“Last night, I met with the heads of Canada’s unions, representing workers across the country and every part of our economy. We are united: any new restriction on the right to strike is unacceptable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The proposed legislation includes important measures workers and unions have fought for, including protections against contract flipping and wage theft, as well as additional resources for the Canada Industrial Relations Board and health and safety enforcement.

But those measures come alongside a fundamental attack on the right to strike. The legislation would give the minister extraordinarily broad discretion to end a legal strike based on the minister’s view of the national interest.

“The so-called guardrails are frankly nonsense,” said Mark Rowlinson, lawyer at Goldblatt Partners. “The legislation gives the minister unfettered power to single-handedly shut down a strike based purely on their opinion. That concentration of power is unprecedented among G7 countries.”

“Strong collective bargaining, including the right to strike, is in Canada’s national interest,” said Bruske.

Canada’s unions have been clear that workers are ready to defend Canadian jobs, build what Canada needs, attract investment and make the country more resilient in the face of the U.S. trade war.

“Workers are on Team Canada. Our elbows are up. But we cannot defend Canada with our hands tied at the bargaining table,” said Bruske.

The CLC warned that giving government the power to end legal strikes would also change the balance at the bargaining table, giving employers no real incentive to reach a deal.

“A right you cannot exercise is not a right,” said Bruske. “Canada’s unions fought for the right to strike, and we will fight to defend it.”

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OTTAWA – Bea Bruske, the President of the Canadian Labour Congress, has issued the following statement:

“We’ve had a first look at the changes to the Canada Labour Code.

There are things in this bill that unions have fought for and that will improve protections for workers, including progress on successor rights in contract flipping, protecting workers from wage theft, funding for Canada Industrial Relations Board and health and safety inspectors. We welcome these measures.

But on the right to strike the government broke its promise to workers.

This bill gives government the new and expanded power to end a legal strike when it decides the strike is, or could be, against the national interest.

We reject the idea that workers’ bargaining power is somehow contrary to the national interest.

The national interest is good jobs. It is jobs that are safe, secure and well paid. It is strong industries, investment in Canada and workers getting a fair share

Collective bargaining is what delivers those things.

Employers already have enormous power over jobs, investment and the workplace. Workers balance that power by standing together and, when necessary, withdrawing their labour.

A strike has economic impact because that is how collective bargaining works. If government can end a strike because it is having an economic impact, employers have less reason to compromise and reach a deal.

That weakens collective bargaining before government ever uses the power.

We are still reviewing the legislation closely and there is more in this bill that we will have to assess. But on the right to strike, our position is clear.

Canada is in a trade war. We need workers and employers focused on protecting jobs, building what Canada needs and making our economy more resilient. The government should be strengthening the conditions for workers and employers to reach agreements, not giving employers another reason to wait for government to step in.”

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The post Government legislation undermines the right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Today, the federal government is expected to introduce significant changes to the Canada Labour Code.

Canada’s unions will be watching closely.

The government has repeatedly said it will protect the right to strike. We welcome that commitment. Today, we expect to see what it means in practice.

Canada is confronting an extraordinary economic threat from the United States. This is a moment to pull together, build more here at home, attract investment and strengthen our economic security.

Canada’s unions are part of Team Canada. We have our elbows up. We are ready to build, invest and fight for Canadian jobs. But we can’t have our elbows up against Trump with our hands tied at the bargaining table.

The right to strike is what gives us the power to bargain for better wages, safer workplaces and greater job security. Weakening that power will not create greater stability or labour peace. It risks doing the opposite.

Throughout the government’s review, unions have called for stronger protections for workers and for government to step back from intervening in legal labour disputes. Employers have pushed for new powers to limit strikes and increase government intervention when bargaining gets difficult.

Our bargaining power is part of Canada’s economic security. We can attract investment, build the industries and infrastructure Canada needs and protect the fundamental rights of the people doing the work.

Canada’s unions are ready to work with the government to do exactly that.

But we have also been clear: any new restriction on our right to strike is unacceptable.

We will review the legislation carefully and respond to the details once it is introduced.

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The post Canada’s unions look to government to keep its commitment on the right to strike appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Postal services in Canada are under attack, and postal workers are bearing the brunt of decades of bad business decisions made by wealthy executives.  While executives collect massive bonuses, workers are being squeezed. Our communities need reliable, door-to-door delivery that puts service before profit.

Canada Post is a public service, not a for-profit company—and the workers delivering that service deserve fair contracts, decent wages, job security, and safe working conditions.

This rally will serve as a powerful reminder that workers’ strength comes from our unity. This is more than a protest: it’s a fight for the future of good jobs and a strong public postal service in Canada. Together, we will send a clear message to MPs and decision-makers that postal workers deserve better.

WHAT:            Rally in support of the Canadian Postal Service and CUPW members

WHO:              Siobhán Vipond & Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-Presidents

WHERE:         Parliament Hill, Ottawa

WHEN:           Wednesday, October 1, 11:00 am

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The post Postal workers under attack: labour leaders join Ottawa rally for public postal service appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress, I want to express our solidarity and support to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) members in New Brunswick,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Frontline workers who did so much to keep our communities going throughout the pandemic deserve so much better. Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with CUPE workers.”

Despite the strike being now in its 12th day, Premier Higgs has declared the government has no plans to return to the bargaining table. Last Friday, the New Brunswick government announced they were using the Emergency Measures Act and the COVID-19 state of emergency to force some public employees back to work.

“Premier Higgs could end this dispute but seems to lack the will to do so. Turning to back-to-work legislation or using the province’s COVID-19 emergency order to block a strike – rather than negotiating a solution in good faith around the table – shows the premier’s lack of commitment to good faith negotiations,” concluded Bruske. “New Brunswick’s Public Sector workers aren’t only fighting for themselves, they are fighting for fair wages, real quality of life improvements and protecting pensions for people across New Brunswick and across Canada.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
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613-526-7426

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