Labour and education in the news

Below are recent news stories on labour and education related issues. Click the headline to be taken to the article. Some may require a subscription. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for article text.

April 29, 2026

Province says Northern Health Region rescinds emergency declaration
CTV News
A Manitoba health region has rescinded a state of emergency triggered by staffing shortages at two northern hospitals, the province said.

Day of Mourning marchers honour Manitoba lives lost on the job
Winnipeg Free Press
Barry Swan hoisted his sign higher as he marched down Broadway Tuesday.

With $6-billion boost, Ottawa hopes to shore up labour force for its building agenda
Globe and Mail
Ottawa is putting $6-billion toward boosting employment in the trades in an effort to address labour shortages that risk tripping up the government’s building agenda.

Assaulted and injured in sickening numbers, health care workers demand action on workplace violence
CUPE
On the National Day of Mourning, CUPE hospital and long-term care workers called for action from the provincial and federal governments to protect them from violence, which has worsened since the pandemic.

Ontario issues over 2,000 invitations to foreign workers, international students, and in-demand workers in latest regional draws
CIC News
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held 12 targeted draws on April 23, 2026, issuing a combined total of 2,102 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates with job offers across four regions of the province.

Carney government proposes $6B to hire 100,000 new skilled trades workers
CBC
The federal government is pushing to build up Canada's skilled trades and tackle youth unemployment by proposing $6 billion over five years to recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 new trades workers under a flagship measure called Team Canada Strong.

Hydro-Québec: largest unions preparing for a strike
CityNews
Expressing disappointment at the lack of progress in negotiations to renew their collective agreement, the largest union at Hydro-Québec is preparing for a strike.

US activists plan May Day economic blackout: ‘No school, no work, no shopping’
The Guardian
Labor unions, democratic organizations and community groups are organizing an economic blackout this year to commemorate May Day, International Workers Day, inspired by the economic blackout in Minnesota during the massive ICE operation in the state.

Nearly a third of paid workers in N.S. in ‘precarious’ jobs: CCPA
CityNews
As Nova Scotia prepares to mark International Workers Day on Friday, a new report is showing how precarious the job market is across the province.

Barriers for BIPOC students entering post-secondary (video)
CTV News
A new report is highlighting the barriers BIPOC students are dealing with as they enter post-secondary education.

AI top of mind for Manitoba students considering career options
Global News
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has many considering their future job security, as the technology changes many sectors across the country.

Controversial academic Frances Widdowson arrested and fined for trespassing at University of Lethbridge
CBC
An academic known for her controversial views on Canada's residential school system was arrested for trespassing at the University of Lethbridge over the weekend.

School boards and universities will both be affected by Ontario’s Bill 101 sweeping changes
The Conversation
The Ontario government recently introduced Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act that the province says intends to move “Ontario toward a more accountable, consistent and modern model of high-quality education.”

Provinces consider restricting cellphones and social media in schools as federal government weighs action
Globe and Mail
Several provincial governments across Canada are looking at tighter restrictions for youth on social media, artificial intelligence chatbots, and cellphone use in schools amid growing concerns over their impact on young people.

Trump fires board overseeing National Science Foundation
Globe and Mail
The Trump administration has fired members of an independent board that oversees the National Science Foundation.

Harvard Raises Wage Offer, Expands Benefits as Grad Student Strike Enters Second Week
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard increased its wage offer and proposed a new package of graduate student benefits Tuesday, marking the first major movement at the bargaining table since the Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers launched an indefinite strike last week.

Sussex University overturns £585,000 fine as high court rejects free speech breach claim
The Guardian
Sussex University has overturned a £585,000 fine from England’s higher education watchdog after the high court rejected claims that the university breached free speech regulations in a case involving its former professor Kathleen Stock.

Argentina’s universities on weeklong strike against budget cuts
Buenos Aires Herald
Argentina’s university workers are on strike for the entire current week, as the national government refuses to comply with a law that guarantees funding for public institutions of higher education.

