A day after NDP Leah Gazan introduced a bill to strip Section 107 from the Canada Labour Code, CUPE National President Mark Hancock stood proudly with representatives from the federal NDP and Canadian Labour Congress to support workers’ constitutional bargaining rights.
Section 107 gives the federal labour minister sweeping and arbitrary powers to unilaterally suspend strikes—powers the Liberal government have repeatedly abused to side with employers and undermine workers’ rights.
The Liberal government most recently invoked Section 107 to send 10,000 striking Air Canada flight attendants back to work. Those brave CUPE members stood strong and defied the government’s unjust order—and many were on hand Tuesday as Hancock forcefully defended their rights.
“Collective bargaining works—but only when it’s allowed to work,” said Hancock. “Section 107 is bad for workers’ livelihoods, and it’s bad for the constitutional rights of all Canadians. It’s got to go.”
The Liberals have used Section 107 to intervene in eight strikes, near strikes, or lockouts since summer 2024.
The bill will be debated in the House of Commons later this fall.