Click on the link and you’ll be able to read a story that appeared in last Friday’s Leader-Post about 284 garment workers who have fallen ill in the past week while toiling in a Cambodian factory to produce goods for the Swedish fashion label Hennes & Mauritz.
That story appeared the day after our Aug. 25 issue hit the streets with a six-page feature on how Labour Can Save the World. One issue I addressed was the plight of workers in the Developing World. During a phone interview, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives economist David MacDonald made this observation: “In Canada, the basic rules for employing people have been established — they’ve been legislated. Whereas the basic rules for employing people in China or India have not been established. People working super-long days without exits or bathroom breaks … that sort of stuff, in Canada, would be illegal. But there you have to negotiate for it. It hasn’t made it to law yet.”
Today is Labour Day, of course. And from noon to 4 p.m., the Regina & District Labour Council is hosting its annual Labour Day picnic in Wascana Centre on the lawn north-west of the Legislature. They’ll be food and all sorts of family-friendly fun activities. Check it out if you get a chance. And while the weather forecast looks good, if it does happen to rain the picnic will be held indoors at the Callie Curling Club (2225 Sandra Schmirler Way).
