Larry Hubich's Blog

Premiers sold out to corporate pressure at Council of the Federation meeting, says Council of Canadians

2008-07-24T07:39:00.002-06:00

The Council of Canadians has issued a news release citing the recently announced proposed amendments to the Agreement of Internal Trade (AIT) as a massive sell-out of democracy and complete capitulation by Canadian Provincial Premiers to their corporate masters.

Last week, Federation of Labour Presidents from across Canada met in Quebec City and issued a news release denouncing the actions of Canadian Premiers for similar reasons.

Other groups and organizations have raised concerns about the anti-democratic and secretive behaviour of the Canadian Premiers, see:

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Union of Public Employees
The Progressive Economics Forum

Are auto jobs lost forever? - The Real News

2008-07-23T12:08:00.004-06:00

Jim Stanford, Economist for the Canadian Auto Workers is interviewed by "The Real New". (Read more here....)

The Road to Hypocisy and Betrayal

2008-07-21T22:49:00.002-06:00

There is a new posting over at the Owls and Roosters Blog entitled: Equalization: Premier Brad Wall sets new standard for hypocrisy and betrayal; elephant in the room is Prime Minister Stephen Harper, not litigation.

It's well worth the read.

Time for Some Campaignin' - Jib Jab

2008-07-21T10:35:00.000-06:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Fannie and Freddie symptoms of larger problem - The Real News

2008-07-19T07:23:00.003-06:00

AFL-CIO economist says this system amounts to "Socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor" - (Read more....)

Viterra to Hubich: Get our logo off your blog - OR ELSE!!!

2008-07-18T21:55:00.016-06:00

On Saturday, July 12, 2008 I posted an entry on my blog entitled: Union Busting - Viterra Style. The blog entry displayed a graphic which included the Viterra Logo followed by the words: "= Union Busters". As you will see the offending graphic has been removed from the blog entry and replaced.

On Friday, July 18, 2008 my office received a letter from Viterra's Corporate Counsel advising me to remove the logo from my blog, or else. A screen shot of the letter is posted immediately below.

You can view a PDF scan of the full letter from Viterra's Corporate Counsel by clicking here.

*UPDATE* A friend of mine just sent me an e-mail and suggested Googling for images using the word "Viterra" just to see if any other web-sites have displayed the Viterra Logo. So I did. I wonder how many of these have received threatening letters from the company's lawyer.

What To Do (If your unionized employees realize your offer sucks and they go on strike)

2008-07-16T20:36:00.004-06:00

Here's a great "How To" pamphlet put out by the GSU to assist managers confronted by challenging collective bargaining.

Click the graphic to download the pamphlet.

Canada: This is the dirtiest oil in the world - The Real News

2008-07-12T22:50:00.003-06:00

Guardian: What happens when the world's biggest oil companies target a northern wilderness?

Union Busting - Viterra Style

2008-07-12T11:32:00.006-06:00

Making the Links Radio recently conducted an interview of "locked-out/on strike" Grain Services Union members at the Viterra (formerly Saskatchewan Wheat Pool) head office in Regina, Saskatchewan.

You can hear that half-hour interview by clicking here. It sets the record straight about what is really behind the current dispute between GSU and the union busters over at Viterra!

In The Know: Are Politicians Failing Our Lobbyists?

2008-07-12T10:50:00.001-06:00

In The Know: Are Politicians Failing Our Lobbyists?

Get to the Point

2008-07-11T07:56:00.002-06:00

Make Poverty History

Grain Services Union Members on Lock-Out/Strike at Viterra

2008-07-10T23:12:00.005-06:00

Since Monday, July 7, 2008 employees (GSU Members) at Viterra (formerly Sask. Wheat Pool) have been Locked out/On Strike.

For the truth about the dispute - check out the Grain Services Union Lock-Out/Strike pages here.

Sask. Party gov’t faces questions in Walker wrongful dismissal case

2008-07-10T22:26:00.003-06:00

Check out the latest posting on the "Owls and Roosters" Blog entitled: Sask. Party gov’t faces questions in Walker wrongful dismissal case; Premier Brad Wall, Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz & Doug Emsley short on answers.

