Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

“Challenging the Myths of Migration, Building workers’ solidarity in Canada”

A critical look at the expansion of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers’ Program (TFWP)

• Community Forum
• Sunday, April 6, 2008, 2:00 pm
• Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street, Vancouver (between Jackson & Dunlevy Streets)

Speakers include: SIKLAB-B.C. (Advance the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers and their Families), Justicia for Migrant Worker, Other speakers to be announced. For more information: email: ilps_canada@shawcable.com

Picket and Rally

Wednesday, January 30, 4 pm
Picket outside the U.S. Consulate in Vancouver (1075 W. Pender)

War and Occupation are a Health Crisis.

The Israeli occupation is a health crisis for Palestinians. In particular, the total siege by the Israeli Occupation Forces in Gaza effectively detains Palestinian men, women and children in what amounts to a giant open air prison, creating a mounting health emergency by denying even the basic necessities of life. In addition to the Israeli-created public health crisis, Palestinians face arbitrary and criminal military violence from the Israeli occupiers.

The conditions in Gaza demonstrate clearly the criminal nature of the Israeli occupation:

Ongoing killings, assassinations and air attacks by Israeli occupation forces; already in January, 2008, Israeli occupying forces in Gaza have killed 26 Palestinians, including children and women, and wounded 44 others. This death toll does not include the countless others whose physical and mental health hangs in the balance of the siege.

Tens of thousands are denied access to safe water and sanitation as raw sewage runs through the streets. General scarcity of food, clean water, and fuel, resulting in malnutrition, disease are a public health clamity. Gaza is on the verge of a humanitarian, health and environmental crisis, threatening the lives of 1.5 million civilians.

Surgical operations and medical aid are suspended at hospitals due to lack of power and supplies, leaving patients languishing in need of medical attention. Furthermore, medical personal are unable to reach people due to the siege conditions.

Blockade of supplies for UN Relief and Works Agency which supplies over 900,000 Palestinians in refugee camp; humanitarian aid is suspended in a region where 85% of the Palestinian population depends upon humanitarian aid their basic needs for survival.

The U.S. and Canadian governments share culpability for this disaster as they continue to support the Israeli occupation. The U.S.A. provides billions of dollars in aid to Israel annually, much of it military aid. Meanwhile the Canadian government has over the last several years shifted to a position of essentially unconditional support for Israel at the U.N. and was the first government to cut humanitarian aid to Palestinians following their democratic election in 2006, punishment for not voting for the ‘correct’ representatives.

Peace, justice and health for Palestinians are impossible under conditions of occupation and siege. We must speak out! We must ACT NOW to break the siege and end the occupation.

Break the Siege on Gaza!

Canada & U.S. - stop supporting Israeli war crimes!

End the Israeli Occupation! Free Palestine!

Organized by the Health Now! Campaign, Alliance for Peoples Health, Al Awda – Palestinian Right of Return Coalition, International League of Peoples Struggles participating organizations in Vancouver (BC Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Grassroots Women, Ugnayan Ng Kabataang Pilipino Sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance, SIKLAB, Bus Riders Union, Filipino Nurses Support Group), Free Ahmed Sa’adat Campaign.

Email contact.

• Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
• Time: 7-9 PM
• Location: The Richmond Caring Place,
• 7000 Minoru Blvd @ Granville
• Cost: minimum donation of $5 but no one will be turned away

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in the Philippines in January 2001, there are now more than 830 reported cases of extra-judicial killings and almost 200 cases of forcible disappearances in the Philippines. Despite this terror, the Filipino peoples resistance continues. The killings, mostly carried out by unidentified men often wearing face masks who shoot the victims before escaping on motorcycles, have rarely led to the arrest, prosecution and punishment of those responsible.

Come to a forum at the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre and learn more about the situation of women in the Philippines and how you can be a Sister In Solidarity.

For more information contact Philippine Women Centre of BC (604) 215-1103, pwc@kalayaancentre.net, www.kalayaancentre.net/pwcofbc or Richmond Women’s Resource Centre (604) 279-7060, www.richmondwomenscentre.bc.ca

Endorsed by the PSAC Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee

via Vancouver & District Labour Council

A Chance to Go to School in Cuba

Wouldn’t it be great to have a place to meet other activists, learn something useful and have some fun in the sun at the same time?

