The COVID-19 crisis is having a devastating effect on all social and economic sectors. In a series of briefs, the ILO analyses how the pandemic is affecting the functioning of these sectors and how they are responding to alleviate its effects. GENEVA (ILO News) – The COVID-19 crisis is having a devastating effect on workers and employers in all sectors. Workers in essential services such as health and frontline emergency
Toronto, ON – “This is devastating news for a community that relies upon these good middle-class jobs to support their families,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President regarding the announcement by GM, Canada that it would close its Oshawa assembly plant. Media reports began circulating over the weekend that GM would be closing its Oshawa assembly lines which builds Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac models. The closure at the end of
Montreal, QC –Price Waterhouse Coopers’ latest report on the aerospace manufacturing sector estimates that Canada is the second best place in the world to implement this type of industry. Only the United States leads Canada ahead of countries like Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Last year, Canada finished 5th. The Machinists’ Union sees this as a sign of the quality of the work done by the workers
Washington, DC – We have a tentative new trade deal with a new name, NAFTA is gone, to be replaced by the USMCA or United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. To get this new deal, it appears Canada has given away the farm! America has a chronic problem of over production of its milk products and our supply management system restricted Americans from dumping their surplus here. Under the deal American dairy farmers
Ottawa, ON – Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland heads back to Washington this week to resume face-to-face negotiations with the United States and Mexico regarding NAFTA. The minister cut short her diplomatic trip to Europe for high-level talks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that the U.S. and Mexico had reached a bilateral trade understanding. Trump implied this agreement could lead to the overhaul or termination of the three-country
Auto sector agreement seen as key to unlocking the logjam Ottawa, ON – Canada’s ambassador to the United States says he expects NAFTA talks to resume in the next few weeks and an agreement on the automotive sector is vital to unlocking the logjam on remaining points. His comments come as Foreign Affairs minister Chrystia Freeland, Finance minister Bill Morneau and International Trade Diversification minister Jim Carr head to Mexico
Toronto, ON – Canada’s economy would shrink by 1.8 per cent if the United States breaks all trade ties with its partners and imposes across-the-board tariffs that average 20 per cent, according to a Scotiabank report. “A ramp-up in protectionism in the U.S. results in a negative impact on growth in each of the NAFTA partners economies,” said the report. Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed significant tariffs on steel
NAFTA Negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) started last year. Canada, in a proactive manner and constructive approach, has played big cards against the US by asking them to ratify the ILO Conventions and get rid of right-to-work laws. However, the best way to describe the situation at this point is total uncertainty. The three may have made some progress and may have reached some agreement on
Recommendations of the IAM regarding the NAFTA Renegotiation Preamble In this document, we provide you with four recommendations which can potentially increase the fairness and the balance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and ensure it can create a better environment for all citizens living in North America. Goals of recommendations #1 and #2: • Establish basic labour standards for the entire territory; • Improve the defence of
