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CLC launches workers rights site

It is up to every Canadian to ensure that he or she is being treated fairly in the workplace and that they know their rights.

That's the message delivered on the new Web site WorkRights.ca, launched Tuesday by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

The site is aimed at non-unionized workers to help them know, understand and assert their rights, anywhere they are in Canada, in English and French.

WorkRights.ca has gathered a wide range of information from the employment laws and regulations in all 10 provinces, three territories and the federal jurisdiction. Workers can find out about their rights when it comes to getting paid, fired and trained, as well as information on the regulations for safe working conditions, taking time off and dealing with discrimination.

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web page

web page

I am a union rep in the railroad industry. It is virtually impossible to find info as to what parts of labor codes apply to us without going to someone in the company. Not a great option. (We are exempted from many labor laws including overtime and allowable hours of service, but some apply.) I see that many other workers in other industries have similar problems getting information specific to their situation.

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I am a union rep in the railroad industry. It is virtually impossible to find info as to what parts of labor codes apply to us without going to someone in the company

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Railways are like airlines. They're exempt from Provincial Labour Standards Codes but covered under the Federal Labour Standards. Look there.

Check it out

[ November 18, 2002: Message edited by: siggy ]

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Dear WorkRights Forum Users,

I would like to address your concerns about censorship.

The WorkRights web site is sponsored by the CLC, however, it's goal is to be a resource for non-unionized Canadian workers. The site provides access to the latest labour information and deals with issues concerning fair treatment in the workplace. This includes information about the advantages of belonging to a union.

The Forum was taken offline to deal with postings which did not reflect the goals of the site. It was also taken offline to address content and technical issues.

We share the same respect for freedom of expression as you do, we ask only that this freedom be exercised within the boundaries of non-unionized labour issues in Canada. Please use other web fora for discussions not pertaining to this issue.

Concerning invisible links, we are making changes so that all links are underlined. Also, the word qu**tion has been fixed so that it now reads "question".

I hope I have addressed all your concerns and hope you will continue trusting this web site to work for you and your rights as a Canadian worker.

ALL MESSAGES CONCERNING THIS CENSORSHIP ISSUE WILL REMAIN ONLINE FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN WILL BE DELETED.

Thank you
WorkRights Web Manager

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I've already posted my reply.

Edited to add: Here's the thread, reply while you still can!

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

They'd like to keep their forum discussions within a certain narrow focus, but unfortunately, the web just isn't like that. People post whatever they feel like posting...and if you keep a heavy lid on it, folks just won't bother coming back...and a very boring website forum it will be.

I understand the fur started flying because someone posted an item with regard to some internal battles going on inside the UFCW. The individual had posted a link to the group's website.

There is a group of "dissident" UFCW members who've setup a website using the URL http://www.ufcw.net

IMHO the UFCW should have been smart enough to register as many of the UFCW domains as possible. Not doing this opens them up to others doing this kind of thing.

On the other hand, the dissident UFCW members should have been smart enough to know that if they registered UFCW.net that UFCW might come after them via the courts.

UFCW is an affiliated union of the CLC and so I don't think that the CLC wanted to get into an internal battle of its own with the UFCW after freshly launching this new website and forum.

In Canada, the power within the labour movement is not with the central labour organizations, but rather with the individual affiliated unions.

Thus the "heavy handed" moderating in the forum.

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I understand the fur started flying because someone posted an item with regard to some internal battles going on inside the UFCW. The individual had posted a link to the group's website.

There is a group of "dissident" UFCW members who've setup a website using the URL http://www.ufcw.net

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Although no longer a member of the UFCW, I am the administrator d00d at ufcw.net.

The "dissidents" you speak of have been trying to get the attention of the CLC for a few years now and have, by and large, been ignored. So, when the CLC sets up a discussion forum... well, you know the rest.

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IMHO the UFCW should have been smart enough to register as many of the UFCW domains as possible. Not doing this opens them up to others doing this kind of thing.

On the other hand, the dissident UFCW members should have been smart enough to know that if they registered UFCW.net that UFCW might come after them via the courts.

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And yet, on even another hand, you'd think that the UFCW would understand that being the registered owners of walmartyrs.com and walmartwatch.org puts them in a precariously hypocritical situation (they also own ufcwsucks.com & .org - kinda stifling IMNSHO).

Nevertheless, we remain firm believers in our rights under the charter and, as the lawsuit hasn't progressed past the SLAPP stage, it seems the UFCW may have clued in to them as well.
It still hovers over us however.

Anyhoo, let's back this up a bit...

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It seems to me that the CLC is "learning the ropes" with regard to the Workrights website forums.

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I'd like to think that but it appears to me that they're being drowned in their own ignorance over there. IMO it's a pretty sad state of affairs when the "national voice of the labour movement" ceaselessly deletes honest and genuine requests for information from concerned and active workers.

As an example; A week or so ago, someone had posted a request for information/links/whathaveyou about Duty Of Fair Representation. The workrights administrators deleted it the next morning.

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In Canada, the power within the labour movement is not with the central labour organizations, but rather with the individual affiliated unions.

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If that's the case, in your opinion, what's the point of a central labour org'?

Personally, I think the CLC is, well... ummm, pretty much useless. They don't appear to be doing anything to help real working people pursue and achieve a gainful livelihood (unless posturing counts ). Corruption in labour is as rampant as it's always been and workers are still being bought, sold, and traded like commodities.

:shrug:

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Thus the "heavy handed" moderating in the forum.

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You worded it a lot kinder than I would have.

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And yet, on even another hand, you'd think that the UFCW would understand that being the registered owners of walmartyrs.com and walmartwatch.org puts them in a precariously hypocritical situation (they also own ufcwsucks.com & .org - kinda stifling IMNSHO).

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I think there is a big difference between registering walmartyrs.com or walmartwatch.org and say registering walmart.net. I'm not a lawyer but I think that if someone did this Walmart would be able to make a much stronger case that someone might mistake the ".net" site with Walmart's legitimate corporate site.

If the site was called UFCW(fill in the blank).net or whatever then I don't think UFCW would have a case.

If reforming the internal politics of the UFCW is the objective then I think the website authors should have a name that reflects that instead of opening the door to legal action...which ultimately wastes time, energy and money.

I'm sure the authors of the website would much prefer to have UFCW money used to defend workers.
Why provoke the UFCW leadership into launching a legal action which is going to be paid for in the end by UFCW members? In my view, this is not exactly a brilliant move.

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In Canada, the power within the labour movement is not with the central labour organizations, but rather with the individual affiliated unions.
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If that's the case, in your opinion, what's the point of a central labour org'?

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I very much believe that we need central labour organizations to organize and coordinate the activities of the labour movement.

The problem in Canada is (and the same problem exists in the U.S.) that if a large affiliated union gets pissed-off with something that the central organization either does or doesn't do they take their marbles and go home which can create both political and financial problems for the central labour organization.

So the central labour organizations like the CLC, provincial labour federations and local labour councils are often put in some rather uncomfortable positions.

So, they're not likely going to let their website message board become a forum for internal union politics. You or I may not agree with this but it is reality.

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Corruption in labour is as rampant as it's always been and workers are still being bought, sold, and traded like commodities.

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I'd say that bureaucratic politics is as rampant as its always been in the labour movement but outright corruption happens only in a small minority of unions.

With all of its flaws, I'd much rather have the labour movement there then not be there.