Conservatives still pushing Bill C-525
The Parliamentary Committee studying Bill C-525 spent just three hours hearing from witnesses and asking them questions about changes to three federal labour laws that will affect over a million workers.
Bill C-525 would change the rules that apply when workers decide whether or not to have a union in their workplace. Under the current laws, if a majority of employees sign union cards their union can be certified. The Bill would impose a forced vote even when a majority has clearly shown they want a union.
During testimony before the Committee, MPs were told repeatedly by all sides that the proposal in the Bill that would count anyone who didn’t vote as having voted against the union was anti-democratic and not in keeping with Canadian standards.
The government MPs on the Committee had to agree that this was not appropriate and amended the Bill in Committee to say that certification and decertification decisions are made on the basis of a majority of those who actually vote.
In spite of this change, Bill C-525 is still a solution in search of a problem.
Witness after witness told the Committee that the best way to change labour law is through extensive consultation with employers and unions. Reaching a consensus on changes contributes to harmonious labour relations; imposing changes does not. Nevertheless the Bill is proceeding.
The real purpose of Bill C-525 is to make it harder for workers to organize. The Chair of the Canada Industrial Labour Relations Board testified that up to now representation votes are called in only 18 to 20 percent of cases under the Canada Labour Code. Insisting that votes be held in all cases will quintuple the Board’s workload requiring more staff and financial resources; all this at a time when budgets are frozen. The more votes, the longer it will take for workers to have their unions certified, the more time the employer will have to interfere.
Bill C-525 will now go back to the House of Commons for further votes and then proceed to the Senate.
PSAC will be continuing to work with MPs and Senators to stop this damaging and unnecessary piece of legislation.
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February 14, 2014
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