OTTAWA––Workers from across Canada took to Parliament Hill this week to urge the government to create a public, universal pharmacare system.

“This government had a chance to show that they are serious about pharmacare, but we saw no mention of it in the recent fall economic statement,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This government has been talking about implementing pharmacare for years. Canadians have waited long enough, it’s time for this government to walk the talk.”

Pharmacare is a cornerstone of the Liberal-NDP supply and confidence agreement, with the two parties agreeing to introduce legislation by the end of 2023.

“The Liberals are running out of time to make pharmacare a reality,” said Bruske. “Hundreds of workers are in Ottawa this week to make it clear they expect the government to stand by its promise and make a universal public prescription drug plan happen and provide coverage for all.”

In addition to pharmacare, Canada’s workers are ramping up pressure on parliamentarians to pass Bill C-58 to ban scab labour and Bill C-50, the Sustainable Jobs Act rapidly.

Bill C-58 is currently being debated in the House and Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Caucus have yet to state a clear and coherent stance on it. Despite the bill receiving support from the NDP and the Bloc Québecois, Poilievre continues to claim he needs more information before making a decision.

“Workers want to know: Do the Conservatives support the bill – support workers – or not?” said Bruske. “Poilievre is loud on rhetoric and good with soundbites, but completely silent on his real agenda – workers see through his nonsense.”

“In not clearly stating his support of Bill C-58, Pierre Poilievre has once again shown his true colours. He can talk all he wants about being for workers, but he has a chance right now to show that he’s with them and instead of doing that he is stalling the process – just like with Bill C-50,” said Bruske. “Poilievre has a long track record of attacking workers’ rights and siding with profitable corporations over everyday people, which makes clear the kind of leader he is. We remember when he introduced anti-labour laws and helped rich corporations pay even less in taxes and voted to cut support for unemployed workers. We know that he will vote against workers’ interests, every time.”

Canada’s unions also call on the government to take immediate action to move Bill C-50 forward and for the Conservatives to end their obstruction of the act.

“It’s time to move forward. Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives have wasted enough time. Workers see through the Conservatives’ nonsense,’’ said Bruske. “Workers and their families are struggling to make ends meet and worry that they’ll be out of work as we transition our economy. I urge the Liberal government to introduce legislation to enact universal pharmacare and to move forward with bills C-50 and C-58.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is the largest labour organization in Canada, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour and community-based labour councils to represent more than 3 million workers across the country.

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

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“We have seen years of record corporate profits while workers’ pay lagged far behind. Workers are rightly demanding fairer wages, better safety standards and respect from their employers,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “If we ban the use of scabs once and for all, we can take a real step towards less labour disruptions, avoiding work stoppages and building a more balanced economy—while increasing the benefits and respect workers deserve.” 

The use of scab workers undermines fair and transparent collective bargaining, by tipping the balance of power to the employer. This often leads to longer and more contentious work disruptions. Canada’s unions have long called for robust, enforceable legislation that should close any existing loopholes and leave no room for interpretation by employers. 

“The NDP’s advocacy with workers for robust anti-scab legislation resulted in this vital piece of legislation being included in the Supply and Confidence Agreement between the NDP and the Government,” said Bruske. “Political leaders that support workers recognize that banning scabs will help increase fairness at the bargaining table and bring forward these protections for workers.” 

In order to truly protect workers and their right to strike, anti-scab legislation must apply to any work regularly performed by bargaining unit workers, to ensure effectiveness. It is important that the legislation doesn’t deny workers the right to legally strike by creating more essential services barriers and that it has strong enforcement mechanisms to ensure adherence. The legislation should also be amended to bring these urgent protections into force immediately upon adoption. The NDP has indicated support for amendments that would strengthen the Act. 

“Workers have called for anti-scab legislation for decades, as it has been a missing piece of Canada’s federal labour law,” said Bruske. “Now we need the government and all parties to strengthen, adopt, and swiftly bring into force the legislation and deliver this long-needed protection for workers.” 

The Canadian Labour Congress is the largest labour organization in Canada, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour and community-based labour councils to represent more than 3 million workers across the country. 

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

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There will always be those who believe that the most important aspect of any business is the bottom line, regardless of how such tunnel vision can negatively impact the lives of workers.

But the best employers understand that a sound business model includes nurturing workplaces in which their employees are treated with dignity and respect.

Those who care about the people who work for them will often see higher productivity from a healthier, happier workforce.

It’s with this in mind that Canadians working in federally-regulated sectors will have a lot to look forward to when changes to the Canada Labour Code come into effect on September 1^st.

While there are those sounding the alarm at the new rules, it’s prudent to take a step back and reflect on what the amendments actually mean for everyone.

First, there are the workers who will be directly impacted. These include full-time, part-time, and casual employees working in a range of fields including railways, shipping and banks. Then there is the wider public who these workers indirectly and directly serve. All of us win when people are treated fairly.

Everyone wins when employers recognize that every worker has personal responsibilities and obligations that will change over the person’s career.  Having flexible work arrangements means ensuring that workers can adapt to changing circumstances in their lives without jeopardizing their livelihood.