April 28, 2026

Governments of Canada and Manitoba Raise Early Childhood Educator Wages
Province of Manitoba
The governments of Canada and Manitoba continue to support early childhood educators (ECEs) by increasing wages and operating funding for child-care facilities, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt and federal Secretary of State for Children and Youth Anna Gainey announced today.

Teacher spots in demand after certification changes
Winnipeg Free Press
Universities are being flooded with applications from aspiring teachers now that it’s easier to become certified in Manitoba.

Youth social media ban likely to begin in schools, provincial education minister says
Winnipeg Free Press
The first phase of a provincial social media ban for youth will likely start with Manitoba schools, which already restrict cellphone use, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said Monday.

Young activists fight for kids’ voting rights in trustee elections
Winnipeg Free Press
It doesn’t sit right with a pair of St. Boniface students that they don’t get a say in who’s elected to the nine-seat governing board in the Louis Riel School Division.

Funding to boost early childhood educators’ pay helps some, not others, longtime workers in field lament
Winnipeg Free Press
Although the federal and provincial governments are boosting early childhood educator wages by more than $14 million this year, some who’ve been working in the field a long time are feeling somewhat overlooked.

After dodging censure, Laurentian president says she’s listening
Sudbury.com
Having dodged censure by Laurentian University’s senate, the institution’s president said she has heard the concerns voiced by senate members during a lengthy debate last week.

Ontario education minister grills stakeholders on trustee reform legislation
Global News
As a legislative committee met at Queen’s Park to study a government bill that would significantly water down the role of school board trustees, Education Minister Paul Calandra began grilling union leaders about his own legislation, leading to criticism that he was “rude,” “disrespectful,” and “inappropriate.”

Ontario teachers, education workers planning province-wide day of action April 29
Northumberland Daily
More than 255,000 teachers and education workers across Ontario will take part in a province-wide day of action on April 29, calling for stronger funding and support for publicly funded education.

Cape Breton University cutting 50 jobs amid $77M revenue loss
Cape Breton Post
Declining student enrolment and the loss of Cape Breton University’s post‑baccalaureate programs have resulted in $77 million in reduced revenue over three years.

More than 25% of Canadian parents won’t be able to afford kids’ postsecondary costs, survey finds
Globe and Mail
When Natalie Gomez first became a mother, she began checking off the usual steps to save for her children’s future. The Mississauga resident enrolled them in a registered education savings plan, made regular monthly contributions and set up a life insurance policy.

A federal program has helped Native Hawaiian medical students for 35 years. It’s now being sued for discrimination
The Guardian
Doctors and health experts in Hawaii say a decades-old federal program meant to support Native Hawaiians through medical school and better serve some of the islands’ most underserved communities is under attack after a conservative group filed suit.

Dental office sues former employee
Winnipeg Free Press
A local dental centre has filed a lawsuit over social media comments from a former employee it argues are defamatory.

‘They’re burning out’
Winnipeg Free Press
A surge in vacant positions and overtime hours among some Winnipeg emergency medical staff has a local union raising alarm bells.

Rogers Communications offering buyouts to half its work force
Globe and Mail
Rogers Communications Inc. is offering voluntary departure packages to 50 per cent of its employees, excluding Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, as telecom industry revenue growth has slowed and companies look to shed costs.

N.S. wages outpaced inflation, grew far faster in 2025 compared to Canada overall
CBC
After accounting for inflation, wages in Nova Scotia grew far faster in 2025 than Canada overall, according to Statistics Canada data analyzed by CBC News.

WestJet flight attendants issue notice of dispute
CUPE
Flight attendants at WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a formal notice of dispute following more than seven months of ongoing negotiations that have not produced sufficient progress on key issues.

Labour unions were major third-party advertisers behind Alberta’s anti-separatist petition
National Post
Two of Alberta’s biggest unions advertised in favour of a petition to keep the province in Canada, with the labour groups spending more than 40 times those of the organizations who backed Alberta’s pro-separatist effort, according to a provincial public registry.

The often-ignored role unions played in Sudbury’s regreening
Sudbury Star
In the films and stories about Sudbury’s transformation to green from barren landscape, the beautiful results are well shown. Pictures of the same places before and after the transformation provide evidence of the remarkable restoration of an industrially devastated landscape.

