Organized Labour and the Ontario Election

There is a saying in the labour movement, "United we stand, Divided we fall." The labour movement in Ontario isn't standing united this election. It remains to be seen if it will fall as a result.

On July 20, Pat Dillon of the provincial building trades council wrote an accusatory letter to Michael Lewis, brother of former provincial NDP leader Stephen and a former Steelworkers official. Dillon accused Lewis of actively discouraging other unions from joining the working families group.

In his letter, Dillon recalled "the great harm done" by the Conservative regime under Mike Harris and Ernie Eves and declared: "Instead of trying to undermine the only effective voice for working people in Ontario, you should be focusing your efforts in trying to prevent a repeat of the Harris-Eves era."

Dillon also complained that the NDP had appropriated the "working families" brand name for its own campaign slogan ("a fair deal for working families").

Lewis responded in writing last week with a stinging rebuttal that said only the NDP could be counted on to advance labour's agenda.

"There are some unions that see things differently, some who would support the Liberals for short-term gains," wrote Lewis.

"I believe that these unions are mistaken if they think that this promotes the interests of working families."

Lewis also mocked Dillon's suggestion that the NDP had stolen the "working families" brand.

"Long before the working families coalition was a gleam in Don Guy's eye, the NDP has been speaking about and fighting for working families right across Canada," wrote Lewis.

A Conservative victory will ultimately mean that labour unity is one of the big losers, with the NDP backers and the Liberal backers blaming one another for a potential vote split.

Solidarity forever? I guess not.