ITUC and CLAC’s International Affiliation

You may have heard that CLAC was suspended recently from its membership in the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

What happened?

• ITUC is the world's largest labour union confederation representing 175 million workers in 155 countries.
• The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), a federation of unions representing over three million workers, requested that ITUC suspend CLAC's membership based on a number of false allegations—CLAC is employer-dominated, CLAC undercuts working conditions, CLAC discriminates on the basis of age, etc.
• ITUC and the CLC are non-governmental, self-regulating, voluntary organizations that are unconnected to any legislative or regulatory body, labour board, or government agency.

What does the suspension mean for CLAC members?

• Nothing—CLAC's suspension from ITUC has no bearing on its ability to represent members.
• CLAC remains a union certified by labour boards in western Canada, Ontario, and the three northern territories and by the federal Canada Industrial Relations Board.
• Canadian labour boards have certified CLAC to represent workers over 2,000 times since CLAC was established in 1952.
• CLAC's suspension from ITUC does not affect the union's continued international work and humanitarian efforts in Haiti, China, and other countries.
• CLAC's membership in ITUC can only be revoked by the federation's World Congress.
• CLAC's executive leadership and National Board will review all options regarding the union's international affiliations prior to ITUC's next World Congress, scheduled for May 2014.

 Background

• ITUC was formed in 2006 following a merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).
• CLAC had been a member of WCL since 1987 and joined ITUC as a founding member in 2006 after it was assured that ITUC would respect independent voices.
• CLAC presented volumes of evidence to ITUC countering the CLC's allegations (www.clac.ca/pages/ituc-response).
• CLAC has competed very successfully against unions affiliated with the CLC.
• CLAC was not granted a hearing before the General Council when the decision to suspend CLAC was made.
• Ken Georgetti, president of the CLC, sits on ITUC's Executive Bureau, which made the recommendation to suspend CLAC, as well as on ITUC's General Council, which made the decision.
• The same allegations made by the CLC have been rejected by Canadian workers, labour boards, and courts countless times.
• Word of the suspension was leaked by members of the General Council before CLAC was even notified, demonstrating a clear vendetta against CLAC and displaying a crass lack of ethics and professionalism.

 Where can I learn more?

• Read what's really behind ITUC's decision to suspend CLAC ("Power politics," and "Old Labour Tries to Oust CLAC from ITUC").
• Go to www.clac.ca/pages/ituc-response to read the specific false allegations made by the CLC and CLAC's response to them.
• If you have questions, talk to your CLAC representative.