On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 9 August, the ITUC demands the right of self-determination for Indigenous peoples worldwide.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle stated: “This day is an important reminder of the rich cultural diversity, historical contributions, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples face systemic discrimination, marginalisation, and violations of their rights. Issues such as the exploitation of natural resources on Indigenous lands without consent and encroachment onto their territories require immediate attention.”

An International Labour Organization (ILO) report found that:

• More than 86% of Indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% for their non-Indigenous counterparts.
• Indigenous peoples are nearly three times more likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.
• The share of wage and salaried workers is considerably lower among the Indigenous (27.9%) than among the non-Indigenous (49.1%) population.
• Globally, Indigenous peoples are earning 18.5% less than non-Indigenous people.

Luc Triangle continued: “The right to self-determination lies at the heart of Indigenous peoples’ struggles; it underpins their ability to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. This principle is not only a right but a necessity for the preservation of Indigenous identity, culture and way of life.

“We stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in their quest for justice, equality and self-determination. We call on governments, corporations and international bodies to ratify and implement ILO Convention No. 169 to protect Indigenous rights globally.”

ILO C169 addresses the rights of Indigenous and tribal peoples. It provides a comprehensive framework to protect their social, economic and cultural rights and emphasises the importance of their participation in decisions affecting their lives and lands. This is central to the sustainability of policies and programmes tackling challenges such as poverty, inequality, social conflicts, and climate change.

As well as the ratification and implementation of C169, the ITUC also calls for:

• Respect for land rights: Governments and corporations must obtain free, prior and informed consent before undertaking any projects on Indigenous territories.
• Protection and celebration of cultural heritage: The traditions and languages of Indigenous peoples must be preserved for future generations.
• Inclusive development: Policies should respect the rights and needs of Indigenous communities and include them in decision-making.

Workers’ unions are enhancing the representation of Indigenous peoples in their organisations and building alliances with Indigenous peoples’ organisations to address mutual concerns, including compliance with ILO C169:

• New Zealand: Unions are advocating for legislation to make ethnic and gender pay gap reporting mandatory. This transparency is crucial to closing the significant gender pay gap faced by Indigenous women. While overall the gender pay gap between women and men in New Zealand is 8.6%, Pacific women in New Zealand earn around 26.5% less than non-Indigenous men.
• Australia: Unions are working to ensure strong union representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, empowering them to achieve just wages, social protection and self-determined, fulfilling employment.
• Norway: The Norwegian Trade Union Confederation (LO Norway) promotes Indigenous culture and identity through leadership, cultural outlets and support for the truth and reconciliation process
• Latin America: To hold governments to account, trade unions are using the ILO’s supervisory mechanisms. This includes highlighting issues such as occupational safety and forced labour.
• Observations of the Autonomous Workers’ Confederation of Peru (CATP) highlighted flaws in the judicial proceedings with respect to the murder of Indigenous trade union leaders; the ongoing harassment faced by the victims’ families and illicit logging facilitated by the habilitación system, which entails the subjugation of Indigenous people to forced labour (15 September 2023);
• Observations of the General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic (CGT-RA) and the Confederation of Workers of Argentina (CTA) raised concerns over the worrying occupational safety conditions for workers coming from Indigenous communities and reported instances of violence and the excessive use of force used against them by police during protests. The CTA also drew attention to the lack of consultation during the constitutional reform process of Jujuy Province in 2023. The statements of worker delegates at the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards during the 109th ILC session (2021) on the application of Convention No. 169 by the Government of Honduras reported cases of violence committed against Indigenous peoples.

Great victory, Great news 110 security workers (Logix Security) at the Air Canada Cargo joined the IAM union family at the Pearson Airport. Despite management bully tactics We got the certification from the Labour Board late last week.

“Big thanks go to Kushang Shah who was the lead person on this campaign,” said Sam Jabbar, GLR Responsible for Organising. “His determination, hard-work and organizing skills got us this group unionised. Jabbar coordinated the campaign.

