In solidarity with its brothers and sisters at the Port of Montreal, CUPE’s Conseil provincial du secteur des communications (CPSC) strongly condemned the “employer dictatorship” strategy that the Maritime Employer’s Association (MEA) has been following in its conflict with the union.
“What’s the use of having labour relations legislation if every time a employer negotiates with a union, the government comes to its rescue with special legislation?” wonders Tulsa Valin-Landry, President of the CPSC.
“All the way through these negotiations, the employer has been resorting to all kinds of tactics to stretch things out and not really negotiate, knowing full well that the government would eventually come to its rescue,” he added.
“Even the Supreme Court has recognized the importance of the right to strike in the balance of power during negotiations. So why is this government, which claims to be modern and intent on improving the Canada Labour Code, taking a position against workers? This behaviour is unacceptable and must be condemned by everyone who believes in democracy in all its forms,” said Steve Bargone, a union representative and coordinator of the CUPE communications sector.