Apple Faces US Federal Complaint for Allegedly Retaliating Against Union Workers
iPhone in Canada
Apple is facing heat for how it’s handling the closure of its Towson, Maryland, store. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has filed an unfair labour practice charge, claiming the company is punishing workers because they decided to unionize.

April 27, 2026

Short-sighted decision reduces post-secondary access, saves province little money
Winnipeg Free Press
For a government that says it wants to expand opportunity, improve affordability and build a stronger workforce, the decision to shut down Campus Manitoba makes remarkably little sense.

Experts report a surge in interest among American academics looking to move to Canada
CityNews
Jason Stanley moved from the United States to Canada last September, leaving behind a high-profile position at Yale to take a job at the Munk School of Global Affairs in Toronto.

Alberta government to add four fast tracks to teacher certification
CBC
Tradespeople and professionals will be able to be temporarily certified as classroom teachers after taking four post-secondary education courses, Alberta’s education minister says.

MUN Unions Demand Urgent Meeting with Premier
VOCM
A coalition of unions at Memorial University is requesting an “urgent” meeting with the premier ahead of next week’s budget announcement.

‘50 years of Indigenous education’: First Nations University celebrates spring powwow
CTV News
The First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) held its annual spring powwow from April 18 to 19. The event also celebrated the university’s 50^th anniversary.

Laurentian hikes tuition, sees foreign students drop as it projects balanced budget
Sudbury.com
Factoring in a decline in tuition revenue from international students but increased dollars from hiking domestic student tuition fees and new provincial funding, Laurentian University is projecting a surplus of $1.4 million for 2026-2027.

Illinois State University strike enters 3rd week; union sues over alleged strikebreaking
Telegraph Herald
Union support staff members at Illinois State University have entered a third week on strike over failed contract negotiations. The union says instead of negotiating in good faith, university officials are illegally spending more money on temporary staff than it would cost to agree to their demands.

A Professor Union Grows Fast as It Ramps Up Its Fight Against Trump
New York Times
Two years ago, as universities were cracking down on campus activism, a handful of Harvard professors decided to push back.

The Self-Defeating Condescension of an Anti-Racist Education
The Atlantic
Some 15 years after the No Child Left Behind Act promised to close the racial achievement gap, it looked as if charter schools were making real progress toward that goal. Using data from 2015 to 2019, Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes reported that more than 200 charter networks were closing or even reversing racial disparities in reading, math, or both. Their Black and Latino students were equaling or outpacing white students in the same states. “More critically,” the report’s authors wrote, “there is strong evidence that these gap-busting schools can be scaled.”

US universities are seeing an influx of ‘antisemitism centers’. Some Jewish scholars are worried
The Guardian
At the University of Washington, a group of faculty who felt the campus had grown too “anti-Israel” set out to build a new academic center to tackle what they view as antisemitism.

Feds move to overturn Human Rights Commission decision on systemic racism in public service
Rabble
The federal government is challenging a decision made by the Canada Human Rights Commission to have the human rights tribunal perform a full inquiry into issues of systemic racism in the federal public service.

Quebec labour ministry says Metro used scabs during warehouse strike
CityNews
Metro Inc. broke Quebec labour rules by using scabs during a warehouse strike in Montreal, according to inspectors from the Quebec Ministry of Labour.

TTC requests no-board report in hopes of avoiding labour disruption during World Cup tournament
CityNews
The TTC has requested a no-board report in its contract talks with one of its unions in hopes of avoiding service disruptions during the World Cup, which is set to arrive in Toronto in less than two months.

A 30th N.S. long-term care home, about 3,000 total workers, join ongoing strike
Global News
A 30th Nova Scotia long term care home is joining an ongoing strike that began 11 days ago, and no new talks between the province and union have been planned.

Lawyers urge federal ban on U.S. forced labour imports, cars built by prisoners
CTV News
Human rights lawyers are calling on Ottawa to ban American imports that stem from forced labour linked to automotive firms using prisoner work in Alabama, under the same law meant to block products made through exploitative practices in China.

