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Stand Up for our Human Rights - SFL Labour Reporter

The following is the lead article from the May 2011 issue of the SFL Labour Reporter - the issue is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights, in Saskatchewan, Canada and abroad. 

You can download the complete issue here...

Stand up for our human rights

The provincial government’s attempts to roll back human rights are steadily mounting.

Among the first official acts of the current government, upon taking office in 2007, was to strip working people across the province of their freedom to associate and to express themselves as union members.

The “essential services” legislation has robbed tens of thousands of Saskatchewan people of their right to assemble, to raise awareness of their concerns, and to strike.

The Trade Union Act was simultaneously weakened, making it much more difficult for people to band together and to negotiate collectively with their employers.

Last year, the International Labour Organization ruled that these laws violate workers’ freedoms under international law, but the government refuses to comply with the United Nations ruling.

Inside you will read about the government’s attempt to amend the Marriage Act, to legalize discrimination against same-sex couples.

The unanimous Saskatchewan Court of Appeal decision on the duty of marriage commissioners to marry same-sex, inter-racial and inter-faith couples in our province is a human rights victory for Saskatchewan citizens.

Now the government has introduced Bill 160, which if made law, will seriously weaken the Human Rights Code.

I invite you to read selections from a very important address given by Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada.

He sounds the alarm on several aspects of Bill 160, including the abolishment of our human rights tribunal and changes that will make complaints much more likely to be dismissed by the chief commissioner.

Governments are supposed to promote human rights, not lessen them. As you’ll see on p. 7, the Harper government has an equally offensive record on human rights. I encourage you all to vote for human rights and for open and transparent government on election day.

And I look forward to seeing you all at Movement for May Day on May 1 (p.8), where together we’ll tell our elected officials it’s time to respect our human rights!

In Solidarity,
Larry Hubich

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Trade unionists routinely murdered

It's clear to me that the right-wing, anti-union, hate based, shout radio type, media has desensitized many in the population to the routine murder of trade unionists. Last year, according to the newest release of the ITUC, 101 trade unionists were murdered.

And, unless I missed it, there is zero coverage of this in most of the mainstream media. You can bet if 101 bankers, or 101 CEOs were murdered last year this would be the lead story for a month.

Fostering intolerance and hatred

I rarely listen to Newstalk Radio, and equally rarely check their website, but recently I have been contacted by folks concerned about the hateful, demeaning, biased, and angry rants of one talk show host by the name of John Gormley.

Particularly, people have been raising his constant and relentless attack on unions as organizations, on their elected leaders, on their staff, and on their members. So, this past week, I've tuned in his show a couple of times, and I've been browsing the newstalk980.com and newstalk650.com websites.

The reports I have received are true. Mr. Gormley appears to be incapable of rational or respectful dialogue when it comes to the subject of unions. His comments are inflammatory, based on rhetoric and unsubstantiated stereotypes. It is obvious to me that he has an intense dislike of people exercising their constitutional right of freedom of association.

Mr. Gormley also does periodic segments called "60 Seconds with John Gormley". Reproduced below is a copy of the "newstalk980.com" webpage with links to one such segment:

http://www.newstalk980.com/audio/60-seconds-with-john-gormley/20100525-60-seconds-with-john-gormley-may-25th-2010

60 Seconds With John Gormley- May 25th, 2010
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We can expect unions to break the law, but the government?

Even the caption is misleading and dishonest. "We can expect unions to break the law"? What evidence does Mr. Gormley or his station have to support such a conclusion or such a broad and sweeping statement? Unions don't break laws. Mark my words, if unions did routinely break laws as implied by Mr. Gormley the jails would be full of union leaders. The courts would be bogged down with case after case of unions violating the law.

But it simply is not true. The statement is a lie.

Sure, from time to time, someone who is a member of a union, or someone who works for a union will run afoul of the law - but that doesn't make every union, or every union member a law breaker. Or justify such an outrageous and inflammatory statement.

Mr. Gormley, and the station he works for are engaged in a campaign of inciting hatred against unions, hatred against union members, and of fostering intolerance.

Perhaps the RCMP should be investigating them.

So-called "Right-to-Work" advocates oppose democracy

Here's a video clip of a U.S. member of congress taking on the Vice President of the National "Right-to-Work" Committee. Notice how the Right-to-Workers detest the concept of democracy.

Sounds just like the current governments of Saskatchewan and Canada, when it comes to workers exercising their constitutional right to free collective bargaining.

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Rage-Ex

Shock Jocks, Hate Speech and Talk Radio

Read more at: www.shockjocks.org

also see: www.alternet.org