Shah, a Shop Steward with IAM Local 2323 working at Air Canada Cargo, helped with the campaign despite some difficult conditions – the work was performed in secure areas and spread out in the cargo building at various locations and times. The workers tried to join for the past five years, but with little success.

“With the help of Kushang Shah, we were able to overcome the hurdles and successfully signed the group. We were constantly in touch through our text messages and kept them informed about the benefits of belonging to the IAM. The management tried many tactics to scare the workers off from joining the union. This campaign shows that hard works always pays off.,” concluded Jabbar.

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For more information:
Sam Jabbar, GLR, Organising
sjabbar@iamaw.org

IAM Local Lodge 2323 pulled off yet another successful annual BBQ for their members and retirees. The event was held in the parking lot of IAM Local 2323 offices, which accommodated everyone who gathered there throughout the day. Almost 500 people attended over the course of the day.

There were many events for the members and their families which appealed to all ages. From burgers and hot dogs, accompanied by many sides, to face-painting, ice cream, and the great company afforded by members meeting in a relaxed and fun environment. There was even a raffle with 2 large-screen televisions as grand prizes. The local also offered many Local 2323-branded items for sale.

The DJ who entertained the crowd all day with a great selection of music is also a member of IAM Local 2323. They stayed local!

Vick Seebalak, President of LL2323
“One of the reasons we have this BBQ is to give back to our members. We also invited our members to bring their families, which they did. It made it a very enjoyable family event. As a local Lodge President, I feel proud watching our members laugh with each other and having a good time. We are a family. We are a solid IAM family.” Seebalak also thanked other members of the Executive and all the volunteers for helping make this one of the most successful ever.

Chris Glover, MPP for the Toronto-area riding of Spadina-Fort York, also attended the BBQ on invitation from the local. He stressed the importance of artificial intelligence and what it promised, as well as the need to be watchful about workers being surveilled in the workplace.

Shan Wahab, a 14-year LL2323 member, took a few minutes to share his thoughts on the BBQ, saying, “it’s a great time to meet with co-workers and retirees so we don’t lose touch with them.”

In his comments to the members gathered for the event, Dave Flowers, President and Directing General Chairperson of IAM District 140, explained the difference between minimum wage and a living wage, especially as it affects airport workers. The IAM has been very active on the issue particularly at the Toronto and Vancouver airports, succeeding on getting living wage provisions into newer contracts. “Employers are making money hand-over-fist, but we’re not seeing that trickle down to the workers,” he said. He urged members to stick together because “when we raise the floor, we raise the ceiling.”

IAM Canada’s Chief-of-Staff, Ralph Martin, who also attended the BBQ, said, “It was wonderful to see so many members and retirees out socializing. These events really allow members and retirees to reconnect in an environment that’s free from the pressures of work. Great event hosted by Local Lodge 2323, thank you to the committee that put this together and many thanks to all that took the time to participate.”

Congratulations to IAM Local 2323 on yet another successful gathering for their membership and their retirees.

For all the photos from the BBQ, please visit our Flickr album

On Friday July 5^th, the IAM ratified a new 3-year collective agreement for the 122 members of Local 2413 employed with SkyCafe at the Toronto and Ottawa airports.

“The IAM Local 2413 Bargaining committee pushed the employer as hard as we could,” said Michael Corrado, IAM District 140 General Chairperson. “We used the conciliation process and strategically timed the release of a survey about our members wage expectations and their willingness to strike if their expectations were not met”.

The agreement focused on large wage increases along with a significant increase to the amount of paid sick days that this provincially-regulated employer provides.

Most of our members will experience an approximately 25% wage increases over 3 years. Additionally, paid sick days were increased by 67% for the membership.

“Good deals with living wages are what workers and IAM members deserve,” concluded Corrado.

The IAM Members voted 96.9% in favour of this new CBA which reflected the expectations of the membership.

PHOTO:
Bargaining Committee membersfrom left: Michael Corrado, Madhu Mehta and Collin Buchanan.

For more information:
Michael Corrado, General Chairperson
IAM District 140