Government needs to pass strong anti-scab legislation now.

Ban the use of “replacement workers” (Scabs)

When unionized workers are on strike or locked out, no one should be able to perform their work – not new or temporary hires, not management, not workers in other bargaining units, not students, or other workers.

We know that free and fair collective bargaining – without the threat of scabs taking workers’ jobs or imposing back-to-work legislation – is the best way to reach good agreements and stable workplaces.

The use of scabs pits working people against each other and takes advantage of non-unionized workers who are desperate for work.

In 2022, as part of the confidence-and-supply agreement with the NDP, the Liberal government committed to table legislation to ban the use of so-called “replacement workers” for both lockouts and strikes by the end of 2023.

The NDP and the Bloc Québécois have committed to passing anti-scab legislation quickly.

There is no justification for this Liberal minority government waiting to the end of the year to pass this legislation.

They need to pass strong meaningful anti-scab legislation now.

IAM anti-scab message.

Thursday October 6, 2016

Ottawa, ON – “Working women can’t wait two more years for pay equity legislation,” said a disgusted Heather Kelley, IAM Grand Lodge Representative and Women’s Rights advocate.

Kelley was speaking about a News Release issued by the Federal Government late yesterday afternoon: “Despite the Federal Government recognizing that pay equity is a human right, their release shows that this human right can wait, explained Kelley. “The government spent the last two years hearing from women across the Country, and we have examples of Provincial Pay Equity plans already working.”

IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall concurs: “This report does nothing for working women today; it just doesn’t go far enough. Two more years of waiting for the legislation and then whatever time it will take for implementation.  We know that the Gender Wage Gap is real; will there be retroactivity for working women?”

“The Liberal government’s strategy is very transparent,” said Kelley. “They’re dragging their feet – two years of consultation followed by another two years on how to frame and implement this legislation will bring them to the end of their mandate – providing them with the perfect election platform to attract women voters. It’s manipulation of women’s rights pure and simple.”

The IAM joins the Canadian Labour congress in calling on Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Government to step up now with pro-active pay equity legislation.

“Why,” asks Pickthall. “Because it’s 2016.”