Let us be clear: today’s attacks on the working class are even greater and more dangerous than what we saw with Harris and company in the 1990s. Hence, the question we must ask is not whether Ontario trade unions are ready to fight as they fought during the Harris years, but rather: are they ready to fight harder than they did back then?

Unity does not come at any cost and trade unions should have the option of withdrawing from a central labour body on principled, political grounds, just as workers have a right to change their union if they feel their interests are not being served. Critical issues and principled class politics can legitimately divide central labour bodies and may even lead to the creation of several competing labour centres, as is the case in most parts of the world, where there is legitimate political basis for such splits.

In the South African anti-apartheid struggle, the tide turned when rank and file activists organized in union halls and on convention floors in support of the international boycott movement. Today, Palestine solidarity activists within the labour movement must come together, chart a strategy to educate, mobilize and organize workers to support the Palestinian people

Is the labour movement better positioned today to influence and affect meaningful change than under Harper? There is no doubt that unions have much to celebrate with his defeat just over a year ago. The Liberal government has reversed the most offensive of Harper’s anti-labour legislation and, in rhetoric at least, seems to have a more positive relationship with the labour movement.