Well how about getting together in Havana, Cuba in May, 2008 for a week of global solidarity courses and a program of events designed especially for activists.

That is the idea behind a Global Solidarity School. Its being organized in Cuba by a group of Canadian labour activists and educators. The school will run from May 4 to May 10 and offer five week-long courses designed to interest activists and their spouses.

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Only Colombia is riskier for union organizers.

The Philippines provide a steady stream of hard working immigrants seeking a better life in British Columbia. For most of these newcomers, the pay may not stretch far, given the high cost of living here and, often, a chunk of the paycheque sent to help family back home.

• Send a message to the Philippine Government: stop the political killings! 

But at least in B.C., standing up for your rights on the job won’t get you killed.

Under the Arroyo government in the Philippines there has been a higher incidence of murders and assaults against union activists than during the notorious Marcos regime, according to a Philippine labour leader who recently toured Canada.

And an international study that reported a 25 per cent increase in murders of trade unionists around the world in 2006 says that the Philippines is the second most lethal environment for union activists globally, only topped for murder of union leaders by the blood stained record of Colombia.

Continue reading at thetyee.ca.

SIKLAB-CANADA READIES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS’ ALLIANCE; ENCOURAGES MIGRANTS IN CANADA TO JOIN

Filipino migrants in Canada are set to bring their fight for their rights to a new level.

SIKLAB-Canada, a national formation representing migrant Filipino workers, is readying for the historic launching of the International Migrants’ Alliance (IMA) in June 2008 in Hong Kong.

“There is an urgent need to form the IMA,” explains Roderrick Carreon, Chairperson of SIKLAB-Canada, “The issue of migration has become a global phenomenon and the focal point for much intense debate and discussion among academics and politicians on how to administer and manage international migration. It is now also time for those of us organizing around migrant rights to join together internationally to focus on the real lived experience and exploitation of migrant workers, the structures behind global migration, and the impacts of imperialist globalization,” continues Carreon.

There are over half a million Filipinos across Canada, the majority of whom are women who have entered the country as live-in domestic workers under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). SIKLAB is actively campaigning for the scrapping of the LCP calling the immigration program “anti-woman and racist”.

Under the LCP, migrant workers are required to live-in their employers’ home for 24 months, hold only temporary immigration status, and are tied to their employers because of the required employer-specific contracts under the program — conditions, which SIKLAB argues breed exploitation, abuse and oppression of Filipino migrant workers in Canada.

“We know that our community’s migration to Canada as cheap and expendable labour is shared by many other migrant and immigrant communities,” says Glecy Duran, Vice-Chairperson of SIKLAB-Canada, “Because we are here and legislated to perform low-wage and dangerous jobs that no other Canadians will perform, migrants of all nationalities, especially those of colour, share a common experience of exploitation. We need to unite,” adds Duran.

The objectives of the IMA are:

• To promote the rights, livelihood and welfare of migrants, refugees and displaced persons all over the world;
• To defend the interests of migrants, refugees and displaced persons from attacks of imperialist globalization and its lackeys;
• To forge coordinated and joint actions and plans in advancing the rights and well-being of im/migrants and refugees.
• To intensify campaigns for just wage, job security, against commodification and against criminalization of undocumented migrants and immigrants.
• Extend support and cooperation among the members.
• To further promote international solidarity and cooperation with progressive and genuine anti-imperialist organizations and alliances.

The IMA was initiated by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) Study Commission on Migrants and Immigrants, and aims to be a broad international formation of progressive and anti-imperialist migrant organizations of various nationalities.

As a convenor of the launching the IMA, SIKLAB-Canada is also inviting other like-minded organizations of migrants and immigrants in Canada to join the significant founding of the IMA.

