Friday April 30 2021
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers condemns the Federal Government’s back-to-work legislation which undermines striking dock workers at the Port of Montreal rights to free and fair collective bargaining.
“Back-to-work legislation accomplishes one thing – putting more power into the hands of the employers,” says Jan Simpson, CUPW National President. “Postal workers know this all too well and share the dock workers frustrations. Negotiated contracts and the right to strike are how real gains are made in the workplace, but increasingly, employers rely on government legislation and refuse to negotiate in good faith.”
Back-to-work legislation is a clear violation of Charter rights. In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the constitutional right to strike as an indispensable component of the right to collective bargaining.
“Justin Trudeau and his government should be ashamed,” says Simpson. “They claim to fight for the middle class but have once again chosen to take away workers’ right to strike. We know that when governments interfere in free collective bargaining, it erodes legal collective action for everyone.”
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers and its over 56,000 members stand in solidarity with the striking dock workers, members of CUPE local 375, and urge the government not to interfere in the bargaining process.