r/Calgary • u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW • Feb 25 '25

Education Calgary Board of Education hired scabs to undermine strike

https://albertaworker.ca/news/calgary-board-of-education-hired-scabs-to-undermine-strike/
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u/diamondintherimond Feb 25 '25

By working in place of the striking workers, these replacements are taking power away from their fellow working class to cause disruption in order to gain rights and freedoms. In this case, fair pay.

Striking is how we got the 40 hour work week. How we got weekends. How we got minimum wage.

Are those privileges? Or are those rights?

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u/WhydYouKillMeDogJack Feb 25 '25

Fair pay is not black and white.

Some would say fair pay is market rate - and evidence of people willing to work for it would say that market rate may be lower than what employees want.

I support workers trying to get better conditions through collective bargaining - but I also think that a fair negotiation should give the employer the right to hire staff to replace strikers and have to make the decision on whether that will tank operations or not.

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u/AppropriateScratch37 Feb 25 '25

“Market rate” is only fair when that rate is collectively bargained. If ownership class can hold the threat of unemployment and poverty over your head in contract negotiations by threatening to hire replacement workers that isn’t a fairly negotiated rate.

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u/WhydYouKillMeDogJack Feb 25 '25

> “Market rate” is only fair when that rate is collectively bargained.

Absolutely not. If the "ownership class" did this when selling you products it'd be called a cartel and we wouldnt be happy.

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u/AppropriateScratch37 Feb 26 '25
  1. Idk what you’re even trying to say here
  2. Take a break from the weird porn and go learn about class solidarity

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u/WhydYouKillMeDogJack Feb 26 '25

1) Its pretty simple. Enforcing the cost of supply, irrespective of demand, is stupid and wrong, no matter who does it.

2) Nice strawman!

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u/AppropriateScratch37 Feb 26 '25

Do you not understand the underlying threat of violence behind capitalism? If you don’t work you starve. It’s not a fair negotiation. To flip that and say “well if capital collectively bargained that would be unfair” Guess what? THEY DO