Skilled labour shortages cause push for more women in the workforce (video)
Global News
Canada is facing a skilled labour shortage with more people retiring from the trades. One proposed solution is hiring more women. The number of female workers has doubled over the past decade, but women represent just eight per cent of the workforce.

April 24, 2026

Brainstorming session proposes solutions to alarming rate of student absenteeism
Winnipeg Free Press
Dante Taylor spent much of his early high school career ditching class — a routine occurrence outside of football season — to hang out at trap houses in Winnipeg.

St. John’s faces unfair labor practice charge after cutting ties with unions
Queen's Daily Eagle
St. John’s University is facing a new allegation from two faculty unions the school cut ties with earlier this year, escalating a labor conflict the university has already faced repeated criticism for.

Universities Canada, CAUBO warn federal action is needed as Canada’s universities face worsening financial outlook
University Affairs
A report published today warns of a deteriorating financial outlook for the country’s public post-secondary institutions and recommends priority federal interventions for sector stability.

Saskatchewan's update to affordable child-care program gets mixed reviews
CBC
Newly announced changes to Saskatchewan's affordable daycare program, including a 10-hour standard day and increased grants for child-care facilities with the lowest fees, are getting mixed reviews.

‘Schools need to wake up’: Jewish student sues TMU for $1.3M over alleged ‘poisoned’ learning environment
National Post via Unpublished
A Jewish student is suing Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) for more than $1.3 million, alleging the school created a “poisoned environment” and disregarded several instances of antisemitism and harassment following the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.

Memorial University says Uproar from Recent Job Postings Fuelled by Misinformation on Social Media
VOCM
Memorial University says the uproar caused by some recent job postings has been stoked by misinformation shared through social media.

Yale Has Come Up With a Surefire Way to Make a Terrible Situation Worse
New York Times
Yale University’s report on how to restore public confidence in America’s colleges and universities is full of smart and sensible recommendations. That’s not surprising when one sees the smart and sensible faculty who wrote it, led by the scholars Beverly Gage and Julia Adams. Among the suggestions: Reinforce the academic core of the university; don’t allow classes to be dominated by open laptops or other devices; do more to ensure that people do not self-censor; respect the ideals of free speech and academic freedom; “be human.” Although the committee doesn’t go so far as to say that nepotism in admissions should be eliminated (it asks only that it be reduced), it does suggest that Yale try to make its educational offerings free for a larger percentage of the population. Who would disagree?

Rural paramedics ‘burned out,’ union says; data shows job vacancies nearly doubled in two years
Winnipeg Free Press
The shortage of paramedics in rural Manitoba is bad and getting worse, the union that represents them warned Thursday.

Reverse recruiting, $30,000 career coaches and upskilling: The rising cost of unemployment
Globe and Mail
I recently spoke to Canadians feeling anxious about their jobs amid rising layoffs. Beyond saving for everyday expenses in case they’re let go, what stood out was how many of them anticipated spending more on upskilling, career coaching, resume polishing and a host of job-search-related activities.

Mounties, border officers and cyber spies shut out of early retirement incentive
CBC
Front-line security and intelligence workers including Mounties won't be able to access the government's penalty‑free early retirement incentive as federal public safety agencies focus on getting more people in the door — not out.

4-day office return for Global Affairs Canada workers delayed over lack of space
CBC
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) says most of its employees will not be required to work in the office four days a week, starting on July 6, as there isn't enough office space to make the change work, Radio-Canada has learned.

Meta to cut 8,000 jobs, Microsoft to offer voluntary buyouts for thousands
CBC
Meta is laying off about 8,000 workers, or about 10 per cent of its workforce, the company said Thursday as it continues to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and highly paid AI-expert hires.

Costco's unionized workers vote to authorize nationwide strike
ABC
Teamsters union members working at Costco Wholesale locations across the country voted to authorize a strike on Sunday, with more than 85% of members in favor of hitting the picket lines.

