Calls to ban replacement workers during strikes continue

Calls continue to grow for the Manitoba government to ban the usage of replacement workers in a strike and make the process of joining a union easier.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released a new report Friday calling for measures they say will make the playing field easier for workers when it comes to labour relations.

The report calls for an end to two-step union certification, where currently a secret ballot is required after at least 40 per cent of workers have signed a membership card indicating they want a union.

Prior to 2016, when the then Pallister government amended legislation to add the additional step, if 65 per cent of workers signed a membership card indicating they wanted to join a union, a secret ballot wouldn’t be required, and the initial vote would be recognized.

“When you have the two-step process, once those cards are signed and they are delivered to the labour board then the employer is notified that workers have indicated their preference to join a union. That’s when employers get their backs up and have these closed-door meetings with their workers,” explained Niall Harney, senior researcher with Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The report is also calling for an end to the usage of replacement workers during a strike. According to the CCPA, the usage of replacement workers saw work disputes prolonged, with strikes involving replacement workers lasting on average 45 days compared to about 23 days without their usage.

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Something a former Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries employee says happened during the MBLL strike last summer.

“With the introduction of replacement workers to the negotiation equation, the strike continued for weeks, with Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries operating without our involvement. The added insult was that Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries was offering higher wages to replacement workers than what they were offering to us at the replacement table,” said Sean Jackson, Manitoba Government & General Employees Union (MGEU).

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business fears if replacement workers are banned, businesses can potentially go out of business during a prolonged strike.

“We believe in the right to collective bargaining, but we believe it has to be a balanced approach,” said Brianna Solberg, the director of Legislative Affairs with Prairies and Northern Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

“Last summer during the liquor workers’ strike, we saw severe disruptions for business owners. In fact, 63 per cent of our members in retail and hospitality had to decrease their service offerings at a time when they needed revenue the most.”  

Anna Rothney, the executive director of the Manitoba Federation of Labour added, “British Columbia and Quebec have long had bans on replacement workers in place under many different governments, and their economies are strong.

The Manitoba NDP government campaigned on making it easier to join a union and is currently undergoing consultations regarding potentially introducing legislation banning replacement workers.

“It’s really important for our government to make sure that we are respecting workers and that we are protecting their rights,” said Malaya Marcelino, Minister of Labour and Immigration of Manitoba.