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Nurses in motion

Since last winter, several nurses from all regions of Quebec are mobilizing in theirs middlex to improve theirs working conditions. At last winter, public testimony of a nurse has launched a wave of denunciations, awareness and collective action made by nurses. Theirs claims? L’amélioration quality of work life and quality of life in theirs patient.es. they claim, among others, the end of mandatory overtime (RELEASE), safer-nurse ratios patient.es, access to more care equipment for patient.es.

To better understand thedaily heart, members carers ofOutaouais have published The book Black of Ottawa emergency (2018) wherein found tens testimonies which here are some extracts :

I have trouble looking in the eye my patients and their families and tell them that everything will be fine, unconvinced myself that everything will be fine. (Testimony, p. 13)

Tonight as several other, I put my license work involved. Fortunately, I am vigilant and perfectionist. But, tonight, I was ashamed and I was dissatisfied with the care my patients. I never thought I would have to answer to my patients who ask me to change their soiled panties from 1 hour : "sorry, I will have to return, we are short-staffed, but I promise you that as soon as I 5 minutes, I come to see you "! Seriously, this is unacceptable, I never would treat a family member that way! (Testimony, p. 39)

The manager of the department comes forward with its "expression of compassion" glued to the face (as usual) to ask if we accept to remain "a little 4 this morning " ? He walks past my colleague to talk to him, she expresses her refusal to remain this morning, but insists. My colleague asked me if forced […]. (Testimony, p. 18)

At the emergency, we always helped each, not only as a team, but as a family. Recently, the workload became so heavy that we can not even support us. (Testimony, p. 9)

It's time shout: THAT'S ENOUGH. IT'S NO! (Testimony, p.11)

 

Unlike many initiatives in the workplace, cette mobilization lifent base; pas trade union confederations, ni des politicen.nes, or of dubious project manager. Nurses take themselves means that their convienNENT to be heard and change power dynamics that affect their profession. Among the different ways they have made, some are illegal, other more artistic, other, offensive. Examples :

-Manifestations locales ofith the support of the population;

-Micro-open and public testimony: Nurses are generally punished when they speak publicly;

-Sit-in to change the quarterfinals against mandatory overtime (illegal);

-Self-denunciation : Nurses have a professional who is technically protect the security of theirs patient.es. They have, hundreds, contacted their order to expose themselves as working conditions endanger patient.es. Thishead action forced their order take positiit publicly in their favor;

Their struggle is an example of what workers can do by themselves, for themselves. We rarely talk about campaigns in predominantly female sectors, or in care jobs, historically lefts Women's. If people findnt the health care protests less strikings or radicals because shes ne brandish no gun to nails by picketing, it nevertheless remains that they make a fight from the base, rooted in theirs middlex. Egirls politicize their daily, take control over theirs middlex working, improve theirs conditions and those of our health system.

solidarity with the nurses, nurses and all health care staff!

 

Joëlle Dussault

1is November 2018 for Social, the newspaper workers and community workers.

 

Photo credit: Cedric Martin

 

The absurdity of the world: poaching

The Communication Committee is proud to present the first transcription of chronic’Live Action. To start the ball rolling, the first column of Eric, is poaching in the health sector, exceeded topic? Nothing is less sure. The sad truth is that we had the right to a raiding campaign more typical. Changing the name of trade unions and find us in the construction sector, Public Service or the nearest you assembly line.

I decided to make this column, the absurdity of the world, presented to the Action radio program Direct, to show how we live in a world full of contradictions and how the establishment, Media, education and mastery of the official discourse often succeeds in us believe anything. It's also a bit of a snub to the various official and independent media right who say anything in a tone choleric. I decided to essentially do the same thing, but a progressive view.