April 23, 2026

Longstanding e-learning hub to close after provincial funding dries up
Winnipeg Free Press
The Kinew government is closing an e-learning hub that creates, curates and promotes free textbooks while helping students with career planning.

Former Seven Oaks School Division worker pleads guilty to sex, luring offences involving female youths
Winnipeg Free Press
A former student support worker with the Seven Oaks School Division has admitted to sex and luring-related offences involving five female youths and other unidentified victims spanning five years.

Winnipeg school officially named after late Manitoba judge, senator Murray Sinclair
CBC
A French immersion school in Winnipeg's Sage Creek neighbourhood that opened in September now has a new name honouring Murray Sinclair.

Brandon University Launches Illumination, a New Research Podcast Exploring the Questions That Cross Disciplines
Brandon University
Inaugural episode tackles generative AI in research, teaching, and academic life, featuring BU researchers from music theory, computer science, and philosophy.

Ontario’s new legislation fails to address structural issues for school absenteeism, expert says
Globe and Mail
Some mornings, Scott Montgomery’s daughter Renee will wake up, put on her school uniform, and make it to the front door, but can’t go a step farther.

Laurentian senate defeats non-confidence motion targeting president and board
Sudbury.com
After debating the matter in-camera for more than two hours April 21, Laurentian University’s senate governing body defeated a motion of non-confidence in the university’s president and board of governors.

Canada’s quiet economic driver: Universities and colleges
CCPA
Canada’s post-secondary education system is in crisis, due to provincial and federal government underfunding. It should be treated like the vital sector that it is, deserving of more robust support.

AFSCME union seeks to charge university with criminal offense for bringing in alleged "strikebreakers"
Fox News
The union representing certain Illinois State University employees filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the college, alleging it hired temporary workers while staff remained on strike.

Algoma Steel union challenges termination of 29 probationary workers
SooToday.com
A grievance against Algoma Steel brought forward by United Steelworkers Local 2251 will go ahead, despite the company's objection that it was made too late to be heard by the arbitrator.

‘Eat the rich’ policy proposals won’t help Canadian workers
Fraser Institute
The “eat the rich” movement—which promises to increase taxes on high-income individuals to pay for a substantial expansion in government programs—has made headlines. But while these corrosive policy proposals may stir anger and identify easy scapegoats for the current economic malaise, they will only end in disaster.

After 3-Week Strike, JBS Concedes to Meatpacking Workers
Labor Notes
Last month, 3,800 meatpacking workers in UFCW Local 7 in Greeley, Colorado launched the industry’s first major strike in 40 years.

How Rhode Island’s Labor Movement Made Its Weight Felt in Politics
Labor Notes
Over the last decade Rhode Island has been a hotbed of progressive, pro-worker legislation. But it wasn’t always this way. It took years of proactive organizing by the labor movement on legislative and electoral campaigns.

What is May Day Strong, the ‘no work, no school, no shopping’ protests against Trump?
The Guardian
Anyone who attended one of the 3,000 No Kings protests in March might have learned of the latest effort to protest against Trump administration policies: May Day Strong.

Meta to track workers' clicks and keystrokes to train AI
BBC
Meta will start tracking the way employees work, including their keystrokes and mouse clicks, to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models.

MrBeast’s company sued by former employee over alleged sexual harassment
Global News
A former employee at Beast Industries has sued the production company founded by YouTuber MrBeast (legal name Jimmy Donaldson), alleging she was subjected to “years” of sexual harassment by company leaders.

‘Apprenticeship penalty’ on benefits forces young people from poorer UK families to quit
The Guardian
Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are abandoning valuable job training opportunities because of a little-known welfare “apprenticeship penalty” that can leave their families out of pocket by as much as £340 a week.

South Korea's Samsung workers rally in thousands as strike looms
France24
Samsung is a major producer of chips used in everything from artificial intelligence to consumer electronics, raising the prospect that the planned walkout could cause severe disruption and losses.

April 22, 2026

Servers entitled to money, labour board rules in restaurant owner’s appeal
Winnipeg Free Press
The Manitoba Labour Board rejected an appeal from a St. Boniface restaurant owner, saying four former servers were entitled to money labelled as advances on their pay stubs.