Everyone wins when workers have the right to refuse overtime so that they can care for their family members and fulfill their commitments to their children’s education.

Everyone wins when workers experiencing domestic violence are able to access paid leave to cope with what would be a highly traumatic and difficult experience for anyone. Victims of domestic violence should not be forced to choose between their well-being and their livelihood.

While these are only a few of the amendments coming into force on September 1^st, the changes to the Labour Code as a whole are designed to ensure that workers are able to balance their health, well-being, personal obligations and their jobs.

Unfortunately, it has become routine to hear a chorus of disapproval when efforts to improve the working conditions of Canadians are implemented. There will always be those who decry the introduction of such provisions as overly burdensome or too much red tape for employers. The reality, however, is that most provincially-regulated workplaces have already had to contend with similar, if not more stringent, rules for a number of years now and the sky hasn’t fallen – the federal government is simply playing catch-up here.

It’s also unsurprising that critics will claim that the plans to introduce updated standards are hidden from public view, to be sprung on unsuspecting stakeholders at the very last minute. These amendments to the Labour Code have been in the works for several years and are the result of wide-ranging consultations between the government, workers, unions and employers.

By improving the lives of workers, we are improving the quality of life for everyone. Employers who lack vision may fall for the scaremongering but those who have the best interests of their workers at heart should welcome these amendments as being long overdue. In fact, they should advocate for further improvements.

For instance, it’s time that the federal government reinstate a minimum hourly wage for workers in federally regulated sectors. The minimum wage must be set at $15 an hour and tied to indexation so that jobs help workers get ahead rather sustaining them in a cycle of poverty.

Workers must also be able to “switch off” their work phones and emails once they’ve returned home. Unfortunately, in this era of instant communication, many employers expect their staff to respond on their own personal time – that’s simply unhealthy and unfair.

Canada’s workers are making positive strides. Employers can either get with the program, or risk losing their best workers.

Hassan Yussuff is the President of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow him on Twitter @Hassan_Yussuff.

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“One workplace death is already too many. Workers deserve to arrive home safely at the end of their workday. No one should die for their job,” said Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Hassan Yussuff. “Yet, there were almost one thousand reported workplace deaths in Canada in 2017, and recent research shows us that these statistics on workplace injuries, accidents and illnesses are just the tip of the iceberg,” Yussuff continued. Official numbers only take into account approved compensation claims, leaving out illnesses and deaths that go unreported or claims that are denied, or workers not covered by compensation systems at all.

Workers need better enforcement of existing occupational health and safety legislation, and the Westray sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. Employers need to invest in proven prevention tools, including empowered, well-trained health and safety committees.

Unfortunately, provincial governments across the country – like Ontario and Manitoba –have been weakening health and safety provisions when they should be working to strengthen them. Ontario announced a change in its requirement for basic health and safety certification from the current standard three days of instructor-led, in-class training to a one-day on-line course. And Manitoba introduced changes to its Workplace Safety and Health legislation, eliminating the Chief Prevention Officer position and adding a six-month deadline for workers to report complaints. It also provided new authority for a labour director to dismiss complaints without first starting an investigation.

“The previous federal government weakened the definition of danger in the labour code without any consultation. The right to refuse dangerous work is often a worker’s last line of defence,” said Yussuff. “This government must reinstate the previous definition, that was developed in consultation with workers and employers.”

Canada’s unions have also called on the federal government to better protect workers. This means reinstating the pre-2014 definition of danger in the Canada Labour Code Part II to once again include the right to refuse dangerous work, hiring and training more federal health and safety officers, and enforcing the laws we have including legislated occupational health and safety requirements and the Westray Law.

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Introducing a new Pay Equity Act will bring in long-awaited legislation requiring federally-regulated employers to create proactive pay equity plans that will begin to address Canada’s gender wage gap. The government also announced the establishment of a Pay Equity Commissioner to independently oversee implementation and hold employers accountable.

“Canada’s unions have been fighting for proactive pay equity legislation for over a decade and we’re glad to see the government take meaningful action to close Canada’s shameful gender pay gap,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff.

For all federally-regulated employers with ten or more workers, the new legislation will adapt existing compliance frameworks to include pay equity, and set out specific timelines for implementation and compulsory maintenance reviews.

Changes to Part III of the Canada Labour Code were also included in the omnibus bill, and are being heralded by Canada’s unions as an important modernization of federal labour standards in Canada. These changes will restrict exploitation by prohibiting employers from misclassifying workers and paying them less, simply because they work for a temp agency or on a part-time, casual or term basis.

Canada’s unions were also pleased with new measures that will prevent employers from using contract flipping as a means of undermining the wages, benefits, and job security of workers.

“The Canada Labour Code used to be upheld as the gold standard across the Country but federal labour standards were significantly eroded over a decade by the Harper government,” said Yussuff. “Providing additional vacation time and leave provisions, as well as new scheduling notice protections, are important steps that will lift employment standards for Canadian workers,” said Yussuff.

