GTA

Consenting to Consensus?

Linchpin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:53:51 -0700

By Owen Sheppard [Republished from the Dominion]

Interviews with Occupy Toronto participants have revealed a wide range of opinion on the effectiveness of the movement’s process for making group decisions.

According to Brandon Gray of Occupy Toronto, decisions are made through a consensus system where possible, with a 90% “supermajority” vote if consensus proves impossible.

"Class war on the Work floor” and the 99%

Linchpin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:25:53 -0700

By Samson
[Republished from the Toronto Media Co-op]

Postal workers, sometimes known as 'posties' have been at the forefront of labour struggles this year. In addition to the well-publicized lockout this summer, rank-and-file Edmonton postal workers organized and won a victory in the fight against ‘forceback’ overtime. Rachel Stafford, a postal worker letter carrier organized with CUPW (Canadian Union of Postal Workers), is on a speaking tour to share her experience in direct action and this struggle to end compulsory overtime. She spoke at the Steelworkers hall, 25 Cecil St. on Sunday. Approximately 30 people attended the talk hosted by Common Cause, some were postal workers looking for strategies n their own workplace, others were Occupiers who realise this was a fight that could provide examples for their own struggle.

Cops and Condominiums: Poverty and Gentrification in Toronto's Downtown Eastside

Linchpin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:48:22 -0700

By Alex Balch

According to the Toronto Star, I live in the worst neighbourhood in the city.

This past April, in an innocuously titled article “Dundas-Sherbourne poised for a surprising rebirth”, The Star's Robyn Doolittle pointed out that Toronto's downtown eastside “consistently tops every major Toronto police crime indictor list” — routinely beating the more notorious neighbourhoods of Jane and Finch, Rogers and Keele and Weston and Lawrence.

In the article Doolittle rightly — albeit disingenuously — attributes the area's high levels of criminality to its heavy concentration of poverty:

Stories from the CUPW Lock Out: or how to create a story that can reshape who we are and how we act

Linchpin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:18:04 -0700

by Bruce 'the Bruiser' Darden

Before the Lockout

In the spring of 2011, during the rotating strikes and subsequent lockout of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), anarchists living in southern Ontario attempted to organize support and solidarity for their working class brothers and sisters. Specifically, members of Common Cause took an active role organizing community solidarity and fightback in Toronto and Hamilton. These members did not organize under the banner of Common Cause, but participated in the activities planned by the mass organizations that these members are a part of—especially Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP); the Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly (GTWA); Steel City Solidarity (a solidarity network in Hamilton); and CUPE Locals 3902 & 3907.

Toronto: Mass Picket and Rally @ the legal offices of Canada Post

Mick — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:18:21 -0700

Start: 06/22/2011 - 09:00

End: 06/22/2011 - 12:01

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Wednesday, June 22 · 9:00am - 12:00pm
Yonge + Dundas
At the legal offices of Canada Post
Called By: Toronto Civic Employees Union Local 416

Mass Picket and Rally

To protest the collusion of Canada Post and the Conservative Government to strip workers of their legal rights to bargain in defence of working conditions, wages and benefits for the next generation of Canadians.

Bring your flags and banners, and signs of support for postal workers.

Toronto: CUPW Leaflet and Picket Line Support

Mick — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:54:10 -0700

Start: 06/18/2011 - 09:00

End: 06/18/2011 - 12:00

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Saturday, June 18 · 9:00am - 12:00pm

Eastern Avenue postal sorting plant (969 Eastern Avenue East of Leslie St.. Closest TTC stop is Queen St. E and Connaught Ave.)

The public sector campaign of the Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly (GTWA) is holding a pamphlet drive in the neighbourhood surrounding the Eastern Avenue postal sorting plant (969 Eastern Avenue East of Leslie St.

Closest TTC stop is Queen St. E and Connaught Ave.) this Saturday.

All Workers’ Assembly members and supporters are encouraged to join us.

We will be meeting in the McDonald’s parking lot on Queen St. East at 9am to discuss talking points and our strategy for the day. At around 9:30am we will be going to the Eastern Avenue picket-line to discuss talking points and strategy with postal workers and we will also ask if some of them would like to help us pamphlet. At 10am, we will begin to pamphlet door-to-door and Queen St.

Toronto Support Rally Today for CUPW - 6 pm 969 Eastern Avenue - ALL OUT!!

Mick — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:53:19 -0700

Start: 06/14/2011 - 18:00

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in greater Toronto hit the bricks at midnight Monday night to demand a new contract, and to protest the lockout of letter carriers across the country by Canada Post.

SUPPORT RALLY - 6:00 p.m. Tuesday,
SOUTH-CENTRAL PLANT AT 969 Eastern Avenue East of Leslie St.

Take a few minutes to stop by a CUPW picketline and show your support.

Geert Wilders Rallies the Racists & Religious Sectarians of Toronto

Linchpin — Wed, 11 May 2011 13:20:37 -0700

By Brandon Gray

The notoriously xenophobic Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right 'Party for Freedom' - which holds 24 seats in the Dutch parliament - descended on the Canadian Christian College in northern Toronto on May 9 to spew his racist filth to a receptive audience of Christian chauvinists, as their far-right allies, the Jewish Defense League (JDL), managed parking. The event was given extensive coverage in the National Post and Sun Media, thereby advancing the idea of a 'culture war' between good white Judeo-Christians and the wretched 'others'.

COINTELPRO 101: Film premiere & benefit for 4strugglemag

AlexB — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:50:52 -0700

Start: 05/13/2011 - 19:00

End: 05/13/2011 - 23:00

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Bike Pirates
1292 Bloor Street
Toronto, ON

$5 or by donation

4strugglemag needs your help! We send 450 copies of each issue free to prisoners across North America (you can check out the latest at http://4strugglemag.org/).

This costs us thousands of dollars a year, and we are short on funds right now. Please help us keep getting this unique resource to prisoners.

We are SUPER excited to be hosting the Canadian premiere of COINTELPRO 101, an essential new documentary from Freedom Archives (http://freedomarchives.org/). We'll also be screening Amar Wala's award winning short film, The Good Son (http://secrettrial5.com/).

Snacks and refreshments will be available for purchase.

Please invite anyone else who might be interested. Hope to see you then!

Your friends,
Toronto Anarchist Black Cross (ABC)

United We Eat, Divided We Starve

Linchpin — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:14:10 -0700

By Claire Voltarin

On April 1, members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), people on social assistance and their allies took to the streets of downtown Toronto to protest the slashing of the Special Diet Allowance supplement to Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Demonstrators converged on Nathan Phillip’s Square to mingle and enjoy a free meal before crossing the street to rally outside the Sheraton Hotel, where Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan was speaking at a $90-a-seat luncheon. The inherent hypocrisy between cutting vital financial support required for poor people to eat, while on the same day hosting an expensive fundraising lunch, was pointed out by OCAP organizer John Clarke as he addressed the crowd under a large banner emblazoned with the 1930’s-era workers’ slogan: United we eat, divided we starve.