Canada’s unions united against new restrictions on the right to strike

OTTAWA — Canada’s unions are united in calling on the federal government to remove new restrictions on the right to strike from its proposed changes to the Canada Labour Code.

“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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