Another reminder about trade unions. I wrote this a number of years ago. SJG.
Trade unions “played a critical role” in “same-sex marriage law”
By Stephen J. Gray
“With the passage of the federal equal marriage legislation, Canada has taken an important step forward.
The labour movement - from local activists to national leadership - stood united with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community and played a critical role in persuading the Canadian government to pass the same-sex marriage law….
The Canadian Labour Congress was a founding member of the broad-based coalition, Canadians for Equal Marriage which led this struggle.”
http://www.canadianlabour.ca/index.php/pride_sol/Its_Time_to_Celebrat
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has been funding and supporting a myriad of special interest groups for years. It is no surprise to me that they were a ‘founding member’ of the coalition “Canadians for Equal Marriage.” Ken Georgetti of the CLC, when he was president of the B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFL), sent out a letter soliciting funds for abortion clinics. Now that he has graduated to the CLC he is still writing letters, only this time it is in support of “same - sex marriage.” He wrote the prime minister in a letter headlined on CLC website, “CLC Supports Same-sex Marriage” and said this:
“Dear Prime Minister:
I want to express my personal support as well as that of the Canadian Labour Congress for your strong stand in support of the extension of human rights to the area of marriage.”
http://www.canadianlabour.ca/index.php/pride_sol/CLC_Supports_Samesex
The Canadian Labour Congress is the head office of the trade union movement in Canada. It states on its website that: “The Canadian Labour Congress is the largest democratic and popular organization in Canada with over three million members. The Canadian Labour Congress brings together Canada's national and international unions, the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 137 district labour councils.”
The CLC is financed from affiliation fees paid from the compulsory union dues of compulsory union members. To my knowledge neither the CLC nor any other trade union in Canada has ever polled or asked its members individually if they supported so called “same-sex marriage.” This aberration has been pushed by the union bosses and a few activists within the trade union movement. Trade union time and money has been spent promoting and supporting this claptrap.
Another union boss with a politically correct agenda is Buzz Hargrove who wrote the prime minister and stated:
“Dear Prime Minister: Clearly the debate around same-sex marriage is heating up. I am writing once again to offer the support of our union, the Canadian Auto Workers, and to encourage you to hold strong on protection of minority rights through the Charter and press forward with same-sex marriage legislation….”
http://www.caw.ca/whatwedo/pride/letters/martin_jan05.asp
And still another union boss inserted himself into the “same-sex marriage” issue. James Clancy, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) wrote the prime minister and sent a copy of it to Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE), among others. Mr. Clancy wrote this to the prime minister:
“Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of the National Union of Public and General Employees, I am writing to extend our support to your efforts to introduce legislation that would achieve equal marriage rights for same sex couples in Canada….Unfortunately, as we both know, a small but highly vocal opposition is becoming increasingly organized and active on this issue….In conclusion, I am urging you and your government to quickly bring in legislation to ensure equal marriage rights for same sex couples. ”
http://www.nupge.ca/news_2005/n01fe05a.htm
Not to be outdone on this letter writing campaign was Ken Neumann, National Director of the United Steelworkers of America in Canada. Who had this to say on behalf of his compulsory members:
“Dear Prime Minister Martin and Minister Cotler:
As the National Director of the United Steelworkers of America in Canada, I am writing on behalf of our 255,000 members in support of your government's proposed legislation to extend the right of civil marriage to lesbian and gay couples across Canada….In closing, the Steelworkers calls upon your government to take immediate and decisive action to ensure passage of the proposed equal marriage legislation,…”
http://www.uswa.ca/program/content/1923.php?lan=en&
Another letter writer on the subject of “same-sex marriage” was the president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Deborah Bourque. She wrote the following words to opposition leader Stephen Harper:
“Mr. Harper: … The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) supports the position Prime Minister Paul Martin has taken on same-sex marriage. …Just because marriage has traditionally been a “privilege” only heterosexual couples have been able to access does not mean that the human rights violation should continue.”
http://www.cupw.ca/pages/document_eng.php?Doc_ID=781
And the two big brothers at the headquarters of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) had this to say on pressuring the “federal government” on same sex marriage in this letter to members:
“Dear Sisters and Brothers,…We and our community coalitions can rejoice now that same-sex couples in British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec can legally marry. In the meantime, we continue to pressure the federal government to do the right thing and legalize same-sex marriage so that lesbian and gay couples can marry, no matter where they live in Canada.”
In solidarity,
PAUL MOIST CLAUDE GÉNÉREUX
National President National Secretary-Treasurer
http://www.cupe.ca/www/EqualityPride/9944
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) had this to say on same-sex marriage and its support for “ Canadians for Equal Marriage.”
“The Public Service Alliance of Canada continues to strongly support the extension of access to marriage to same-sex couples. …The PSAC also provides office space and other support to the Canadians for Equal Marriage coalition in Ottawa.”
http://www.psac-afpc.org/what/humanrights/Pride/pride_statement_2005-e.shtml
One could go on and on showing examples of these union bosses claiming to speak for ALL their compulsory members on this invention of words called “same-sex marriage.” The use of union members time and money across Canada on this issue is an affront to democracy itself. Union members in Canada are mature enough to make decisions on this matter individually. They do not need or want union bosses making these political, social and moral decisions for them. If any other organizations in Canada were doing what trade union bosses are doing on behalf of their compulsory members all hell would break loose and charges would be laid. But this is the state Canada is in today where a Labour politburo gets away with the big lie of saying ALL its members support this invented nonsense called “same-sex marriage.”
Stephen J. Gray
Sept 5, 2005
Some info on the author: Stephen J. Gray is a writer and researcher on various topics. He published a newsletter for 11 years exposing the misuse of trade union time and money.
