Prime Minister Carney’s government chose to impose Section 107 just hours after the strike began—an unprecedented and heavy-handed move to tilt the scales in the employer’s favour. With the backing of the entire labour movement, CUPE stood its ground, defied the order, and forced the company back to the bargaining table—where a fair deal was reached. The outcome makes one thing clear: Section 107 is no longer a reliable weapon for employers.

By refusing to bow to government interference, CUPE flight attendants exposed Section 107 for what it is: an unconstitutional violation of workers’ Charter-protected right to free and fair collective bargaining. Any employer thinking of leaning on Section 107 in the future should think twice—it’s a crutch that just snapped.

Deals are made where they should be—at the bargaining table. That’s good for workers, good for communities, and good for building lasting relationships between unions and employers. The entire labour movement is grateful to flight attendants for their strength and perseverance in standing firm for these rights.

The last 24 hours have shown that Section 107 is unconstitutional, unenforceable, and corrosive to free collective bargaining. Canada’s unions are calling for its removal from the Canada Labour Code. We urge all parties in Parliament to make this a priority in the upcoming fall session—because protecting workers’ Charter rights should never be optional, and employers must never again be allowed to rely on Section 107 to delay or deny fair bargaining.

The lesson from this strike is undeniable: workers win when they fight, and collective agreements are made through negotiation, not government-imposed edicts. Section 107 has been dealt a blow it shouldn’t recover from—and that’s good news for every worker in Canada.

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To arrange an interview, please contact: 
CLC Media Relations 
media@clcctc.ca 
613-526-7426 

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Canada’s unions are deeply disappointed — and profoundly concerned — by Minister Hajdu’s decision to impose a vote on Canada Post’s final offers. Let’s be clear: the strongest, most lasting agreements are reached at the bargaining table, not forced through governmental interference.

This decision is more than just a misstep; it is a serious violation of the principles of free collective bargaining. Instead of remaining neutral, the Federal Government is once again acting on behalf of Canada Post, undermining CUPW’s right to be the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for its members. Rather than supporting fair, good-faith bargaining between parties, the Government continues the troubling union-busting trend we’ve seen from both Liberal and Conservative governments. When the government signals to employers that they can drag out negotiations and then be rewarded with a legislative shortcut, it undermines the foundation of fair and meaningful bargaining. It sends a dangerous message: that employers don’t need to bargain in good faith, they just need to wait it out.

This is unacceptable. It erodes workers’ Charter-protected rights and sets a damaging precedent for all unionized workers in this country. 

Canada’s unions will not stand by while this happens. We will not watch silently as public services are dismantled and workers are pushed aside.

CUPW members are fighting for more than just a contract. They’re standing up for the future of Canada Post, and for the next generation of workers who risk being pushed into gig-style, precarious jobs. If we want to stop the race to the bottom in wages and working conditions, we should be standing with them, not sidelining them.

Canada Post already has what no other private company does: a presence in every community in Canada. While big banks abandon rural towns, Canada Post remains. So why aren’t we investing in innovations like postal banking, which could deliver financial services where they’re needed most?

Canadians are ready for bold, nation-building ideas. Strengthening Canada Post should be one of them. Canada’s unions will not let outdated management strategies tear it down.

Canada Post isn’t just a service. It’s a public institution. It’s a pillar of good, unionized jobs and a vital link for communities across the country. Undermining it is a disservice to us all.

The federal government must respect the collective bargaining process. It must work with workers to build a Canada Post that delivers for the future.

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Members of the education, health and social services personnel, 78% of whom are women, are sending a clear warning to the government to table offers, resume negotiations and offer them the fair deal they all deserve.

“The Front commun’s demands are not excessive, since these workers have single-handedly held down the education, health and social services, high education, and government agencies during the pandemic,” says Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Negotiations between the Front commun and François Legault’s government began over a year ago, and workers have been without a contract since last March. The Quebec government needs to understand that their current working conditions are not only unsustainable, but also likely to prompt them to leave their jobs, further weakening the health and education and social services networks. 

“For the CLC-affiliated Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), a member of the Front commun, the Quebec government must come to its senses. While this same government has awarded itself wage increases of 30% over a single year for its ministers and deputies, the latest offer of 10.3% over 5 years is an insult to those who are the heart of Quebec’s public service systems. Workers are demanding not only to be respected, but also to be treated fairly, with decent wages and acceptable working conditions,” says FTQ President Magali Picard.

At the same time, and for the first time in two decades, 80,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists belonging to the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) went on strike. Over 90% of FIQ members are women with experience in caregiving. Healthcare professionals are facing terrible working conditions and are calling on the current government to propose viable solutions. “The general strike we are witnessing today in Quebec is due to the fact that workers are defending themselves, fighting back and demanding better. Workers risk everything on strike, but they have no other means of pressure than to withdraw their services. Their message to Premier François Legault couldn’t be clearer: the status quo is no longer an option,” says Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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