Canada PoliticsUnion groups decry new labour laws in latest omnibus budget bill
Stop me if you've heard this one before: There are some accusing the Harper government of subverting democratic debate by quietly trying to pass a piece of legislation via an omnibus budget bill.
Earlier this week, as explained by the Globe and Mail, the Tories introduced Bill C-4 — a 308-page budget bill which includes significant changes to Canadian labour laws.
The legislation would give the employer the exclusive right to declare jobs as essential services where workers could not strike, removing unions from that decision. It would also limit the role of arbitration for resolving disputes. Arbitration would be allowed only in cases where bargaining units have 80 per cent or more of their positions designated as essential, or if both parties mutually consent to binding arbitration.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail, [Treasury Board President] Clement played down concern these powers would be used arbitrarily. He said unions would be consulted, but the government will have the final say. “Ultimately we believe the decision to protect the public is the government’s decision. It’s not a negotiating point that can be traded off for other things with the unions,” he said.
Needless to say, union and left-leaning groups are not happy and are warning of dire consequences.
“The Conservative government is using a 308 page budget bill to do by stealth what they will not do by the light of day,” Canadian Labour Congress President Ken Georgetti said in a press release, on Thursday.
"This government has a habit of using this technique to push things through it knows will be unpopular so that there is no chance for real debate. It’s playing partisan politics with their employees' livelihoods.
"What we're seeing here are amateurish moves that will disrupt the delicate balance of long-standing labour relations practices in the federal public service, and put the health and safety of federal workers at risk, all for purely ideological reasons. The unintended consequences will likely be more disputes than Canadians have ever seen before ― and Canadians should ask to what end?"
[ Related: PSAC calls on government to introduce a new modern public service labour law ]
The other main sticking point for the unions is that Clement won't say what 'services' will be deemed essential.
"You can’t start really implementing a bill until it’s actually passed by Parliament. That’s the reason why that has to wait," Clement told the Globe.
"For observers and commentators, I’m sure they can figure out what’s essential and what’s not essential."
In other words: we'll tell you what's in the bill after it's passed?
Rick Smith, Executive Director of the Broadbent Institute, says Clement's refusal to divulge that information "belongs in the pantheon of absurd lawmaking."
"Tony Clement thinks that Canadians should let the Conservative government rubber stamp his new labour law," Smith told Yahoo Canada News.
"Not only is this antidemocratic, just like the limits on debate that the government imposed on the omnibus budget bill it's located in, but it represents the latest chapter in Mr. Harper's ongoing war on the labour movement at a time when working Canadians have fewer recourses to fair wages and working conditions.
"This is an attempt to distract from the scandals engulfing the Prime Minister, no doubt. Unfortunately, legislation by cloak-and-dagger and continued attacks on working Canadians have become standard operating procedure for this government. We can -- and must -- do better."
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Indeed, it seems the battle between Canada's unions and the Harper government continues.
Since coming into power, in 2006, the Tories have tabled six back-to-work bills and are in the midst of cutting 29,600 public sector union jobs between now and 2015.
Earlier this year, the House of Commons also passed Bill C-377 — a private members bill introduced by MP Russ Hierbert which, until thwarted by the Senate, would have required all Canadian labour unions to publicly disclose their financial statements or risk losing their tax exempt status.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada — Canada's largest public sector union — isn't taking it lying down.
In 2012, PSAC added a 26 cent a month 'tax' to members' union dues to boost the union's war chest for political action campaigns.
Also, last year, the union marched down Parliament Hill with "Stephen Harper hates me" t-shirts and buttons.
In September, they commissioned an airplane to fly over Parliament Hill with a banner that read "Stephen Harper nous déteste.ca" (translated as "Stephen Harper hates us.ca").
And lately, they've take to producing anti-Harper government videos.
There is certainly no love loss between the Harper government and the unions.
(Photo courtesy of Reuters)
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