CUPE condemns Senate attempt to roll back workers' Charter rights at ports and in rail sector

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE is condemning a report released Thursday by a Senate committee that calls for the government to dramatically scale back the ability of workers at ports and in the rail sector to exercise their Charter right to strike.

"The government should put this Senate report where it belongs – straight into the trash bin," said CUPE National President Mark Hancock. "We aren’t going to build a stronger economy by Americanizing our labour laws and stripping Canadian workers of their Charter rights just to please big multinational corporations. You don’t get labour peace by taking away workers’ rights – you get labour peace by respecting them."

The report recommends broadening essential services designations and imposing contracts through forced arbitration.

"Big corporations don't get to pick and choose which parts of the Charter they have to comply with," said CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick. "The Supreme Court of Canada and the International Court of Justice have been crystal clear: the right to strike is a fundamental and protected right of all workers."

The report comes on the heels of a federal labour code review which is considering a similarly draconian assault on workers' rights. CUPE has strongly cautioned the federal government against going down that path, and warned that the labour movement will stand tall against any attempts to dismantle the hard-won rights of Canadian workers.