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  he attacks include legislated privatization such as:


Using the excuse of deficits accumulated from bailing out the banks and big business, the attack on public sector unions and workers’ bargaining rights is intensifying in the United States—and is now spreading across the border to Canada. 

With the power of U.S. private sector unions much diminished, some have even dubbed this as the right wing’s “final assault” against American unions. The attacks on Canada’s public-sector workers have not, at least so far, been as audacious, but they have begun. The economic problems created by the banks and business has given conservative governments a pretext to attack public services, public sector workers and their unions.

The American Assault

The attacks include legislated privatization such as:

  • Michigan’s bill to consolidate and privatized all non-instructional services in schools
  • Arizona’s bill which would require Tucson and Phoenix to outsource all its services to for-profit companies
  • Florida’s move to privatize the services of the Department of Juvenile Justice
  • Wisconsin’s legislation allows the state to bypass the bidding process and sell off state-owned heating, cooling, and power plants


There is also a move for legislation that would allow private firms to take over government functions as “emergency mangers” under specific circumstances. In Michigan, legislation has passed the Senate that would extend the powers of emergency managers to remove locally elected officials, terminate collective bargaining, and force consolidation of schools, townships, cities and counties – all without seeking authority or approval from any elected body or from the people in the case of an ‘economic crisis’.

Many of the attacks also aim to undermine public education such as the expansion of existing private school vouchers programs in states that already have them and to create them in states that do not. There is also an idea of a “parent trigger,” which would allow parents in a community to petition to shut down their local school and replace it with either charter schools or a voucher program. There are also bills, which attack teacher tenure and undermine their collective bargaining rights. Along with deeps cuts to funding, moves are also being made to establish a market-model of post-secondary education in some state universities, a de-facto privatization.

The attacks on public sector unions and collective bargaining are sweeping. Legislation has been introduced in 20 states that undermine public sector collective bargaining. In Wisconsin, legislation has passed that limits public sector union bargaining to wages, and only up to the rate of inflation. The state will no longer collect union dues from paychecks, and members must vote each year to stay in the union. It requires public workers to pay more for health insurance and pension plans. Examples from other states include legislation that claws-back or freezes wages, sets limits on interest arbitration, and establishes two-tier pensions.

The attack is not just on public sector unions, but also very much on political power. The legislation against union dues check-off is designed to hobble the union’s abilities to fund democrats and progressive causes. In 2010, American election public sector unions contributed $20.5 million to candidates of which more than over 80 per cent were Democrats. 

These attacks have been described so eloquently by Naomi Klein as ‘shock doctrine’—pretending it’s about budgets and deficits, but attacking unions and democracy while also reducing taxes for rich and putting tax and revenue caps in place.

Coming to Canada?

The corporate world is using the economic meltdown to launch attacks on public sector services and workers in many countries, alongside the right-wing think tanks they fund. The January 2011 issue of the Economist “The Battle Ahead, Confronting Public Services” is symbolic of this charge.

The Fraser Institute pounced on Wisconsin’s legislative cauchemar (nightmare) for public sector unions and workers to call for similar measures to be used in Canada. Pointing to provincial deficits, they leapt to the inexplicable conclusion that the cause of the deficits is public sector employees. They then continue to promote privatization of services and extol the advantages of private sector and competition. 

The strong evidence shows that public services and public sector workers contribute greatly to economic recovery by providing valuable services to communities and reducing income inequality. Most public sector workers are women, providing public and community services that are so important– services such as education, healthcare, and social services. These values of sharing and caring are what create equality. Tax cuts to financial institutions and banks do the opposite.

Public sector unions provide a democratic forum for members to advance and protect their political and economic rights. They prevent arbitrary power from their employers including federal, provincial, and local governments and boards. Unions also advocate for legislative protections and benefits for all workers such as workers’ compensation, health and safety, the Canada Pension Plan, parental leaves and benefits, employment insurance, early learning and child care programs, and fair wages. Unions fight income inequality.

Thank you Wisconsin ralliers

The rallies in Wisconsin demonstrate the great potential public sector workers have when they develop and maintain powerful alliances of students, community activists, other workers and their unions. The rallies started with 800 university students leaving their classes to support their teachers. Fourteen democratic senators crossed state lines in an attempt to block a vote on the bill. Hundreds slept in the capitol building for weeks as part of an incredibly peaceful protest. 

