People’s needs not corporate greed
After two years of bargaining the federal government is still offering wages far below cost of living increases. As prices and the cost of living skyrocket, workers’ real wages and living standards have sharply declined in a massive transfer of wealth from the working class to corporate monopolies and the super-rich. The outcome of this strike will set the pattern for settlements across the public sector.
The Communist Party of Canada stands with the 155,000 striking members of PSAC, and calls on the labour and democratic movements across Canada to also stand with PSAC in this strike that will impact workers’ living standards and collective bargaining across the country. This includes opposing any effort to legislate striking workers back to work. Free collective bargaining includes the right to strike – a right that is also under attack by governments and corporations now.
The government’s strategy, as enunciated by Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Maklem, is to fight inflation by “cutting demand” which means cutting wages, pensions and jobs. Rising interest rates have done exactly that, while deliberately pushing Canada into another recession with growing layoffs and job losses, evictions and foreclosures, hunger and homelessness.
But inflation wasn’t caused by workers or their unions. It was caused by corporate price rigging and greed, combined with exorbitant military spending and the war in Ukraine.
The solution to inflation is to raise wages and roll-back prices and interest rates. The solution is to raise corporate taxes and curb corporate power. It’s to cut military spending and instead invest in public services and social programs, in public Medicare and education, to build affordable social housing, and create full-time, permanent, unionized jobs for all.
Unity can win! An injury to one is an injury to all!
Central Executive Committee, Communist Party of Canada
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