The World Socialist Web Site reports that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is moving to “update” the Canada Labour Code in ways that would further restrict federally regulated workers’ right to strike and bargain. According to the report, proposals on the table include expanding the designation of “essential workers” who could never legally strike, lengthening the timelines for declaring a strike, extending “cooling off” periods, adding clearer language to enable quick strike-breaking orders, and inserting “special” federal mediators early in bargaining with the power to call for government intervention. Over one million workers fall under federal jurisdiction, many in transport, logistics, and telecommunications.
The piece situates the review against the Liberal government’s commitment to spend 5 percent of GDP on the military by 2035, and against successive governments’ reinterpretation of Section 107 of the Code, which labour ministers have used to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board to end strikes — at Canada Post, BC and Quebec ports, WestJet, the national railways, and Air Canada — without parliamentary debate. The report notes the consultation was convened quietly, with a 38-day timeline, open only to invited employer, industry, and union-leadership participants.
The article reports that union leaders and new federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis are promising a “hot summer” of labour action if the right to strike is threatened by revisions to the Code. Consistent with its editorial line, the WSWS is sharply critical of the union bureaucracy and of the NDP’s role, and calls for rank-and-file organizing independent of the unions.
Source: World Socialist Web Site. Reproduced for reference under fair dealing (Copyright Act, s. 29). The outlet’s analysis reflects its own editorial perspective.