For more information: SIKLAB-B.C.: Glecy Duran, siklab@kalayaancentre.net; 604-215-1103
–
SIKLAB-British Columbia
Advance the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers and Their Families
Member of SIKLAB-Canada
c/o Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6A 1G7
Phone: 604.215.1103 | Fax: 604.215.1905 | http://www.kalayaancentre.net

Via makepovertyhistory.ca …

I am writing to you today to ask for your help in stopping a dangerous trade deal that you have probably never heard of. The government of Canada is negotiating a trade deal with Colombia, a country that Human Rights Watch calls the “worst human rights and humanitarian disaster” in the Americas.

This controversial deal will make many poor in Colombia worse off and help support a government involved in serious human rights abuses. The US Congress refused to approve a similar deal earlier this year, citing human rights abuses. If Canadians don’t speak up, this deal can be passed without parliamentary approval or public debate.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write to your Member of Parliament and insist that this deal not go through without a full debate in Parliament and the explicit approval of our elected representatives.

There is not much time - negotiations are underway, and are set to be completed before the end of the year. Millions of people in Colombia have been displaced through a violent conflict over land and resources. Transnational companies have become complicit in this violence. Many people living in poverty in Colombia are concerned that this deal increases the power of corporations at the expense of the poor.

Act in solidarity with Colombian social justice activists. Tell others that trade is a matter that affects poverty and human rights, and that you care. Speak out now!

Dennis Howlett
Coordinator
Make Poverty History

Canadian Labour Congress to Ministers Solberg and Finley: Where are the Filipino 11?
Temporary Foreign Worker Program Should Be Suspended

OTTAWA – The Canadian Labour Congress calls for an immediate moratorium of the government’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program until a comprehensive investigation of identified abuse and exploitation cases takes place. Full suspension of this program is necessary as the government officially acknowledges that it cannot “monitor the working conditions offered by the employer following entry into Canada” – that it cannot protect these workers.

To print the English PDF version, please click the link below

http://canadianlabour.ca/index.php/november/1290

PAKISTAN UNDER THE GUN
Perspectives on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law
Public Forum, Film Screening and Discussion

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007, 6:30 pm
Alma Van Dusen Room, Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia - between Homer and Hamilton(lower level -take elevator/stairs by main library entrance)
From Granville Skytrain Station: 2 blocks east on Dunsmuir, 1 block south on Homer

FREE EVENT:

Join us for a public forum and interactive discussion on human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan. Support the resistance of the Pakistani people!

Co-sponsored by the Vancouver and District Labour Council, India Pakistan Peace Network (IPPN), South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada. Endorsed by the PSAC International Solidarity Committee.

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Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Dear Minister Bernier:

On behalf of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, a national union made up of over 160,000 members, I am writing to express our grave concern regarding the appalling human rights situation in the Philippines under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In recent months, we have become aware of the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Philippines marked with extrajudicial killings and trade union repression from a variety of sources.

• Send an email to the Philippine & Canadian Governments - Stop the political killings!

In March 2007, we heard from individuals who survived assassination attempts under the Arroyo government, such as Dr. Constancio Claver, who told of the political targeting and surveillance he experienced that ultimately resulted in the murder of his wife and attempted murder of himself and his daughter when they were ambushed in July 2006. He also shared his frustration with the Philippine National Police’s lack of investigation and prosecutions in his case.

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The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister:

On behalf of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, I am writing to express our grave concern and dismay regarding the imposition of a state of emergency and suspension of the constitution in Pakistan by the country’s military ruler and President, General Pervez Musharraf.

Musharraf’s dictatorial actions, including: the suspension of Pakistan’s Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other members of the judiciary; bans against the media; and the suppression of fundamental democratic rights; have resulted in protests throughout Pakistan and growing condemnation from human rights organizations, trade unions and government leaders from around the world, including Canada.

The people of Pakistan have a long and vibrant history of fighting to protect civil society and democracy and have been on the frontlines of the struggle since a state of emergency was declared in the country. Pakistan’s military dictatorship has responded with wide spread detentions and arrests of lawyers, journalists, students and internationally respected human rights defenders such as Asma Jahangir.

On November 11, the Musharraf government amended the Army Act of 1952, allowing the army to court martial civilianspeaking out against the state with charges of sedition, treason and terrorism, with trials conducted through military courts. This most recent change in legislation signals a dangerous escalation in the regime’s long history of human rights violations by allowing the military to act with total impunity, and presents a very serious threat to justice and human rights in the country.