Today I'll talk about the union health poaching. Basically, poaching, is when two union centers are fighting for the representation of a union certification unit. More or less, if you're in the CHUM nurses union, for example, there is a scheduled time in the law where you can change unions, for example, if the union was the CSN, it may decide to go to the FTQ. This one is special, because he was forced by the state. Not so long ago, our trade union centers were all united on the same floor, common front, everyone together against the government and against the health cuts. Then the government has passed the law 10, forcing a grouping, passing CSSS in CIUSSS, which modified union certification units. So instead of fighting this law there, Central decided to clashing to win new accreditation. Oh surprise, we hear no more of Law 10, Now all we hear, it is "our union is better, yours is worse, it has better insurance "etc.. So we can see that the winner of this raid forced out, it is the State, it is the employer, and it just shows how this is bad for trade unionism. It also comforts me in our positions, aux IWW, not to try to go grabber members to other unions and does not decide to accredit, because the government can easily decide to play with these accreditations to put shit in unions.

Before you start to get into the thick of it, I wanted you to hear this advertising FIQ (Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec) :



To describe some, a nurse is seen appears to be in a health facility awaits the elevator. A first door opens with a lot of people who have nothing to do with a nurse : a guy construction, a shop worker, a girl who plays the cello, even a fakir. and there, the nurse made a grimace can be interpreted as "cursed! it is not me ". and there, another door opens with Régine Laurent, the president of the FIQ, worse a nursing gang powder blue smocks that says "embark with us", we look like, Unlike everyone else!

What it tells us this publicity then, and why it is also a bit of bait, is that we should not unite as working class to deal, ensemble, the same pattern. for example, in health, there is, Yes, the professional, the health that the FIQ syndicates, but also, all kinds of craft quarters, as cooks, janitors, orderlies. The message that sends the FIQ, is that we must not unite with the other quarters of business, that have the same pattern as we struggle and solidarity. Non, FIQ'd rather enjoy their professional status-the health to get more crumbs than other quarters of business, considered less important. Short, do not unite on an industrial basis, all having the same boss, but do a craft unionism kind that allows a working elite of going to look for better conditions than their colleagues.

 

Heeding my courage, and following several discussions with comrades working in the health sector, I went on the website of the various corporatist unions to see the arguments they give for voting for them :

The first thing that strikes, is the emphasis on the insurance plans and union dues.


first argument.
Each union explains how her insurance plan is the best.
It seems to shopping an insurance policy.
Question : Do you trust your insurance company? Now imagine what degree of confidence of the people towards the unions ...

second argument : Our contributions are lower.
Without much explanation of why, all unions have the lowest fees and best managed. It's simple as "Pay less to get more in your pockets" This is also the sales pitch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (SCFP) to sell their votes. With CUPE, more money in your pockets.
There's even calculators how much you save on their website. By the way I checked, dues Wobblies beat all the competition, but OK.

 

third argument : It is the most numerous
Push this argument further. Did you know that the Journal de Montreal is the most read newspaper in Quebec ? Radio X is the most listened to radio in Quebec ? That gives you an idea ... So the FIQ which groups the most professional, CUPE is in FTQ, which has the largest number of members in Quebec, CSN is one that has the most unionized-e-s health. That gives you an idea ... It is the most numerous, so you are cellars if you are not with us.

 

fourth argument : Our employee-s are the best.
Another major trend, e-s-used of all these unions are the best, most competent, most helpful, best organized. You get the picture.

It comes almost to wonder why the IWW have chosen not to have employee-s. It's almost as if these unions boasted of being the best bosses. Or to be the best service machine, it still comes back to the old insurance salesman.

fifth argument : the goodies

They do not brag about it on their website, but everywhere on the workplace, central roam distributing various goodies to buy votes. This is so ridiculous that many workers and health workers went to collect. T-shirts, toques, agendas, crayons, bloc-notes, aprons and even glasses of champagne. There's nothing to say, the unions are really there for our needs in times of raiding. It's even worse than politicians campaigning.

