TSSU MMC in solidarity with Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Workers of Bangladesh

TSSU Membership Mobilization Committee (MMC) along with the Asian Canadian Labor Alliance (ACLA) BC and Vancouver Committee for Domestic Care Workers and Caregivers Rights (CDWCR) stands in solidarity with Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Workers of Bangladesh in their fight for a living wage. As an union with an international membership, we are well aware of the struggles of Garments Workers to win a dignified standard of living given the cost of living crisis in Bangladesh. We categorically condemn the use of state violence and mass arrests to stifle worker’s protests and job actions.

As graduate students and workers who are also grappling with the cost of living crisis, we understand the importance of having a living wage in an era where inflation has skyrocketed. A living wage is not one which merely keeps up with inflation but rather is meant to be the level of income that enables workers to cover the cost of food, housing, and living costs for their families. This makes the monthly Minimum Wage of USD 113 (BDT 12,500) set by the Bangladesh Minimum Wage board insufficient and its prior offer of USD 94 (BDT 10,400) insulting. With inflation hovering in between 5-7% over the past 5 years and Monthly Average Inflation hitting 9.3%, these increases are not sufficient to cover the cost of living for a family of 4 after 5 years of stagnant wages.

The demand of BDT 23,000 by Garments Workers Unions is on the lower end of what can be considered as a living wage. Reports by the Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies and Microfinance Opportunities studies estimate the living wage to be between BDT 21,000-BDT 26000.* This means that the worker’s demands are reasonable in terms of getting them closer to a living wage.

We were heartened to see the display of solidarity and worker power in the protests by various labor organizations through November 2023. Even after the minimum wage was increased to BDT 10,400, the RMG Workers maintained their principled stance for a living wage by continuing to stand strong in protest leading to the subsequent increase to BDT 12,500. Simultaneously, we were shocked to see the use of violence to stifle these protests by the police and even the Bangladesh Border Guard.

We condemn the use of mass arrests of protesters and the mass sentencing to intimidate labor organizations. As part of the larger Canadian labor movement, we demand the immediate release of all those who have been jailed unfairly whilst protesting for living wages.

Finally, we call on other labor unions in Canada to stand in solidarity with not only the RMG workers but also examine the role of Canadian companies in extending the exploitation of these workers. It is important to recognize that as Canadian consumers, our consumption of RMG at low prices makes us complicit in the exploitation of Bangladeshi garment workers and keeping their wages low. As such, TSSU MMC commits to not only reach out to other unions to show their support for RMG workers but also to examine ways to pressure Canadian companies buying RMG made in Bangladesh to pay fair prices.

*Microfinance Opportunities estimates this to be BDT 21,900-BDT 26,300 in July 2023 and Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies estimates it to be between BDT 21,900 to BDT 26,300 in January 2023.

TSSU MMC deeply concerned by criminalization of dissent in Toronto

We, the TSSU Membership Mobilization Committee (MMC), are deeply concerned about the violent arrests of Toronto-based organizers on the 22nd of November, as well as the serious nature of the charges against them. These charges represent a blatant attempt to criminalize dissent and protect Canada’s billionaire class from political criticism.

Seven people were violently arrested from their homes before dawn on Wednesday, November 22nd and four others were arrested on other days. The group included one faculty member and several teaching assistants at York University. The Breach reported that this operation likely cost the police nearly a million dollars. The crime that demanded this aggressive response? Allegedly putting up posters outside an Indigo Books franchise that highlighted the CEO’s funding of a non-profit that supports the Israeli military.

Indigo is Canada’s largest bookstore chain. Heather Reisman, the CEO, is a billionaire who co-founded and continues to support the non-profit HESEG Foundation, which “offers scholarships to foreigners to encourage them to join the Israeli army and continue their studies in Israel.” In general terms, it recruits Canadian mercenaries to fight for the Israeli military, tax-free.

These arrests are a blatant attempt to silence criticism not just of Israel, but of Canada’s capitalist class. The criminalization of this kind of political speech represents a drastic overreach and signals a huge threat to our rights as workers to challenge the country’s wealthiest business owners. As a union, we cannot stand by as the state tilts the balance even further away from us.

It is especially concerning to us that the arrests resulted in the suspension of workers at York University, denying them due process. Freedom of speech and academic freedom are values TSSU holds in highest regard and need to be protected. Universities have a responsibility to speak up against the atrocities committed by Israel. Even more so after the murder of Professor Sufyan Tayeh, head of the Islamic University of Gaza, by the Israeli occupation forces on Saturday, December 2nd.

The Palestinian liberation movement represents one of the strongest challenges to imperialist and capitalist hegemony in recent decades. It is uniting oppressed people around the world in their shared struggle for freedom. It comes as no surprise that the state is responding with political repression at a scale not seen since the height of the “red scare.” The red scare in Canada culminated in Quebec’s Padlock Act in the 1930s and saw scores of innocent people arrested, lose their jobs, and be socially ostracized for their social justice work.

We stand in solidarity with our comrades in Toronto. We call for the charges to be dropped immediately. We call for an investigation to be launched into how a violent raid against non-violent activists accused only of postering got approved in the first place. And we call for York University to reverse the suspensions of the teaching assistants and faculty facing these allegations. We continue to stand with the Palestinian liberation movement and call on all unions to join in calling for a free Palestine and immediate an end to the targeting of Gaza’s civilian population.

SFU, Return It! It's our money

The Employer stole $231,000 in scholarship pay for graduate student TAs and over-deducted salary for many hundreds of workers during the TSSU strike in summer & fall 2023.

During the 2023 TSSU strike, our Employer, SFU, cut all compensation (scholarship and salary) for all members of the striking bargaining unit between September 28 and October 18, as well as for July 19, 2023. An Employer deducting their employees’ wages for the time they spend on picket lines and withdrawing their labour is generally within the bounds of the law in BC, with some important exceptions. However, our Employer has taken a lot more than what they’re ‘entitled’ to during a strike. They have:

Finally, the reduction in work may not have been commensurate with the reduction in pay for some striking TSSU members. Therefore, SFU may have stolen even more money!

Our Employer has, once again, disrespected and acted unfairly towards the employees that make this University work. If you’re a TSSU member that has been affected by these scholarship and salary deductions, get in touch with the campaign organizers at organizers@tssu.ca to find out what you and your coworkers can do to fight back and demand SFU return your money. We need a collective fight to pressure SFU, specifically the President, the VP Finance, and the VP Academic who have the power to return the money they’ve unjustly taken from TSSU members, now.