AESES Activism: May Day & Other Opportunities
Today, May 1st, is International Workers’ Day. Also known globally as May Day, this is a day to celebrate the social achievements of workers. As a union, this in one of our annual highlights, so we want to wish each and every one of you a Happy May Day!
There are a few events and activism opportunities we’d like to make our members aware of:
A rally will be held tonight (May 1, 2018), organized by the Winnipeg Labour Council, to bring attention to the plight of working people around the world. Specifically under the banner of ‘Stop the Cuts,’ we’ll also focus on the austerity measures that Manitoba’s government is taking by making deep cuts in government spending to social programming. We encourage all our members to take part in the march, raising our collective voice! We will be meeting in front of City Hall (510 Main Street) starting at 5:30 pm for a round of speeches and rallying cries, with the march set to begin shortly after at 6:00pm. The route we will be walking with follow Main south until Broadway, then Broadway to Smith, Smith to Portage, Portage to Notre Dame, Notre Dame to Albert ending at Old Market Square for singing of the Internationale.
A second rally is planned for Sunday, May 27th, by the Manitoba Federation of Labour. The ‘Rally for Public Services’ will meet on the front lawn of the Manitoba Legislature (450 Broadway) at 1:00 pm. We’re joining in solidarity and raising our voices to let Manitoba’s government know that unions have a right to fair and free collective bargaining, a right which must be protected, especially in light of an upcoming decision on the injunction and statement of claim against the proposed Bill 28: The Public Services Sustainability Act, which deals with wage freezes.
Finally, a petition has been posted to the CCU (Confederation of Canadian Unions) website, seeking signatures to support the notion of ‘pharmacare for all,’ a universal, comprehensive, publicly-administered and sustainable pharmacare program. Canada remains the only country in the world with a universal health care system that doesn’t include prescription medication. Let’s get as many signatures as we can on this important issue, demanding that the federal government provide all Canadians with access to the prescription medicines they need – https://www.change.org/p/justi