Beyond the daily demonstrations, major rallies were held on weekends with each reporting at around 100,000. Even though Governor Walker maneuvered passage of the bill stripping collective bargaining rights of almost 175,000 public sector workers, the fight is not over. Polls show a majority of the state’s residents don’t want collective bargaining rights weakened and the Governor’s personal disapproval rating has climbed.

A campaign to recall Republican senators has begun in earnest. The rallies will continue. The inspirational peaceful fight of the people of Wisconsin has shown their resolve and dignity. They already have exposed the deceptions of these right-wing attacks on public services, workers and their unions.

They will prevail.

·         Arizona’s bill which would require Tucson and Phoenix to outsource all its services to for-profit companim to undermine public education such as the expansion of existing private school vouchers programs in states that already have them and to create them in states that do not. There is also an idea of a “Parent Trigger,” which would allow parents in a community to petition to shut down their local school and replace it with either charter schools or a voucher program. There are also bills which attack teacher tenure and undermine their collective bargaining rights. Along with deeps cuts to funding, moves are also being made to establish a market-model of post-secondary education in some state universities, a de-facto  privatization.

 

The attacks on public sector unions and collective bargaining are sweeping.  Legislation has been introduced in 20 states that undermine public sector collective bargaining.  In Wisconsin, legislation has passed thatlimits public sector union bargaining to wages, and only up to the rate of inflation. The state will no longer collect union dues from paychecks, and members must vote each year to stay in the union. It requires public workers to pay more for health insurance and pension plans.  Examples from other states include legislation that claws-back or freezes wages, sets limits on interest arbitration, and establishes two-tier pensions.

 

The attack is not just on public sector unions, but very much on political power.  The legislation against union dues check-off is designed to hobble the union’s abilities to fund democrats and progressive causes.  In the 2010 American election public sector unions contributed $20.5 million to candidates, over 80% were Democrats. 

 

These attacks have been described so eloquently by Naomi Klein as ‘Shock Doctrine’—pretending it’s about budgets and deficits, but attacking unions and democracy while also reducing taxes for rich and putting tax and revenue caps in place.

 

Coming to Canada?

 

The corporate world is using the economic meltdown to launch attacks on public sector services and workers in many countries, alongside the right-wing think tanks they fund.  The January 2011 issue of the Economist “The Battle Ahead, Confronting Public Services” is symbolic of this charge.

 

The Fraser Institute pounced on Wisconsin’s legislative cauchemar  (‘nightmare’) for public sector unions and workers to call for similar measures to be used in Canada. Pointing to provincial deficits, they leapt to the inexplicable conclusion that the cause of the deficits is public sector employees.  They then continue to promote privatization of services and extoll the advantages of private sector and competition. 

 

The strong evidence shows that public services and public sector workers contribute greatly to economic recovery by providing valuable services to communities and reducing income inequality.  Most public sector workers are women, providing public and community services that are so important– services such as education, healthcare, and social services.   These values of sharing and caring are what create equality.  Tax cuts to financial institutions and banks do the opposite.

 

Public sector unions provide a democratic forum for members to advance and protect their political and economic rights.  They prevent arbitrary power from their employers including federal, provincial, and local governments and boards.  Unions also advocate for legislative protections and benefits for all workers such as workers’ compensation, health and safety, the Canada Pension Plan, parental leaves and benefits, employment insurance, early learning and child care programs, and fair wages.  Unions fight income inequality.

 

Thank-you Wisconsin ralliers 

n Wisconsin demonstrate the great potential public sector workers have when they develop and maintain powerful alliances of students, community activists, other workers and their unions.  The rallies started with 800 university students leaving their classes to support their teachers.  Fourteen democratic senators crossed state lines in an attempt to block a vote on the bill.  Hundreds slept in the capitol building for weeks as part of an incredibly peaceful protest.  Beyond the daily demonstrations, major rallies were held on weekends with each reporting at around 100,000.  Even though Governor Walker maneuvered passage of the bill stripping collective bargaining rights of almost 175,000 public sector workers, the fight is not over.   Polls show a majority of the state’s residents don’t want collective bargaining rights weakened and the Governor’s personal disapproval rating ha