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Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo boasted of her country’s recent economic growth. However, a Philippine labour activist, during a visit to PSAC on October 11, explained that this growth has occurred amid a continuing increase in human and trade union rights violations.

• Send an email to the Canadian & Philippine governments, demand justice and human rights now!

“Human rights violations under the Arroyo regime has surpassed the record under the Marcos dictatorship,” says Arnel Salvador, the deputy executive director of the Workers Assistance Center (WAC) in Cavite province, Philippines.

Salvador’s one-month tour in Canada seeks to raise awareness among and gain support from Canadians, particularly the labour movement, for the Filipino workers’ struggles against the spate of labour repression and human rights violations under the Arroyo regime.

From the time Arroyo assumed power on January 20, 2001 until June 30, 2006, more than 60 leaders, members, organizers and supporters of trade unions and workers organizations have been killed. They are among the more than 800 victims of political killings of progressive activists and critics of the Arroyo regime. Aside from killings, other trade union violations include assaults on the picketline, illegal arrests and detentions, grave threats, intimidations, abductions and harassment. According to the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), an independent workers research institute in the Philippines, there were 982 cases of trade union and human rights violations victimizing 77,028 workers from 2001 to 2006.

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The Philippine Women Centre of BC invites you to a multi-media report back from the Women’s International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines (WISAP) organized by GABRIELA-Philippines that was held from July 29 - August 5th, 2007.

• Date and time: Monday, September 10, 6:30 pm
• Venue: Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street (see map)
• Who: All are welcome!

Monica Urrutia, member of the Philippine Women Centre of BC and staff of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, was one of the delegates to the WISAP and will be sharing her experiences from her exposure trip to Leyte province, and her participation in the 10th annual WISAP under the theme: The Women’s Vision - Strategies and Tactics of Women’s Resistance.

Workers in Toronto to join global protests against the abduction and imprisonment of Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi

OTTAWA - Canadian workers will mark an International Day of Action this Thursday, August 9 to protest the Iranian government’s arrest and imprisonment of two of that country’s prominent labour leaders.

Trade unionists and activists around the world are worried about the safety and
well-being of Mansour Osanloo, President of the ITF affiliated bus workers’ union Sandikaye Kargarane Sherkate Vahed (Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company). Mansour was reported as kidnapped on July 10th as he was getting off of a bus.

• Rally in Vancouver - join BC Federation of Labour, BC Teachers Federation, VDLC, CAW Local 111 & 333, Hospital Employees Union and other unions
• Time: 17:00 to 19:00 , Thursday, August 9, 2007, Vancouver Art Gallery, Howe & Robson

On July 12th it was confirmed that Osanloo has been imprisoned. Just days before his abduction, Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti had the pleasure of meeting Mansour as he addressed the ITUC General Council in Brussels. This was the first time that the ITUC - or for that matter its predecessor, the ICFTU welcomed an independent Iranian trade union leader from inside the country to its meetings.

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In July of 2006, twelve delegates from four Canadian trade unions (PSAC, BCGEU, CUPE and CUPW) traveled to Colombia as part of an ongoing campaign to defend public services and trade union organizing in that country. Over twelve days the delegation visited three major cities and several smaller communities, speaking with dozens of people representing trade union, human rights and indigenous community movements. Here is a 13 minute video produced for CBC’s online Exposure series chronicling their trip …

For more information about the Frontline Tour, read the report written by BC Regional Council member Megan Adam, who took part, or visit the PSAC Social Justice Fund website.

If you enjoyed the video, take a minute to visit the CBC Exposure website and rate or comment on the video. Highly rated videos will be aired on national television.

Wage workers in Haiti earn as little as $2 (US) per day. The unemployment rate is 60% to 70%. Women struggle on the edge of survival to find work, feed families, and send children to school or scramble for health care when emergencies arise.

The 2004 foreign invasion and coup against the elected government of President Aristide was a huge setback to workers rights and womens rights. Minimum wage rates were slashed, schools and health care facilities were closed, and legal and extra-legal violence has risen sharply, including that which targets women.

