(The following article is from the September 1-15, 2007 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St. Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

By Stephen Von Sychowski

On August 31, Canada will lose 102 more unionized industrial jobs when Molson Coors closes its brewery in Edmonton, Alberta. Workers at the brewery went on strike at the end of May to fight back against the company's campaign to force a two-tier wage and pension system and to cut back time off. They have kept up their valiant fight since then, and were told at the end of July that the brewery would be shut down and that there was no way they would stop the closure, even if they accepted the company's unreasonable concession demands.

     "We did everything in our power to prevent this from happening, but the company did not seem interested," says CAW 284 President, Garth Sanderson in a press release posted on their website. "This brewery has been around for 102 years and I can't believe it is about to close ...I don't know what the workers will do."

     Is Molson Coors trying to send a message to their workers around the world that they shouldn't expect to stand up for themselves and get away with it? Or have these 102 hard working Canadians jobs just become "unprofitable" for the fat cat owners of this U.S. Corporation?

     Yes, that's right, U.S. Corporation. But what about "Molson CANADIAN", "I am CANADIAN" and "Molson Hockey Night in CANADA"? Well, actually Molson retired its famous "I am Canadian" slogan in 2005. Perhaps even they were ashamed to keep using it after merging with U.S.-based Adolph Coors Co. (no comment on the first name) in July 2004, ending the existence of Molson as a Canadian corporation. At this point the Molson family owns only 50% of a controlling trust in the company. At any rate, neither the American nor the Canadian capitalists involved in this merged beer monopoly seem concerned about the needs of their workers in Edmonton.

     So, on May 30, the workers set up pickets and began calling for a boycott of Molson products. Of course CAW 284 deserves our support, as does any worker who stands up for their rights and interests against the boss. If Molson Coors Co. feels it is unable to provide jobs with decent and sufficient working conditions for its employees, it should be brought back under Canadian control through nationalization, with public control and a new contract that satisfies the needs of the workers.

     Then at least it could justify those "patriotic" ad campaigns, "eh". As for Molson "Canadian", isn't it about time to tell them to go to hell with all their anti-worker activities and misleading phony patriotism, or at least back to the U.S. where they come from? Then again, after six years of the Bush regime, who could tell the difference?

     During the strike, when progressive Albertans and supporters of the striking workers around the country went out for a brew, they stayed clear of Molson Coors products out of respect for the union's call for boycott. Next time you swing by the liquor store, or head down to the pub, keep those 102 now unemployed workers in mind. They are among the most recent victims of the de-industrialization and sellout of our country by capitalism.