Graham Cox

Graham Cox is a labour union researcher at Unifor focusing on economic, bargaining, and policy in the energy, road, rail, and marine sectors.

Previous to Unifor, Graham was a researcher at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). At CUPE his work focused on economic and policy analysis for the anti-privatization, trade, post-secondary education, utilities, employment insurance, special projects, and organizing files.

Before working at CUPE, Graham served the student movement as National Researcher of the Canadian Federation of Students and chairperson of the National Graduate Caucus.

Graham has worked as a union organizer for the PSAC, CUPE, and the CFS with a focus on graduate student teaching assistant, research assistant and contingent academic staff union drives. This included leading drives to organize academic workers at the University of New Brunswick, UPEI, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Please also see articles under the author Editors (What’s left).

CV available here.

Solidarity in the 'new' economy | Graham Cox

The labour dispute at the Halifax Chronicle Herald has again raised important questions of maintaining inter-generational solidarity. There are no easy solutions to the problems of the Herald as they are the result of economic models of publishing that are no longer sustainable (if they ever were). Unfortunately, the owners and managers of the Herald seem to think that this crisis is a good opportunity to target workers instead of finding a progressive solution that can work for the industry in the long-term.

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A view to 2016 | Graham Cox

While we do not do predictions here at Citizens' Press, it seems there are some themes that have come out of 2015. Reflecting on this over the break lead to some thoughts on how these themes may continue in 2016. To this end, here are some ideas of where the battle fronts could be in 2016 and where I will be focusing – at least until something unexpected comes along.

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Korean Confederation of Trade Union President Arrested

See below for a letter and materials about support for the KCTU and the Korean workers' movement.'Yesterday polices forces penetrated the pure space, the sanctuary of the temple grounds without hesitation despite the expression and concern of the Joggye leadership. This is an act we cannot tolerate. December 9 will be remembered as a day of shame on which the insanity of the ROK authorities was demonstrated beyond refute.'

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Portugal: austerity interrupted…but for how long? | Equal Times

Last month, nationwide anti-austerity protests in Portugal turned into celebration when the country's centre-right government, victorious in national elections, saw its programme rejected in Parliament. The torch was passed to a leftist coalition promising to reverse years of painful austerity.

Workers' Freedoms Under Attack in Canada

Using their legislative majority in the House, the Harper Conservative government passed laws that undermine progressive and social justice organizations which they see as barriers to their agenda. Workers and their labour unions are next in line, unless Canadians fight back.

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Textbook Costs and Post-Secondary Education: journalists ask the wrong questions | The Citizens' Press

Defending Student Rights

The school year has begun for most of those going (back) to post-secondary programs and with it comes the barrage of 'news' reports on the cost of school supplies. What is really frustrating about these stories is the analysis seems to be that the cost of school supplies and living expenses is too high, but the same journalists writing these stories do not touch on the costs for education as a public service.

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New approach is possible and needed for social policy in Alberta

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Social Finance

A new study by the Parkland Institute details the devastation to Alberta's social services sector following decades of experimentation by the provincial Tories. The main goal of many of these initiatives was to cut government spending on social welfare and offload provision to anyone willing to take them on – for-profit and not-for-profit organizations alike.

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Social Impact Bonds: The Next Stage of Casino Capitalism

Social Finance

Social Impact Bonds come from the same dark place in the financial world as complex derivatives, the trading of which lead to the great financial crisis. They are a way for the great gamblers of financial markets to place bets on 'success,' in this case betting on the delivery of social services on the cheap. It is a disaster in the making for anyone who actually needs support.

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Stopping privatization is fighting climate change | Graham Cox

Keeping climate change on the agenda between heat waves, droughts and ice storms might seem difficult as other current economic-system related tragedies take centre stage. However, we should not leave out climate change and its connection to capitalism when talking about privatizations of infrastructure and the undermining of democratic oversight and control of utilities.

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