Makes you wonder - Who's calling the shots?

Blogging Break

2008-06-30T07:35:00.004-06:00

I'm going to be taking a bit of a blogging break while I enjoy some of the summer sun. I have turned on the "comments moderation option" because my availability to monitor the blog over the next period of time will be limited.

I may post the odd article over the next while, but for the most part, I'm on vacation for the next 2 - 3 weeks.

Larry

Iraq story buried by US networks - The Real News

2008-06-26T22:11:00.002-06:00

Read transcript here....

Government termination of long-time civil servants a witch hunt

2008-06-26T06:26:00.009-06:00

An article by Regina Leader-Post senior political reporter, Murray Mandryk, in the Thursday, June 26, 2008 issue of the paper reveals that the Sask. Party government engaged in what can only be described as a witch hunt when they terminated long-time civil servants as part of their so-called "transition" to power.

The article further reveals that the person who (it appears) was actually calling the shots is an unelected individual from the "transition team" - presumably appointed by the Premier.

You can read the complete article by clicking here. It's a stark illustration of how ideological, vindictive and just plain mean-spirited the new government is. And that a small, tight group of unelected, unaccountable, conservative party loyalists are the ones who are actually running the show.

There is a follow-up article by Mandryk in the June 27 paper entitled: Krawetz testifies, hearing concludes. Excerpt:
"Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz said he had neither personal reasons nor any information to suggest that former civil servant Allan Walker could not have performed his job for a Saskatchewan Party government.

Such personnel assessments were "largely made by Doug Emsley" -- a long-time party supporter and private businessman briefly contracted to work for Premier Brad Wall's office during the transition phase, Krawetz testified at a Public Service Commission hearing Thursday. It was Emsley that had a "discussion" with Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Wynne Young on who had "lost the confidence of the government."

The Vanishing Wheat Sheaf

2008-06-25T10:58:00.007-06:00

Early on in the mandate following the election of the new Brad Wall team, the Sask. Party government announced that they would be eliminating the "stylized wheat sheaf" as a symbol of Saskatchewan. This announcement resulted in much public outcry from the citizens of the province who, over the years, have grown quite fond of the symbol.

As a result, the Sask. Party government backed away from their stated intention and announced that they had a change of heart and accordingly would not be abandoning the much loved symbol.

Now in my job, I get a lot of correspondence from government officials, agencies, ministries and departments - low and behold, the letterheads are changing and by stealth the much admired "wheat sheaf" is being systematically dropped. In fact, go to the Provincial Government website at: http://www.gov.sk.ca/ and see if you can find it. Play along for fun and prizes!

Is that how the Sask Party runs the province? Say one thing - do the opposite.

Anti-union company emboldened by anti-union governments

2008-06-25T10:22:00.007-06:00

"Anti-union company emboldened by anti-union governments

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) condemned Viterra today for its ongoing attack on members of the Grain Services Union (GSU) who work for Viterra across the Prairies.

A collective bargaining dispute is underway with two bargaining units of the GSU, who are in a legal strike position as of 12:01 AM on July 2, 2008. Presently Viterra is refusing to resume negotiations and has essentially given the union a final offer. Both affected bargaining units recently voted to reject the offer.

“We have been watching carefully Viterra’s attempts to break the union following the buyout of the competition by predecessor Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. Viterra is not respecting the collective bargaining relationship with their workers, one that has been in place for seventy years. We condemn any employer who does not recognize this important relationship and does not bargain in good faith,” said Larry Hubich, President of the SFL.

“It was through the sacrifice of hundreds of workers that Saskatchewan Wheat Pool was able to survive and ultimately become Viterra. The aggressive anti-worker, anti-union posture of Viterra management betrays the sacrifices made by those workers. At a time of unprecedented growth and optimism on the Prairies, and at a time of significant challenges related to retention and recruitment, the approach of Viterra management towards their workers defies logic,” added Hubich.

The SFL calls on all workers and citizens to support GSU members in their efforts to get a fair collective agreement, and in their struggle to have their constitutional right to freedom of association respected by their employer.