Join us in hearing from trade union and women’s rights organizers.

• Wednesday May 30th
• Public Meeting, 7 PM - SFU Harbour Center, 515 W. Hastings St.
• Luncheon for Trade Union Members, 12 noon to 2 pm, Maritime Labour Centre, 1881 Triumph St.

Hosted by the International Affairs Committee of the Vancouver and District Labour Council. Please RSVP.

More details in the Haiti tour poster (pdf) and at canadahaitiaction.ca

• Tuesday May 8, 5:30PM
• dinner at 5:30 pm, meeting at 6:00 pm*
• 200-5238 Joyce St.
• (1 1/2 block south of the SkyTrain)

This month’s theme is International Solidarity

Megan Adam will talk about the situation in Colombia and Ted Alcuitas about the Philippines, two of the most dangerous countries in the world for trade unionists

*please RSVP to the Vancouver RO at 604.430.5631 or via email: urrutim@psac.com

Wednesday, April 25, 2007 - Educational Forum - “Young Workers Organize to Fight Back: Privatization, Low wages, Cut backs & Wars of Aggression”

• Organizing Centre for Economic & Social Justice, 672 E. Broadway Vancouver at Fraser and Broadway, 6:30 PM
• Speakers

• Carlo Sayo, National Chairperson, Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance – report-back from the World Peoples Youth Conference (2-4 March 2007, the Netherlands)
• Jen Efting, Bus Riders Union and Hospital Employees Union staff
• Young workers testimonials and organizing young workers from Carl Cortes and Tania Ortiz
• More speakers to be confirmed

Saturday, April 28, 2007 - “Building International Workers’ Solidarity” - Cultural Solidarity Night and Fundraiser

• Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, 6:00 PM
• By Donation at the Door (includes dinner and snacks)

Events are leading up to this year’s May Day March & Rally - “March for Workers’ Rights! Solidarity with Immigrant, Migrant and Undocumented Workers!”

• May 1, Tuesday, 6:00 pm
• Gather at Clark Park (Commercial Dr. and E14th Avenue)
• Organized by the May Day 2007 Organizing Committee and Status Coalition (Vancouver)

Burnaby, B.C. – Over fifty concerned Canadians vowed to take immediate action to condemn the rapidly deteriorating situation of human rights and democracy in the Philippines last night at a local community forum, “Building People to People Solidarity.”

Here are some more photos.

Kay Sinclair, Regional Executive Vice-President of the B.C. Region for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), one of the evening’s co-sponsors, cited the growing concern of trade unionists over the worsening political repression in the Philippines.

The Philippines is considered the second most dangerous country for trade unionists (second to Colombia). Since 2001, 83 workers, trade unionists, leaders and advocates have been killed. They are part of the documented 855 extra-judicial killings since 2001.

• Send an email to the Canadian & Philippine governments, demand justice and human rights now!

“We encourage our members to write letters to the Philippine President to protest the government’s recent arrest of Bayan Muna (People First) Congressman Satur Ocampo - a progressive opposition party parliamentarian.”

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Vancouver, B.C. - The recent arrest of Philippine Congressman Satur Ocampo and the intensifying human rights violations and political repression in the Philippines has sparked international concern, including that of Canadian labour unions.

• Click to send an email message to the Philippine Government calling for justice and human rights in the Philippines.

The B.C. region of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), one of Canada’s largest unions, is co-sponsoring a forum “Building People to People Solidarity” to coincide with the Permanent People’s Tribunal: Second Session on the Philippines (which is occurring in the Netherlands). This forum will be held Thursday, March 22, 2007 from 7-9 p.m. at the Bonsor Recreation Complex, 6550 Bonsor Ave. in Burnaby.

Kay Sinclair, Regional Executive Vice-President of the PSAC for B.C. shares, “We need to build awareness amongst our members and other trade unionists about the grave political situation, for trade unionists and other activists, in the Philippines.”

“It is part of our effort towards international solidarity,” adds Sinclair.

The forum expects to gather around 100 people including trade unionists, members of the local Filipino-Canadian and Indigenous Filipino community and other human rights activists and concerned Canadians.

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