Presented by Marie Clarke Walker on Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Sisters and Brothers, it is my honour to bring you greetings of solidarity from the Officers and the 3.2 million workers who are members of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Thanks to President Larry Hubich and your Officers for the invitation to speak to you today.

I’m very pleased to be in Saskatchewan and to acknowledge the excellent work Brother Hubich and your Federation are doing to fight back against the outrageous actions of Premier Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party.

The labour law changes seen in Bills 5 and 6 are sadly familiar.

Unfortunately, we have seen the same backwards approach to labour legislation in other Canadian provinces that have tried to stop unions and workers who simply want to exercise their democratic rights.

But every time, organized labour has fought back on behalf of workers.

And with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and its affiliates standing up to a reprehensible government, I know that this is one Wall that will definitely come tumbling down!

This labour movement will still be standing proud and strong long after the Brad Walls and Stephen Harpers of this country are little more than footnotes in history.

We know that our greatest strength in the union movement is our solidarity – both within our unions and across the entire labour movement.

Solidarity is how we built this movement, solidarity is how we run this movement and solidarity is how we grow this movement.

Speaking of solidarity – I want to salute the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour for its pioneering work in building strong connections with First Nations in your province, including the Turtle Island courses that give non-aboriginal workers an opportunity to learn more about First Nations’ issues, the Representative Workforce Strategy to see aboriginal people in every occupation at every level, and the other important work of your SFL Aboriginal Committee.

Sisters and Brothers, in these very gloomy times, with the economy still in deep recession, let me give you some good news for a change.

Conrad Black is staying in jail – and he’s not getting out anytime soon!

This corporate criminal, this convicted fraud artist, this felon who obstructed justice – this union-buster – well Black lost his last chance at getting bail before an appeal hearing on his six-year sentence.

Now - don’t you feel better already?

But you know Sisters and Brothers – corporate criminals are simply a sign of what workers across Canada already know – that the values in our economy today are simply all wrong.

Our economy is rewarding greed and ignoring need.

Our economy is punishing workers who have spent their lives building Canada... and it’s benefiting richly-paid corporate CEOs and bankers and hedge- fund managers, some of whom don’t even live in this country.

That’s just not right.

These scams are outrageous and are going on while workers across this country are getting hammered by employers.

Both private and public sector workers are being forced to take pay cuts, to take pension reductions, to take benefit cuts, to take unpaid holidays, to take fewer hours of work, all to help struggling corporations in this tough economy!

So who do the big media blame for this economic crisis?

Not the bankers. Not the wealthy. Not corporate crooks like Conrad Black.

No – the big media blame – surprise! – unions!

Here’s what right-wing columnist Terence Corcoran of the National Post – Black’s old newspaper – said about public sector pensions – and I quote:

“Why do these giant public pension plans exist? They are, essentially, wealth confiscated by governments.”

Confiscated by governments – and we always thought pensions were the deferred earnings of workers set aside so they could retire with dignity and security!

Corcoran continues: “Hydro workers, police, municipal employees, teachers. All are set to receive relatively lavish pensions paid for by Canadian taxpayers.”

Ah yes, to be a retired unionized worker – flying to Monaco for the winter, washing and waxing the red Ferrari, golf at the exclusive country club – reserved only for retired public sector members to keep out the corporate riff-raff, daily manicure and pedicure – and all thanks to the lavish pension provided by taxpayers!

What a bad joke!

It’s outrageous commentators like Corcoran and millionaire corporate executives attack the hard-working people who built this country and deserve every penny of their pensions.

Because what’s really happening is that greedy, incompetent CEOs are robbing our economy - and right-wing governments like Brad Wall’s are driving the getaway car.

And now those same governments are trying to make union members pay for these corporate crimes!

Well, we have to send right-wing governments a clear message – corporate crime does not pay!

And if they think it does – we’ll make them pay – at the ballot box!

That’s why the Canadian Labour Congress is working with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, our affiliates and labour councils to do exactly that – use the ballot box to make sure local, provincial and the federal government are more receptive to the needs of working people.

In the past few years, the CLC and our labour councils helped elect more than 800 labour-endorsed mayors, city councillors and school trustees across the country.

Those elected officials are supporting the goals of organized labour, including hiring unionized workers and using local procurement policies.

And we are confident that thanks to all of your hard work – when Saskatchewan votes in the October 28 municipal elections we will have even more labour-friendly mayors and councillors elected right across this province.

Federally we still have more work to do but through carefully targeting ridings with large numbers of union workers, the CLC and affiliates helped our ally, the New Democratic Party, win its second highest number of Members of Parliament ever.

And we do the same work in provinces like Saskatchewan working with your Federation and affiliates – so it’s very pleasing to see NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter win in the Regina Douglas Park by-election and Danielle Chartier in Saskatoon-Riversdale.

And believe me, we need more elected officials standing up for working people than ever before with this economic crisis.

Because we haven’t spent all of our working lives as union members building job security, earning a decent pension to retire on and fighting for labour rights to make our workplaces fair and safe places to make a living – we haven’t done all that to see it just thrown away in a moment.

The financial disaster and the unprecedented rip-off of workers by corporations are why the CLC is demanding action by the federal government on four key points:

First – Fix the broken employment insurance program.

Working with the NDP federal caucus and our affiliates, we’ve forced the Harper government to take a big first step – by extending benefits for about 190,000 long-term workers who have lost their jobs – but much more is needed.

Second – Get serious about creating and supporting Canadian jobs with industrial strategies, social infrastructure investment, and procurement policies that support industries and jobs in Canada.

Third – and this is a big priority for the CLC – it’s time to radically improve the Canada Pension Plan – which really is our country’s largest defined benefit plan and covers 93% of working Canadians.

The Canadian Labour Congress proposes doubling CPP benefits over seven years – so that it can gradually replace the underperforming RRSP industry.

We won’t get there overnight, to be sure.

But we will get there if we persevere and if we can change public opinion – from the current attitude that your retirement income is your own personal responsibility – to one where – just like with public health care – Canadians believe that retiring with dignity and security is a right in a society as wealthy as ours.

And because so many workplace pensions, including public sector pension plans, are integrated with CPP benefits, a better CPP means more money could be available at the bargaining table to improve overall pension benefits.

Or improve other benefits for members.

And we know we can do this.

Because back in the 1960s, the Canadian Labour Congress and unions across the country worked for a national public health care system that guaranteed every citizen access to basic medical services.

Even though many unions had won good health insurance plans for their members, they understood the advantage that comes from a good safety net for everyone.
We can do the same with pensions so that people can live the last years of their lives in dignity after a lifetime of work.

Fourth – take on the big banks over credit interest rates – especially credit card interest rates that are pushing vulnerable people further and further into debt as they turn to credit cards for basic necessities like groceries.

These are just some of the steps that we must take to begin our economic recovery.

Because we must begin transforming our economy – from one based on greed to one based on need.

So please join us as our labour movement fights for a new and fair economy – an economy where everyone benefits, not just the wealthy.

Thank you for listening and have a great convention!