Guest column: Making the right to strike work for youth
In January, the Supreme Court of Canada released a pair of historic decisions affirming the freedom of association of Canadian workers, including finding for the first time ever a constitutionally protected right to strike. These decisions are the latest in a series of cases that have radically reinterpreted the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to enhance the rights of working people (through the right to organize, collective bargaining, and strikes).
As part of a series of interviews that Think Forward will be conducting with Members of Parliament and political party candidates heading into the 2015 Federal Election, Think Forward Managing Editor Michael Hurley recently spoke with Liberal MP Stéphane Dion to discuss a range of issues affecting Canadian youth, from rising tuition fees to unpaid internships to high youth unemployment in Canada.
On November 4, 2008, the day that Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election, it was an ecstatic moment. The day after his historic victory, I couldn't go anywhere without hearing raving comments from people who never imagined that they would see a Black president in the White House in their lifetime. This sentiment seemed to spread worldwide, from Kenya to Canada. 
What is life after graduation? You work hard for a number of years for the opportunity to walk across a stage, shake the hand of someone you've never met before, and collect a piece of paper. But what comes after that? The reality for many is not what they were promised. But if you're one of the graduates who has decided to tough it out in today's bleak job market, and you're currently looking for employment, there's some steps that you can take to make the job hunt easier.
Since 2012, conservative politicians across Canada have unsuccessfully pushed for so-called "right to work" laws, claiming they are needed to attract manufacturing jobs, boost wages, and reduce unemployment. But the track record of these laws in the U.S. shows that right to work is harmful to both workers and the economy, and is simply a political tool designed to weaken unions.
Over the last two years, Think Forward has explored a number of economic issues currently affecting young people, from the injustice of unpaid internships to the crisis of youth unemployment to rising student debt in Canada. Often we've emphasized how difficult it is for recent graduates to find stable, full-time work in their field that pays a living wage. But one topic we haven't discussed is the major advantage that unions provide to young workers in the face of austerity from both politicians and employers.
