One of the things that the #Covid19 pandemic has highlighted for me is the role that class and class inequality plays in maintaining liberal capitalist societies like #cdnpoli. Workers are asked to sacrifice, workers are asked to do everything necessary to keep working.
And when they raise questions about work conditions, when they ask for sick benefits, when they question why they have to go to work and face the danger of the pandemic, they're told they're being selfish or threatening the economy. #canlab
They're told to go back to work or else it will be inconvenient for other, usually more privileged owners or workers. They're legislated back to work, they're placed in harm's way. And then, gov's refuse to bring in permanent support for these workers.
Yesterday, #skpoli's labour minister said it as clearly as anyone can: his gov doesn't want to bring in paid sick leave because it would hurt business. In other words, workers should go to work sick or else business profitability might suffer. That is a capitalist mindset.
There is no other way to describe it. What's the message? Workers lives are less important than the long-term health of businesses or the economy. That is the calculation that many many many governments are making during this crisis.
If you don't believe that class and class inequality is what's driving #cdnpoli's response to this crisis, I don't think you're really paying attention. I'd really love to see more narratives like this.
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