|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2001 "Mobilizing labour in Toronto" Working families in Toronto are seeing the impact of decisions by both the Harris Tories and the Chretien Liberals. The rising numbers of children living in poverty, the escalating housing crisis, the increase in UI applicants, plant shutdowns and the growing demands for food bank services, all speak to a City in crisis. There have been major assaults on our public education system. Our City's services and programs are continually under the threat of privatization. The City has been starved of vital provincial and federal funds necessary to maintain a quality of life that meets the diverse needs of our people. September 11th is being used as a further excuse to dismantle programs because limited funds must be used for security. In January 2002, the City will begin the process of public involvement in the budget. The TDSB and the TDSSB similarly will launch their own budget exercises. The new TCHC Board of Directors needs to be closely monitored to ensure our public housing stock is not put up for sale. The City is undertaking a 'public consultation' on the different options for delivering water in Toronto. The deregulation of the hydro market is scheduled for next spring. Throughout 2001, the Labour Council has been working with our community and social justice allies and affiliates to lay the foundations for the immense challenges confronting us in 2002 and into 2003. First, Stand up for Toronto and Save our City - developed during the 2001 budget campaign- are now merging into Toronto CAN (Toronto Civic Alliance Network). This is the first part in our strategies to fight City budget cuts that threaten our pools, child care spaces, health care programs and other City services. Toronto CAN will be launched on January 7th to kick off the public section of the budget process. We have four weeks in which to preserve our city programs. Second, the education affiliates - OSSTF District 12, ETT, OECTA Secondary and Elementary units and CUPE, along with students, parent groups and progressive trustees - have been meeting since the summer to develop the Campaign for Public Education (launched on December 6th) to respond to the Harris/Tory education. One of the new coalition's major challenge is to force the school trustees to preserve the integrity of our public education system. Their other challenge is to mobilize parents - many of whom are our members. As well specific organizations such as Waterwatch, Ontario Electricity Coalition and the labour/tenant coalition at TCHC are all preparing a series of strategies to confront the privatization/contracting out agenda. Further the CLC will be working with affiliates to respond to the problems with UI, where only 29% of unemployed workers in Toronto qualify for benefits. We have to take these issues to our members. At the recent OFL convention, delegates from Toronto and York Region met to talk about how to do that. During the Ward 31 by-election, affiliates in record numbers identified their members in order to educate them about the need to support City Council candidate Janet Davis, a member of CUPE Local 4400. In 2002 labour's political agenda must be focused on identifying and reaching our members. We must be able to get to our members to put pressure on City Councillors and School trustees who are leaning to a privatization, contracting out agenda. These local elected representatives need to understand labour and community will not quietly sit back and see our public services and education system dismantled. Liberal MPs must be pressured to fix UI and oppose the drive by the Chretien government for WTO/FTA and other globalization policies. Mobilizing our members both in the workplace and in their communities will be key to the victories we need. Therefore be it resolved that the Labour Council:
 |