After an intensive campaign by Canada’s unions, survivors of domestic violence working in the federal sector will now receive five days of paid leave. This will help to set a national standard as many provinces move to allow people experiencing violence at home to seek the support and services they need to help keep themselves and their children safe.

“Canada’s unions will continue to push to elevate labour standards for everyone working in Canada,” said Yussuff. “Along with this week’s announcements, immediate action to establish a $15 federal minimum wage would raise the bar across the country.”

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In 1981 after a 42-day strike, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) won postal workers across Canada 17 weeks of paid maternity leave. The concept of longer periods of paid maternity leave than was available through unemployment insurance benefits soon became mainstream and expanded across the country.

Paid maternity leave benefits – a guaranteed period for new mothers to be away from the workplace and then return to their job – had only been established a decade earlier. Before that, a new mother had to quit her job or return to work quickly if her family depended on her income.

Work leave for new mothers was first introduced in Canada when BC introduced the Maternity Protection Act of 1921. This legislation enabled women to take a limited leave of absence before and after giving birth and made it unlawful to dismiss women for these absences. She was also permitted thirty minutes twice a day to nurse her child while at work. Employers not abiding by the legislation were subject to hefty fines.

It does not sound very progressive, but at the time, it really was. It was the only legislation of its kind in Canada at that time, and for many years afterward.

In 1940, the Unemployment Insurance Act was introduced in Canada. It did not cover maternity leave in its early decades. Maternity leave, as we currently understand it, was first introduced in BC in 1966. Five years later, the federal government followed suit, amending the Canada Labour Code.

Under the 1971 provisions, mothers with at least 20 weeks of insurable earnings could claim up to 15 weeks of benefits through the Unemployment Insurance system. It was more than a touch controversial to cover expectant and new mothers under a program intended for the unemployed, and it represented a departure from provincially administered maternity leave to a federally regulated system, as we know it today.

At the beginning of the 1960s, just over 30% of women aged 20 to 30 participated in the Canadian labour force. By the end of the 1970s, the proportion of working women had doubled to just over 60%. Today, over 70% of mothers with children under five years of age are working.

Canada’s unions soon pushed for changes to make maternity leave more accessible, not only in legislation, but also by bargaining for better maternity leave for their members. They negotiated with employers for longer leave times with higher benefits that topped up the portion of the salary paid by UI benefits. Unions also won guarantees that women could return to the jobs they held before their maternity leave, as well as expanded parental leave for new fathers and leave for parents of newly adopted children.

In 1979, Quebec’s Common Front, representing government, education and health workers negotiated 20 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, 10 weeks leave when parents adopted a child, and five days of paternity leave.

But the 1981 strike by postal workers, lead by the CUPW, proved to be the tipping point. The trend was clear: workers and their unions were demanding expanded maternity benefits and they were prepared to strike in order to get them. The following year, federal clerks, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), and Bell telephone workers, members of the Communications Workers of Canada (CWC), negotiated paid maternity leave.

Unions didn’t stop at maternity leave. Adoption leave, paternity leave, and parental leave – available to either parent – were routinely negotiated with employers.  In response, the federal government has continually improved the maternity and parental benefits offered through its employment insurance program.

Today, unions continue to advocate for improved access to parental benefits through expanded access to employment insurance benefits overall and through better access to quality and affordable childcare for all workers.  Access to childcare and early childhood education provide economic benefits beyond families with young children. Allowing parents to return to the workforce and to participate fully boosts productivity and delivers proven economic benefits overall.

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“Canada’s unions have been advocating for paid domestic violence leave for years. What started as a relatively modest undertaking with a national study, resulted in important insight into the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. Now we are seeing real progress,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

Yussuff commended Manitoba for being the first province to introduce paid domestic violence leave in 2016. Manitoba now provides all workers the right to five paid days of domestic violence leave, plus an additional ten unpaid days. When necessary, a worker can request up to 17 weeks of unpaid leave without jeopardizing their employment. Earlier this year, Ontario also introduced five paid days of leave for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and if necessary, up to 15 weeks of unpaid leave.

“Paid domestic violence leave for people experiencing violence helps them take steps that can help keep themselves and their children safe. Dealing with violence is time consuming – especially when it comes to tasks like finding housing, opening a bank account, or meeting with lawyers and the police, a lot of which has to happen during office hours,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker.

Momentum for paid leave is building across Canada. Many local unions have now negotiated domestic violence leave clauses. However, Canada’s unions want this right extended to all workers, so across Canada, workers are calling on their provincial and territorial governments to amend their Employment Standards and offer paid domestic violence leave to any worker who needs it.

Paid leave is one of many forms of support people who experience domestic violence can access in their workplace. The CLC has developed training for stewards and union representatives, to empower them to identify and respond when a member is dealing with domestic violence. Our Domestic Violence at Work Online Resource Centre has resources for individuals, representatives and unions who want to learn more and support others. Canada’s unions are also proud to have negotiated support for victims of domestic violence in many workplace collective agreements.

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