After years of conservative cuts, empty promises and disrespect for hard-working people, workers across the prairie provinces have been looking for change. With the help of the United Steelworkers union, they’ve been achieving it.
This summer, in Saskatchewan, by-elections were held in three provincial ridings previously held by the conservative Saskatchewan Party. Thanks to Steelworkers Vote training schools in Regina, where both urban by-elections were held, USW members helped flip both of those seats to the NDP. Saskatchewan New Democrat Party Leader Carla Beck now leads the largest caucus the party has elected in more than a decade.
In Manitoba, the change was even bigger. The failing PC government went to the polls in October. Showing no shame for their record cuts and antiworker policies, the PCs ran a particularly negative campaign, undermining the rights of gender-diverse kids and dehumanizing missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew ran an uplifting campaign that promised a fundamental change in the way the government delivers for people. Leading his party to victory, Kinew became the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province. The positive, people-first approach is how Kinew has always led the party.
“The Manitoba NDP has always prioritized Manitoba workers by supporting unions and fighting back against the PCs’ cuts and anti-worker agenda,” said USW District 3 Director Scott Lunny. “Under the leadership of Wab Kinew, the Manitoba NDP has blocked anti-union legislation like Bill 16 and opposed the Pallister-Stefanson wage freeze bill.
” The USW and the Manitoba NDP have a long history of solidarity when it comes to delivering for workers and building a better Manitoba. While still early days, it looks like workers will have a government in Manitoba that has their backs.
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