The union leader, the numbered company and the $4-million house
Globe and Mail
A stately 4,400-square-foot house sits on a winding street in Nobleton, Ont., in an enclave of sprawling homes nestled into the farm country north of Toronto.

Flair Pilots Seek Government Assistance in Negotiations with the Airline
ALPA
The Flair Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) filed for conciliation yesterday with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) following an impasse in negotiations with management.

Foothills Creamery accused of unionbusting
Alberta Worker
Last month, I wrote an article about workers employed by Foothills Creamery filing a union certification application.

BC Nurses’ Union bargaining reaches impasse, preparing for strike vote
Global News
Nurses in B.C. are moving closer to job action after a new ruling on benefits pushed contract talks to a breaking point.

Unions urge veto of buffer zone bill
The Chief
Leaders of local community groups and unions representing education workers reiterated their call for Mayor Zohran Mamdani to veto a bill that critics warn would stifle free speech across the city. City Council bill 175-B, which tasks the NYPD with creating a plan to erect “security perimeters” around educational facilities across the city, passed with a 30-to-19 margin in the 52-member body despite union opposition in the days leading up to the vote last month.

US Labor Department unveils proposal on contract, franchise worker pay
Reuters
President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday moved to make it more difficult to hold companies liable when their contractors or franchisees ‌violate federal wage laws.

McDonald's boss on abuse claims: 'I don't want to talk about the past'
BBC
The boss of McDonald's UK and Ireland has said she "doesn't want to talk about the past" when asked about allegations of abuse at the fast-food chain.

Taxes on UK workers have risen at fastest rate in rich world, says OECD
The Guardian
Taxes on workers in Britain rose at the fastest rate among the world’s richest economies last year, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

As inflation surges ‘workers are already feeling poorer’
Socialist Worker
Prices are rising so much faster than wages that this year’s “pay rises” will actually leave workers worse off.

Campaign breathes new life into critical health-care role
Winnipeg Free Press
Nearly half of the first-year respiratory therapy training seats at the University of Manitoba went unfilled this year even though there’s huge demand amid a staffing shortage.

Cost of living, financial pressures behind a year of contract turmoil at N.S. universities
CBC
Cost-of-living pressures, changing demographics and financial constraints are some of the factors contributing to the past year of contract discord at several Nova Scotia universities.

Yukon University admits discrimination against staffer fired after return from domestic violence leave
CBC
Yukon University says it now acknowledges that one of its employees discriminated against a former employee who was fired in 2023.

Decline in government funding for universities will hamper research, undermine economic growth, report says
Globe and Mail
Government funding to Canadian universities has dropped by more than 10 per cent on a per student basis since 2010, putting schools on an unsustainable financial path that will hamper research and skills training and undermine economic development just as enrolment is set to rise in the next decade, a new report says.

Harvard graduate workers strike to demand living wages, protection for international students against ICE and for academic freedom
World Socialist Web Site
On Tuesday morning, April 21, 4,000 graduate student workers at Harvard University walked off the job, indefinitely suspending teaching, grading and laboratory research at one of the world’s wealthiest institutions. Harvard Graduate Student Union–United Auto Workers (HGSU–UAW) pickets went up at Harvard’s main campus in Cambridge and at Harvard Medical School in the Longwood Medical Area, with workers carrying strike signs, megaphones and distributing leaflets to passing undergraduates calling for solidarity.

Higher education groups challenge Trump’s latest anti-DEI order
Higher Ed Dive
Higher education groups representing administrators and faculty filed a lawsuit Monday challenging a recent executive order that threatens to strip federal contracts from colleges and other organizations over their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Yale asked the right question. Now the rest of higher education owes an answer
Yahoo
Earlier this month, Yale published the findings of a year-long faculty investigation into why Americans have lost faith in higher education. Ten tenured professors. Hundreds of consultations. Unanimous conclusions. That took institutional courage, and the rest of us in higher education owe Yale the respect of engaging with it honestly rather than treating it as someone else’s problem.