For the sake of Canadian workers and their families, and Canada’s ambition to establish economic sovereignty, the time has come to reform public‑sector union funding and end mandatory dues.
This is clear from last week, when the anti-capitalist Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) held its biennial national convention at the luxurious Metro Toronto Convention Centre. There, the national union, representing 800,000 public employees, spent its time debating Canada’s withdrawal from NATO, pledging funds for legal defences of activists who protest foreign conflicts, and passing resolutions disconnected from everyday workplace realities. At this point, it’s fair to ask whether mandatory union dues still serve their purpose.
