Full Breakdown
Canada Plans Labour Code Changes to Ease Strike Resolutions
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Proposed Amendments to the Canada Labour Code
The Liberal government intends to introduce a bill in the upcoming fall sitting that would modify Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. The change aims to reduce the frequency with which the federal government intervenes in strikes and lockouts, shifting more responsibility to the parties involved. The proposal would also create a neutral, third-party mediator to produce public reports on bargaining disputes.
Background on Section 107
Section 107 has been used in recent years to halt or limit work stoppages in key industries. In the summer, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu invoked the provision to order binding arbitration shortly after Air Canada flight attendants began striking, though the union continued its action until a deal was reached days later.
Official Statements & Responses
- Steven MacKinnon highlighted that the amendment would give parties more tools while keeping government intervention as a last resort.
- Patty Hajdu reiterated that the government already possesses the authority to intervene and that the amendment is intended to lessen the need for such action.
- Mark Carney, the prime minister, linked the labour-code changes to his broader “Building Canada Strong Act,” which also promises to accelerate federal project approvals with the slogan “One project, one review, one year.”
Opposition Views
Unions and business leaders have voiced concerns. Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, argued that any new power to prevent or shut down a legal strike would weaken workers’ rights. Business representative Derrick Hynes, CEO of Federally Regulated Employers-Transportation and Communications, warned that without adequate safeguards, labour disruptions could become “catastrophic.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any new power to prevent or shut down a legal strike, including before it begins, would weaken that power. Canada needs workers with our elbows up, not our hands tied,” — Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress
- “One project, one review, one year,” — Mark Carney, prime minister