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Labour’s Platform talks about some of the big challenges facing the future of our province, the workers of Newfoundland and Labrador and our labour movement.
Newfoundland and Labrador is experiencing economic prosperity unlike anytime in our history. But how that prosperity gets shared or doesn’t get shared is a concern for all of us.
Far too many young working parents can not find affordable, accessible high-quality child care. In our province, what we do have is extremely expensive and scarce.
Retirement security is a major issue for today’s seniors and will be a bigger issue for today’s workers when they retire if we don’t deal with Canada’s pension crisis. Our provincial government can be a champion for retirement security by pushing for enhanced CPP, OAS and GIS.
Far too much of our GDP or wealth from our economy is siphoned off into corporate profits, more than any other province and more than two times the national average. This is unacceptable. At the same time, Newfoundland and Labrador has the smallest percentage of GDP going into worker’s wages and salaries. This too must change. It’s not just about sharing the wealth, but finding ways to ensure more of our wealth stays right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
One of the ways we can share the wealth is through collective bargaining, but unfortunately labour laws have not kept pace with the province’s new economy. The growth of multinationals in Newfoundland and Labrador and the corporate power they wield means we must act to fix the lopsided labour relations playing field. We can fix some of that imbalance by implementing the recommendations of the Roil Industrial Inquiry and by removing barriers faced by workers who wish to exercise their right to join a union as guaranteed by our Charter.
Labour’s Platform is about building a better province for everyone. It is about ensuring prosperity is shared and shared fairly. It is about being an active and vibrant part of our democracy. You can download labour's platform here.
You can also download President Lana Payne's press release here.
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