NEWS
February 17, 2012 - Nova Scotia Federation of Labour President Rick Clarke is continuing to call on HRM Mayor Peter Kelly to explain what councillors were led to believe before they rejected ATU 508’s offer of binding arbitration. Read press release
January 27, 2012 - NSFL President Rick Clarke has written HRM Mayor Peter Kelly telling him to stop "ultimatum bargaining" with members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 508. Clarke urged the Mayor to use the remaining time left to return to the bargaining table and try a fair, equitable approach and talk about the issues. Over 95,000 transit users are depending on HRM deal with this do what is right for members of ATU Local 508 and their families. Read letter.
If you live in HRM, please contact your Councillor and give them this message. Numbers are here...
January 13, 2012 - President Rick Clarke joins all provincial federation of labour presidents as a signatory to an open letter on healthcare to Canada's Premiers.
Federation of Labour Presdients call on Premiers to stand up for healthcare
Open letter to Canada's Premiers
December 30, 2011 - New Year's Message from NSFL President Rick Clarke.
November 28, 2011 - First Contract Arbitration is in Law Amendments right now after a long lead-up. The Labour-Management Review Committee called for submissions and many of our affiliates responded, as did the Federation. President Clarke also wrote an opinion piece that was published in the Chronicle Herald.
NSFL Submission on First Contract Arbitration
President Clarke's opinion piece for Herald on First Contract Arbitration
November 25, 2011 - Call for all Locals and Labour Councils, please send in nominations for NSFL Committees, details here....
November 15, 2011 - Workers at AbititbiBowater Mill are in impossible situation. More...
October 28, 2011 - Over 200 delegates attended the 46th Convention of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. For highlights and our press release from the last day, during which elections were held, please click on the links below.
Convention News, Monday, October 24, 2011
Convention News, Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Convention News, Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Press Release for final day of convention
October 2, 2011 - Media Statement from the N.S. Federation of Labour President Rick Clarke: Labour mourns the loss of a great labour leader – Nancy Riche. More...
Georgetti Praises Nancy Riche – Says workers everywhere have lost a fighter
October 2, 2011 - OTTAWA – The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) today is mourning the death of Nancy Riche, one of Canada’s leading women labour leaders and a tireless advocate for workers’ and women’s rights.
“We are all saddened by Nancy’s death. Workers everywhere have lost a fighter,” says Ken Georgetti, president of the CLC. “She never backed down from a challenge, and never stopped working for everyday working people.”
A champion of women’s rights and a pioneer in the Canadian women’s movement, Riche, a former CLC Secretary-Treasurer, passed away Saturday following complications from a heart condition.
Riche came to the Canadian Labour Congress as a seasoned union leader and activist. A community college instructor in Newfoundland and Labrador, she served from 1984 to 1986 as Secretary-Treasurer of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), the national umbrella union representing the interests of provincial public service workers.
As a prominent union activist, Riche also held the position of Vice-President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour for the six years ending in 1984.
Riche’s earliest union involvement convinced her of the need for labour to push its agenda in the political arena. As such, she has been a long-time supporter of the New Democratic Party, and served as the federal NDP’s Associate President (Labour).
In 1995, Riche was awarded an Honourary Degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, from which she graduated in 1977.
As one of Canada’s leading female labour leaders, Riche served as Vice-President of the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and Chair of its Women’s Committee from 1993-2002.
She has also been recognized for her outstanding contribution to the lives of working women in Canada and around the world. In 2002, she received both the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) Woman of Courage Award and the Governor-General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case. In 2004, she became an Officer of the Order of Canada.
“Nancy’s contribution to the social fabric of Canada will live on in the work of the countless labour and women’s activists whose lives she touched and inspired,” Georgetti says.
The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.2 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial Federations of Labour and 130 district Labour Councils. Website: www.canadianlabour.ca
September 2, 2011 - Happy Labour Day weekend! Nova Scotia Federation of Labour President Rick Clarke will be joined by Premier Darrell Dexter and Canadian Labour Congress President Ken Georgetti at the Halifax Labour Day Celebration on Monday.
To read President Clarke's Labour Day message, please click here.
Please join us for Labour Day celebrations across the province. For more information on events in your area, please read our newsletter.
September 1, 2011
Sisters and Brothers,
I am writing today to ask your help as we push for over 10,000 declarations of support across Canada for a winning shipbuilding bid in Nova Scotia. We are less than 1700 pins shy of our goal on http://CanadianShipsStartHere.ca, and with your help we can get there.
Please send a prompt to your email database, asking them to push for 10,000. Here's what we will be sending to our email list, please use this verbatim or edit as appropriate!
Email Subject: Help us reach 10,000 pins!
We're close to 10,000 pins on CanadianShipsStartHere.ca! So close.
Let's push it over the top!
Why does that matter?
10,000 pins means that these 10,000 Canadians care about where the next federal fleet is built. And they want to be heard.
10,000 pins means that Canadians want to make sure that Canada's fleet is built by the best shipbuilders in Canada in the best shipyard in the country.
10,000 pins means that Canada supports Canadian shipbuilding.
Shipbuilding is in our blood on the East Coast. We know we've said it before, but think about that. The vessels we build get put on dimes. The ships we build make up 80% of the current surface combat fleet already. Canada has that much confidence in our shipbuilding, so why would ships get built anywhere else?
