Now It's Our Turn

Voluntary disclosure will allow wealthy Canadians to pay less than they owe the public treasury.

'We will vigilantly monitor any moves by the McGuinty Liberals to ensure that this ‘restructuring’ doesn’t involve revenue-generating, publicly-owned corporations being stripped away from the people of Ontario.'

'People across the country and around the globe are looking to trade unions and other civil society groups to promote an alternative economic program.' - James Clancy.

“The really outrageous thing is that the banks are still talking about this as if they were unlucky… That’s rubbish. It’s like drinking a bottle of vodka, tying a scarf over your eyes and trying to run down Georgia street then complaining that you are unlucky when you get hit by a taxi.”

“We can rebalance society and limit markets. Organizations around the world are finding new and exciting ways to describe the world’s worth.”

Delegates at national union convention say no government fiscal decisions should widen income inequality or diminish access to public services.

Enthusiasm from Europe spreads to Canada in advance of G20 meetings planned for Toronto in June.

'Public employees are being asked to make a contribution of $750 million towards a $3.6-billion tax cut for large corporations.' - Larry Brown, NUPGE's national secretary-treasurer.

'I'd also be willing to pay a little more on my income tax, and even a boost in corporate taxes might be palatable for the short term.' - CEO Chad Ulansky.

'We will be creative in negotiating agreements that preserve public services and defend our members’ rights at the same time.' - Warren (Smokey) Thomas.

'There is absolutely no justification for government slashing jobs in the public service when the net result will be a loss in vital services.' - Bob Bymoen.

Government employees bear brunt of deficit fight, including call for two-year wage freeze.

"This is an idea that NUPGE has supported for a long, long time." - NUPGE president James Clancy.

'There simply is no viable way to cut public sector spending that doesn’t have a direct negative effect on the private sector.' - Larry Brown, NUPGE's national secretary-treasurer.

Does not go nearly far enough to create jobs and help struggling families, says NUPGE president James Clancy.

'Public and community services are key to making sure that the economy recovers quickly and that everyone in British Columbia shares in the economic recovery.' - Darryl Walker.

'We need to arm ourselves as never before with information that will help us make the best decisions for our families.' - James Clancy.

(11 Feb. 2010) - The top priority for the upcoming federal budget must be to preserve and create good jobs. The budget should also invest in building a healthier, smarter, greener and more secure Canada, says NUPGE president James Clancy.

'What Oregonians said today is they believe in public education and vital services.'

Ontario unions launch Communities That Work media campaign in advance of new Ontario budget in March.

New CCPA study says top 100 Canadian CEOs pocketed 174 times each what average Canadian workers earn all year.

(16 Dec. 2009) - 'We need a National Pensions Summit that provides Canadians from all walks of life with an open forum to fairly explore and assess the viability of all options designed to improve retirement security for all Canadians.'  - James Clancy.

James Laxer: 'Labour is the source of wealth ... the sustainable well-being of wage and salary earners should be the central objective of economic policy.'

British study evaluates the real contribution of various jobs to society.

NUPGE publishes the first of three reports on ideas that emerged from a series of 26 town hall meetings across the country to assess the way forward from the global economic collapse.

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is encouraging all Canadians to get involved in the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) campaign to transform Canada's pension and retirement income system.

NUPGE's Larry Brown says tax cuts benefitting mainly the wealthy are the cause of current government deficits and it will be unfair and damaging to the economy if public sector workers become scapegoats and are forced to pay the price in lost jobs and pay cuts.

(22 Oct. 2009) - NUPGE president James Clancy says Canada needs serious tax reform. But he says the new HST in Ontario and BC unfairly targets working families and should be cancelled. Instead, Canada must look at restoring fairness to its tax system by cancelling the Harper government's planned corporate tax cuts and by creating new tax brackets at the top for the wealthiest Canadians.

'Over the long term, every $1 invested in quality child care programs returns $2.54 in benefits to society.' - CCAAC.

'The OECD recently reported that Canada has the second highest rate of jobless people living in poverty in the OECD.  But the Harper government's proposed EI reforms will only benefit the "deserving" few.' - Larry Brown.

The minimum wage has not been changed in British Columbia for the past eight years.

Gap between top 1% and bottom 90% now worse than at any time since 1928.

(31 Aug. 2009) - 'I ask you to reflect on the victims of this powerful recession and to speak out for the changes that our government must make if we are to build a better world for ourselves and our families.'

Rolling in massive profits again after taking billions in public bailout measures.

(2 June 2009) - Canada's social infrastructure is starving for funds despite right-wing lies about the cause of Jim Flaherty's projected $50 billion deficit.

'We need serious reforms that improve access to the EI program and enhance benefits in order to help families who are reeling from this economic crisis.'

'They’re repeating the same old tired myths about what caused the current crisis and what should be done.'

(24 May 2009) - As long as Harper and his cabinet let the big banks write the rules, we'll continue to have a financial system that's good for them and bad for everyone else.

As the number of unemployed grows the National Union is demanding the federal government move quickly to fix the Employment Insurance program.

(Jan 27, 2009) -- 'Everyone except the prime minister seems to understand that big problems require bold solutions. Canada needs a large-scale fiscal stimulus.'

(Jan 23, 2009) -- 'The Harper government thinks we have to choose either a strong economy or a clean environment. This is a false choice that sells our country short. We can and must have both.'

'In tough times it is important that our governments show leadership and make smart policy choices that are in our long term interests,' say James Clancy and Peter Olfert. 

'Frontline public sector workers were in Ottawa recently to urge the federal government to make public services and social programs a priority in the Jan. 27 federal budget.'

Canadians want greater investment in public services for families. A new poll indicates citizens will back stimulus measures that support — not cut — government services.

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is calling on the federal and provincial governments to work together on a 5-point plan that would stimulate the economy and at the same time enhance Canada's social foundations and improve the environment.

(Dec 5, 2008) -- 'We've got an extremely rare opportunity right now to make progressive change in Canada -- to force our governments to deliver a plan that will ensure a strong economy, fair society and clean environment for all of us.'

'Mr. Harper is completely out of step with other world leaders who understand the need for new government spending in order to stave off a deepening recession.'

'The Harper government made it clear in the fall economic update that they are going to legislate away fundamental human rights, such as the right to collective bargaining and the right to equal pay for work of equal value.'