 

Short, what should we learn from this?
Never, unions talk of militancy, direct democracy, collective defense, short of all that is the basis of trade unionism.
Business unionism is pathetic, shown in its most grime form, that the insurance salesman, that of the small peddler trying to get you for your contributions, that of the multinational trying to buy us blows advertising and empty slogans.

 

The government is the one that has gained across the board and the unions entered its high-speed game instead to join forces and fight.

Expect nothing central.

 

Éric.

 

Photo credit: http://www.familyfuncanada.com/saskatoon

STAT committee launches new journal, Critical Condition

Des travailleuses et des travailleurs de la santé se sont organisés pour faire bouger les choses et viennent de lancer un tout nouveau journal, Condition critique.

Constatant à la fois la dégradation de leurs conditions de travail et l’insuffisance de la réponse de leur syndicats, ceux et celles-ci ont formé le comité STAT. Le comité STAT, “composé de travailleurs critiques et solidaires du secteur de la santé qui ressentent l’urgence de s’impliquer et de s’unir pour freiner la dégradation de leurs conditions”, a pour objectif de créer un espace où les travailleuses et les travailleurs de la santé pourront s’exprimer qui favorisera la participation de toutes et tous aux nécessaires débats et actions qui devront voir le jour pour faire changer les choses dans le domaine de la santé.

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The separation between the worker and his union

Verdun Mobilization Committee

Texte distribué le 2 novembre aux représentants de la FIQ réunis en congrès. Un huis clos empêchait les travailleuses cotisantes à la FIQ d’assister au congrès car leur présence aurait pu nuire à la sécurité des informations transmises de la FIQ à ses délégués. Notre texte s’adresse aux représentants de cette centrale, mais nous considérons que la critique qu’il exprime est également valable pour les autres centrales du secteur de la santé, surtout en ce qui a trait à l’état du syndicalisme local.

Nous espérons qu’après avoir tant juré de leur détermination à lutter jusqu’où bout, les négociateurs de la FIQ ne se préparent pas à faire avaler aux délégués réunis en congrès aujourd’hui une entente à rabais sous le couvert de la crise économique et de la difficulté à mobiliser les membres. La démobilisation n’est pas une fatalité mais le résultat de pratiques syndicales bureaucratiques en rupture avec la base. Tout le monde sait que le syndicalisme local est dans un état lamentable. In these circumstances, la FIQ a beau se donner des allures de guerrière, the government, his, sait très bien que c’est du vent. Et du fait que la FIQ néglige le potentiel d’une lutte soutenue par une réelle mobilisation et consultation des travailleuses de la base en assemblée, elle n’a aucun rapport de force.

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sweathshop the iPhone: it degenerates in China

ZNet France

Deux mille employés de l’usine Wintek Corp ont déclenché une grève violente la semaine dernière pour protester contre des décès suspects attribués à l’exposition à des substances toxiques.

L’information a été rapportée par le site China Daily, selon lequel 2 000 salariés de Wintek Corp, le sous-traitant d’Apple qui lui fournit les écrans tactiles de l’iPhone, s’en sont pris à des installations de l’usine. Ils entendaient protester après la mort de quatre travailleurs qui auraient été exposés aux vapeurs d’hexane, un solvant très puissant employé pour nettoyer la surface des écrans tactiles et qui attaque le système nerveux.

Les autorités locales ont semble-t-il mené une enquête et affirmé qu’aucun décès n’était répertorié, provoquant l’ire des salariés de Wintek. Ces derniers évoquent également la surcharge de travail mal rétribuée. On ne sait pas encore si la production de l’iPhone pourrait être affectée par cette grève.

Ce n’est pas la première fois que des fabricants chinois travaillant pour Apple sont mis en cause pour les conditions de travail de leurs salariés. Selon un audit réalisé l’année dernière par la firme américaine, 45 of the 83 usines chinoises fabricant des iPhone et des iPod ne payaient pas les heures supplémentaires à leur taux légal en 2008.