ONA, CFNU decry federal bill that impacts right to strike
CFNU and provincial nursing union representatives show their support at a Canadian Union of Postal Workers rally on Parliament Hill last year.
CFNU and provincial nursing union representatives show their support at a Canadian Union of Postal Workers rally on Parliament Hill last year.
ONA has joined the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions (CFNU) and other unions in condemning measures in the federal government’s new Building Canada Strong Act (Bill C-39) that infringe on a worker’s right to strike.
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Bill C-39 was introduced in the House of Commons on September 21, and includes a host of changes to the Canadian Labour Code, including some positive ones that unions have fought for. Those changes will improve protections for workers regarding wage theft and will see progress made on successor rights in contract flipping.
Federally regulated unionized workers, like those represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, will be directly impacted if Bill C-39 passes as is. But its changes to the Canadian Labour Code regarding legal strikes are deeply concerning to all unions, including ONA.
But the changes to Section 107 of the Code will also allow for a legal strike to be ended if it’s seen to be against the national interest, which threatens the fair negotiating process.
“We know that collective bargaining has brought great gains to workers, from safer workplaces to job security,” says CFNU President Linda Silas. “Taking away the power workers have – their power to negotiate fair wages and benefits – is contrary to the national interest.”
The anti-constitutional powers found in this new Bill must be removed.
ONA and several other provincial nursing unions joined with the CFNU, which is a member of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), in releasing a statement on the Bill. It noted that “Canada’s nurses will always support free and fair labour relations as a cornerstone of a democratic society. The anti-constitutional powers found in this new Bill must be removed.”
We encourage all ONA members to send a strong message to Parliamentarians through the CLC’s website and show that Canada’s labour movement is united in opposing the aspects of the Bill that infringe on workers’ rights. Learn more here.
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