General Strike Shuts Down Canadian City Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the October 30, 1997 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- GENERAL STRIKE SHUTS DOWN CANADA CITY By Jerry Goldberg Windsor, Ontario A general strike shut down the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario on Oct. 17. Tens of thousands of workers stayed off the job, picketed, marched and rallied to fight the cutback programs of Ontario Premier Mike Harris and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. In a march of 50,000 workers, by far the biggest contingent was from the Canadian Auto Workers. They and workers representing every union in Windsor, along with students and members of community organizations, were striking and marching on behalf of the poorest and most oppressed people in Canada. Canadian Labor Congress President Bob White said: "When governments act for the rich, the people have to take a stand. We won't let Mike Harris rip up a social compact that has lasted for 50 years. "Transferring money from the poor to the very rich is a disgrace. This is the coming together of a social movement that cannot be stopped." It was the ninth general strike to shut down an Ontario city in the last few years. Demands include stopping the cuts in social-welfare programs that have slashed benefits by 20 percent and affected 500,000 children, and ending the attacks on the national health system that have eliminated 50,000 jobs with 50,000 more slated to be cut in the next two years. Canadian Union of Public Employees President Judy Darcy gave one of the most militant talks. She said: "This a proud day for Windsor. On a percentage basis, there are more people off the job than in any other Day of Action." Darcy pointed at Detroit across the border and said: "We see the society in whose image Harris wants to remake the province of Ontario. We see the multinational corporations that want to come in to take over our health-care system. We won't go down the road to American-style health care. "We see the corporations that want to promote workfare and cash in on the poor. Jean Chretien will not be allowed to take Canada down the road of the USA. We're going to take it back. "Harris, you call it a `common-sense revolution.' We're calling it a workers' revolution." STOP EDUCATION CUTS Fighting Bill 160 was a main focus. The law would attack public education in Ontario. Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers Union President Earl Manners described how it would cut $1 billion more. The bill would also put the reactionary provincial government in control of all aspects of public education--and deny teachers the right to strike. Manners and others from the teachers' unions asked for support if a strike is needed to fight this bill. His call received resounding support. Sam George spoke on behalf of the First Nations. He described how his brother, Dudley George, was shot down and killed two years ago in Ipperwash in a police attack against an occupation by Native people. He asked for support for a November protest demanding a public inquiry into the government's role in the killing of Dudley George. When George finished speaking, rally chair and Windsor Labor Congress President Gary Parent pledged support for this effort. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: ww@workers.org. For subscription info send message to: info@workers.org. Web: http://workers.org) ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-10.22.97-23:28:43-23272