“Personally as a Viterra shareholder, I am embarrassed that this corporation would resort to such draconian tactics in its dealings with its dedicated and skilled workforce. The actions of the Harper government, who is trampling on democracy in his approach to the Canadian Wheat Board, are obviously emboldening this employer. Brad Wall’s government, who is rolling back legislation that protects workers’ rights, is further creating an environment that supports union-busting and prolonged labour disputes,” added Hubich.

The SFL represents nearly 95,000 unionized workers from 37 affiliated unions in Saskatchewan."

Download news release in PDF from SFL website here....

On The Map with Avi Lewis: Alberta Oil Sands

2008-06-24T23:21:00.000-06:00

This is 1 year old, but very relevant to current developments.

Huffington breaks down the media - The Real News

2008-06-18T21:12:00.003-06:00

Arianna Huffington on her book Right is Wrong - Read transcript here....

Temporary Foreign Workers getting ripped off in Alberta big time!

2008-06-18T19:29:00.005-06:00

The Alberta Federation of Labour has issued a scathing news release chastising unscrupulous employers, a lax union and the Alberta government for creating the environment to allow Temporary Foreign Workers to be systematically ripped off, exploited, and effectively robbed.

Responding to an article that appeared in the June 18 issue of the Edmonton Journal - "Chinese workers ripped off, gov't admits" - Alberta Federation of Labour President, Gil McGowan said,

"The problems that led to the Chinese workers being ripped off are the same conditions that led to the two Chinese workers being killed on the same worksite. Lax government oversight, a company in a rush to make billions in profits, and a union that doesn't ask enough questions are all to blame."

Read the complete AFL news release here....

The Regina Leader-Post offers this article: Abuse of foreign workers unavoidable, Alta. Tories suggest.

What a huge embarassment this kind of treatment of workers is for all of Canada.

The Rich Just Keep Getting Richer

2008-06-17T07:38:00.003-06:00

A tip of the hat to Ian Chadwick over on "The Mumpsimus Blog" for a revealing posting entitled: The Politics of Greed.

Chadwick does a good job of linking to various sources and reports which reveal the seamingly never ending explosion in the area of executive compensation. His entry graphically illustrates the obscene levels of pay and perks being enjoyed by the world's wealthiest.

The sources Chadwick links to include:

Canadian autoworkers fight back - The Real News

2008-06-16T11:06:00.008-06:00

Read more here....

Drop Weapons - The Real News

2008-06-16T10:42:00.002-06:00

American News Project examines the practice of drop weapons by US soldiers in Iraq

Read more here....

The Most Destructive Project on Earth: The Canadian Tar Sands

2008-06-14T09:22:00.005-06:00

"Because of their sheer scale, all Canadians are affected by the Tar Sands, no matter where they live.
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If you live downstream, your water is being polluted and your fish and wildlife may be dangerous to eat. If you live in Saskatchewan you are a victim of acid rain. If you live in BC, "supertankers" may soon be plying your shoreline carrying Tar Sands oil to Asia. If you live in Ontario, you are exposed to harmful emissions from the refining of Tar Sands Oil. And the impacts do not stop at Canada's border – US refineries are re-tooling to handle the dirty oil from Alberta.
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With the Tar Sands, Canada has become the world's dirty energy superpower. Environmental Defence's report highlights the environmental and human health effects of the Tar Sands. And, outlines what the federal government should do to clean it up." -Environmental Defense

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H/T & thanks to Don Kossick at makingthelinksradio.ca for this reference. Making The Links will be running a series of programs entitled "Radio Free Saskatchewan" - the following will become one of the programs in the series.
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"In this program Making the Links Radio's Don Kossick discusses the environmental impact of the tar sands with Matt Price and Peter Dillon. Peter Dillon is a scientist looking at the impact of the acid rain from the tar sands. Matt Price works with Environmental Defence and was co-author of the report Canada's Toxic Tar Sands: The Most Destructive Project on Earth.
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Listen Now!
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More information can be found at: http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/tarsands.htm"