Plus, an investment in shipbuilding in Atlantic Canada has the greatest economic impact across all of Canada.
Show your support today for Canadian shipbuilding. Go to CanadianShipsStartHere.ca and leave a pin on the map. Write a comment. And, most importantly, tell your friends. Tell your colleagues. Tell everyone. Help us reach 10,000 declarations of support.
Tell Canada, tell the world: Canadian ships start here. Please check http://shipsstarthere.ca/ for updates!
In solidarity,
RICK CLARKE
President
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Labour mourns the loss of a great National Leader and a friend – Jack Layton
August 22, 2011 - On behalf of the 70,000 affiliated members of the NSFL, it’s affiliated member unions, and Executive Council, I would like to extend our deepest and most sincere condolences and feelings of loss to the family of Jack Layton. Jack cared deeply for his family, and I can only imagine how devastated they must be.
This is indeed a sad day for Jack's family and friends, and for Canada. Jack was an inspirational leader and a truly great and dedicated Canadian, being a progressive voice on so many important issues on behalf of Canadians from all walks of life. Premier Dexter said it best when he said in his statement-
“Today Canadians lost a man with the rare ability to both lead and unite our country - a man with an infectious enthusiasm and a fighting spirit that so many of us came to admire and love.”
His years of dedicated service have left a legacy that will live on for generations. Today we remember and mourn the loss of a great Canadian who has accomplished so much in our interest – tomorrow we honour Jack and the legacy he left by working to make a difference for Canada and Canadians.
On a personal note, I had the great opportunity of knowing and working with Jack for a number of years, building a great relationship, and considered him a friend. I will indeed mourn the loss of not only a truly great National Leader, but a friend as well.
In Solidarity and Friendship,
Rick Clarke
NSFL President
Join us for 24th Annual Halifax Pride Parade on July 23rd from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm...
July 20, 2011 - This is the second year the NS Federation of Labour will have a float in the annual Pride Parade through the heart of the city. Halifax has the fourth largest Pride Parade in Canada. Halifax is renowned for its family friendly community strong parade. This year’s parade will be no different. Last year there were 60,000 spectators and 1,400 parade participants, and this year's parade promises to be even bigger. The Parade starts at 1:30pm and follows the best route ever through our beautiful city to the Garrison Grounds. We are proud to march 'better together' in Pride!
Marshaling starts at 11:30AM at Cornwallis and Upper Water Street. Anti-Racism/Human Rights Committee Chair Jason MacLean and the other committee members will be putting the final touches on all their hard work on the float. Please join us in what will be a great day of celebration!
**Route: Lower Water Street to Barrington to Spring Garden to South Park.
For more information, please contact Joan Wark at this email or the number below. Please check out he Halifax Pride website for info on other events this week: http://www.halifaxpride.com/
June 29, 2011 - Declare your support for the best Canadian ships built by the best: Irving Shipbuilding!
There's a competition happening right now in Canada. It's called the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, and it will decide which of four Canadian shipyards will earn the work to build the next generation of Canadian naval vessels. The economic impact of this project cannot be overstated: it's huge.
This is the biggest opportunity for Nova Scotia since the navy was established 100 years ago.
This is a merit-based contest and we want Canadians and decision-makers in Ottawa to understand three important points:
1. That Nova Scotia is built to build ships. Irving Shipbuilders have built more than 80% of the surface combat surface fleet. No other yard is better suited to win this bid. We are truly Canada's best shipyard.
2. That if Irving Shipbuilding wins this bid, all of Canada will win this bid, all of Canada will benefit more than if any other shipyard were to win. If Halifax wins, Canada wins.
3. Irving Shipbuilding is the only Canadian-owned shipyard in the competition.
Please spread the word. Visit the website and take action. Spread the word to your unions, labour councils, family and friends and ask them to do the same.
June 17, 2011 - Join us on Saturday, June 18th at rallies in Sydney and Halifax in support of locked-out members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) who are facing back-to-work legislation. Halifax rally at 2 pm across from Almon Street Post Office. Sydney rally and march starts at 1:30 pm at the corner of Pitt and George Streets.
For more information on the rallies, click the city you are interested in. Halifax or Sydney.
May 19, 2011 - In June 2010, the federal government initiated the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy: a formal process to select two Canadian shipyards for construction of large vessels. RFP responses are due July 7th, 2011, and a decision is expected in late summer or early fall.
ShipsStartHere.ca is about Nova Scotia’s response to the NSPS opportunity.
April 19, 2011 - Read about April 28th Day of Mourning events and upcoming conferences here...
April 14, 2011 - Federation President Rick Clarke urges provincial government to adopt recommendation of Minimum Wage Committee. To read the press release, click here.
To read the full NSFL response to the Minimum Wage Committee Report, click here.
February 24, 2011 - NSFL President Rick Clarke was a member of the Committee appointed to develop a poverty reduction strategy for Nova Scotia. Click here to read some highlights of what has been happening.
January 28, 2011 - Federation President Clarke urges more productive and meaningful discussion on Nova Scotia’s Education System . More...
January 1, 2011 - Happy New Year from the Executive and Staff of the Nova Scotia Federation on Labour. To read President Clarke's New Year's message, click here.
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