12 December, 2010
The Canadian Auto Workers’ (CAW) Union, at its CAW Council meetings 3-5 December in Toronto, rebuked Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for November. The government agency reported that in November, 26,700 part-time jobs had been created, while 11,500 full-time were lost.
CAW President Ken Lewenza said new job creation based solely on part-time growth is no cause to celebrate. “Workers must be able to realise their goal of having a full-time job, a job you can raise your kids on, and later retire from in dignity,” said Lewenza in his opening day keynote address to the Council, the union’s governing board.
CAW President Ken Lewenza
Lewenza said that the loss of full-time workers across Canada has put a major strain on provincial budgets, particularly as they work with federal and municipal governments to set up stimulus programmes to support local economies.
Provinces in turn have put pressure on public sector workers to freeze wages, while failing to guarantee and preserve public services or jobs. The effect has meant a downward spiral to social services and on living standards of workers.
The CAW Council also agreed at its deliberations to donate C$10,000 to a trust fund established to help families dealing with the tragedy of the Pike River coal mine disaster last month in New Zealand. That trust fund was set up by ICEM affiliate Engineering, Printing, and Manufacturing Union (EPMU). In a letter to EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little, Lewenza said, “Know that we are making this donation in full solidarity with your union’s continuing efforts to improve working conditions in safety standards in mines and every other workplace in New Zealand.”