October 23, 2006
Canadian Labour Congress Anti-scab legislation Lobby
Union members are meeting with Members of Parliament October 23-25, 2006, to secure their support for the second reading of Bill C-257, which will amend the Canadian Labour Code to prohibit the use of replacement workers during a labour dispute. PSAC members across the country have been busy over the summer and fall contacting and meeting with their MPs to build support for the vote which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, 2006, at 5:00pm.
They came from far away
Four PSAC – Union of Northern Workers members participating in the lobby, Andy Anderson, Richard J. Charlo, Ian Kelly and Troy Oslanki, have recent first-hand knowledge of the reasons why Canada needs anti-scab legislation. They walked the picket line this past spring during the strike against the multinational corporation BHP Billiton at the Ekati Mine in the Northwest Territories. They experienced the negative effects replacement workers can have on a community during a labour conflict.
“Scabs make a labour conflict last longer because some employers choose to hire them instead of negotiating with the unions,” said Troy Oslanki, vice-president PSAC Local 3050 in Yellowknife. “Also scabs create deep and long lasting divisions in the small communities where the workers live.”
PSAC National Executive Vice-President, Patty Ducharme, is responsible for the anti-scab legislation campaign within the PSAC. She indicated Quebec and British-Columbia already have a law forbidding the use of replacement workers and that the duration of labour conflicts has been reduced in those jurisdictions.
“It has been demonstrated over and over again that anti-scab legislation contributes enormously to more harmonious labour relations,” Ducharme said. “Members of Parliament must come together across party lines to support this long over due legislation to ensure that labour disputes are resolved quickly and peacefully. It's balanced, fair and will benefit working people in this country. ”
PSAC members who have not yet contacted their MP on the Anti-Scab Legislation (Bill C-257) are encouraged to do so as soon as possible before the vote on Wednesday, October 25, 2006. Use our Email your MP service
Date Modified : 2010/07/28
