Canada's largest union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), is slamming the federal government's forced arbitration order against rail workers represented by Teamsters Canada who were set to engage in a lawful strike. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order an end to any labour stoppage and imposed binding arbitration.
  • Sundial@lemm.ee
    0·
    2 months ago

    My understanding is that the NDP could have stopped this. Is this not the case? Why wouldn’t a pro union party help a union?

    • Kovukono@pawb.socialEnglish
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      2 months ago

      The action was taken by a cabinet member to order the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to step in. The CIRB isn’t controlled by any party. Singh came out with a statement that condemns the move, and says it signals that any federally-regulated field doesn’t have to negotiate with workers in good faith. I don’t know where you heard that any party has the ability to stop this other than the party who the current Minister of Labour belongs to, but no action was taken that needed to pass the House.

      • Sundial@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        Thanks for the explanation.

        So they can’t directly influence it. At most they can try to strong arm the liberals/Trudeau into not pushing it through if they decided to. Is that correct?

        • Kovukono@pawb.socialEnglish
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          2 months ago

          I get that you’re trying to say that the NDP was able to do something, but there’s no evidence they were consulted on it. Given that it lasted less than a day before the strike was stopped, it was probably something the government didn’t discuss long.