The Agriculture Union were front and centre as delegates to the Canadian Labour Congress convention took to the streets of Montreal May 8 in a mass demonstration against an ‘austerity agenda’ that is seeing attacks on public services across the country.
Our National Executive members were attending the CLC event as part of the delegation of our bargaining agent, the Public Service Alliance of Canada. The five-day convention brings together representatives of virtually all public and private sector unions.
Speakers at the downtown Montreal protest criticized the federal government for its slash and burn cuts to public services and postal delivery.
In other convention news, CLC secretary-treasurer Hassan Yussuff narrowly defeated incumbent Ken Georgetti for the Presidency of the Congress. Yussuff, who had received the backing of PSAC National President Robyn Benson, becomes the first person of colour to head the 3.3-million member central labour body.
Delegates elected Barbara Byers as the CLC’s new Secretary-Treasurer and Marie Clarke Walker and Donald Lafleur as Executive Vice-Presidents.