Why Is A Regional VP At OPSEU Making Videos About Free Trade?

You seem confused. You have been involved with the Occupy movement and yet, you appear to be critical of it. As far as free trade is concerned, I protested against the first Canada/U.S. agreement in the late 1980’s and in my opinion, free trade agreements throughout the world have not benefited
working class people; unless you call low-paying, marginal jobs beneficial!
Unions should be in the business of criticizing these agreements; especially in Canada and the U.S., where manufacturing jobs have been siphoned to off-shore labour over the last couple of decades. Real wages have stagnated or declined since the 1970’s, people are working longer hours than was the case 30 years ago and the predatory capitalist system that controls our economy, took us to the brink of ruination in 2008.
Globalization, free trade agreements and the corporatization of everything have proven to be a curse. This must change to something sustainable and not something governed solely by big, greedy egos. I think that this is the message of the Occupy Movement and social activists everywhere.
When Unions are at their best, they are not only advocating for better wages, benefits and working conditions. They are engaged in shaping progressive social and economic policies that ideally raise the standards for all working class people. I think that OPSEU’s Dave Lundy is entirely justified in raising concerns about free trade and the wider economic issues associated with it.