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Hey Shift Workers,
Emily here. I hope you're enjoying the dog days of summer! I know it’s been awhile since you received one of these newsletters. After seven years of labour reporting, I decided it was time for me to take a much-needed break to reflect and relax.
It just wasn’t good for my mental health to look at the news constantly, crisis after crisis. And then, trying to figure out where the hell to try to help? It was a little overwhelming. I had a lot of difficulty choosing which stories to pursue and where to focus.
One thing that really helped me was starting this newsletter, Shift Work. I was able to aggregate close to all the news stories about labour in the country. Talk about hyperfocus! But it worked! I used a series of Google Alerts like “Ontario workers” and “Newfoundland union,” and had the notifications all sent to one email inbox. Now I could understand the media that was being generated around labour struggles across the country. I did this for three years straight — I read a lot of headlines, and I’ve got some forehead lines from it for sure.
There are very few dedicated labour reporters in Canada, and they are crucial for accumulating and transmitting institutional knowledge. Many reports and studies rely on labour reporting in the media to understand the labour landscape in the country.
That’s why I am so excited to introduce PressProgress’ new Labour Reporter, Emma Arkell, who will continue to do the important work of tracking strikes and lockouts across the country. How are we to build worker solidarity if we don’t know each other’s struggles?
Emma has done excellent labour reporting over the years for various outlets like Xtra Magazine, Chatelaine, Briarpatch Magazine and more. I thought it would be great to have a short conversation with Emma about the next chapter of Shift Work.
EMILY: Why do you think labour is an important beat?
EMMA: A lot of journalism takes a pro-business approach to reporting that treats labour action as an inconvenience for consumers first and foremost. This means that not only is the general public less informed about their rights as workers, they’re also robbed of the opportunity to see people like themselves making headlines. Workers deserve coverage focused on their safety and well-being that includes their voices, documents their movements and holds power to account — good labour reporting does just that.
What is your read on the current moment for workers?
The impacts of the pandemic, runaway inflation and the gig economy are really coming home to roost. When I talk to workers who are in bargaining right now, they tell me how hard they worked during the pandemic and how they were expected to put their safety and well-being on the line for their bosses. They also usually bring up how their wages haven’t kept up with the rising cost of living.
While workers try to claw back a living wage, their jobs are increasingly precarious. Allowing tech companies like Amazon, Uber and DoorDash to misclassify their workers as independent contractors, pay them barely minimum wage and work them to the bone is setting a bleak standard for all workers.
We’re also in a pivotal moment with our federal government. Canadians elected a finance guy who has immediately heel-turned on his promise to stand up to the fascist government south of us, and who didn’t see fit to appoint a Minister of Labour. The next few months will be an interesting test for this government.
How will that shape the future of the newsletter and your reporting at PressProgress?
I hope my labour reporting can make those connections clear and leave people feeling like they have a better understanding, not only of the particular dispute or issue I’m writing about, but of the forces that shape our economy and our working lives. Workers see these connections and have incredible insights into their work, and I hope to highlight that whenever possible.
Thanks, Emma! I look forward to reading every newsletter!
In solidarity,
Emily Leedham
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Spotlight |
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Disability advocates praise the BC decision as broadening the concept of accessible workplaces |
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Researchers found that a third of allied health-care workers frequently think about quitting their jobs |
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Top Headlines |
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Water and sewer workers on strike in Charlottetown. Photo via CUPE 830. |
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Organizing |
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Workers outside an Amazon warehouse in BC. Photo via UNI Global Union. |
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All the Strikes and Lockouts We Know About |
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Villa Colombo workers on strike. Photo via CUPE. |
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We update this list according to the most recent media reporting and press releases available to us. If you have any information about the status of an ongoing Canadian strike or lockout that we haven't included, please get in touch. |
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British Columbia |
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ENDED: Cascade Aerospace
Unifor 114 | Start: July 9, 2025 | End: July 27, 2025 |
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Sheraton Vancouver Guildford
Unifor 3000 | Start: July 5, 2025
Latest News: Surrey hotel workers start strike action at
Sheraton Vancouver Guildford (July 6) |
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Rogers Communications
United Steelworkers Local 1944 | Start: June 19, 2025 |
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StellerVista Credit Union
United Steelworkers Local 1-405 | Start: April 30, 2025
Latest News: Castlegar/Slocan StellerVista employees reject offer
to end strike (July 15) |
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Cowichan Valley Transit System
Unifor Local 114 | Start: February 8, 2025
Latest News: Cowichan transit strike an 'utter disaster',
workers tell CVRD (July 30) |
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Prairies |
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Heritage Inn Hotels (Moose Jaw and Saskatoon)
UFCW 1400 | Start: September 5, 2023
Latest News: ‘It’s disgraceful’: Labour dispute involving Sask. hotel workers
has now lasted more than 600 days (May 27) |
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Ontario |
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Toromont Industries
Unifor 112 | Start: July 8, 2025
Latest News: Amid intimidation concerns, police called
to Toromont picket line (July 18) |
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ENDED: Best Western Plus Windsor
Unifor 195 | Start: June 1, 2025 | End: August 1, 2015
Latest News: Unifor members ratify new contract ending strike at Best Western Plus in Windsor (August 1) |
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Villa Colombo Supportive Housing
CUPE 5525 | Start: May 28, 2025
Latest News: Striking PSWs say elder care charity using ‘scabs’
to replace workers (July 31) |
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Quebec |
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Rio Tinto
Steelworkers 7493 | Start: July 10, 2025 |
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Paramedics
FSSS-CSN | Start: July 6, 2025
Latest News: Quebec paramedics on strike as negotiations intensify (July 17) |
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Atlantic |
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City of Charlottetown water and sewer services
CUPE Local 830 | Start: July 29, 2025
Latest News: Water and sewer workers in Charlottetown go on strike (July 29) |
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TENTATIVE DEAL: Nova Scotia Construction
Labour Relations Association
Cape Breton Island Building & Construction Trades Council | Start: July 4, 2025
Latest News: Cape Breton trades workers upset over
alleged labour board return-to-work call (July 28) |
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Events |
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Unite Here Local 75 members at the 2024 Labour Day Parade in Toronto. Photo by Nadine Mackinnon. |
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Real Talk: Building Solidarity in Polarizing Times, a virtual workshop about fighting misinformation in workplaces and communities, August 5 and 6
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A list of Canadian Labour Congress Labour Day events across the country
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Culture Shift |
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Bob White and Buzz Hargrove in Final Offer (1985), via the National Film Board. |
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Watch Final Offer (free on the National Film Board website!) to honour the legacy of former Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president Buzz Hargrove, who passed away on June 15. The film documents the tense 1984 contract negotiations with General Motors that led to the CAW breaking off from its American counterpart.
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