, X-rays and ultrasounds.
More than 125 hospital workers in Cape Breton called in sick Friday, forcing health officials to cancel some lab work and surgeries.
Canada: Students blockade the Port of Montréal, 2005
Article about blockade by students in Canada striking against cuts in education.
Postal worker facing sack for refusing to deliver homophobic pamphlet
A letter carrier in Canada who refused to deliver a homophobic pamphlet for Canada Post in late October is facing disciplinary action, as colleagues took a short wildcat strike in protest.
As reported previously on libcom.org, the conflict within Canada Post began on October 26 when the letter carrier refused to process a pamphlet, published by a Baptist Mission in Ontario, entitled, “The Prophetic Word: The Plague of this 21st Century: The Consequences of the sin of Homosexuality (AIDS).”
Vancouver Bus Riders Union report on fare strike, 2005
Report from Vancouver fare strike organised by the Bus Riders Union. Over 5,000 people participated.
