Unions representing longshore workers from Canada’s big ports met in Montreal on Thursday to denounce Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon’s handling of last week’s railway dispute.
Minister MacKinnon called striking railway workers back to work, and rail companies back in service, after a Canadian National Railway lockout shut down service nationwide on Aug. 22 – forcing both parties into binding arbitration. Workers at Canadian Pacific Kansas City went on strike at the same time.
The longshore unions condemned the Minister for taking away workers’ right to strike. They shared a letter sent to MacKinnon, in which they ask, “As Minister of Labour, do you intend to invoke section 107 to unilaterally suspend workers’ constitutional rights and order binding arbitration in the event of a strike or lockout in the longshore sector?”
The Minister told reporters Aug. 22 that the government “believe[s] in collective bargaining” but “will do everything in its power to preserve the stability and certainty that [Canada’s] railways and entire economy are renowned for.”
