Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Friends,
A historic day for our movement!
Yesterday afternoon, Wab Kinew’s NDP government introduced legislative changes to make two key labour law changes that Manitoba’s unions have been fighting for over the last fifty years – single step union certification set at 50 per cent +1 (card check) and a ban on scabs.
You may recall that the Opposition PC Party tried to delay these progressive labour laws earlier this spring, but the NDP has outsmarted them to ensure that simple majority card check and a ban on replacement workers will be put in place by this fall at the latest. Premier Kinew, Minister of Labour Malaya Marcelino and the whole NDP government are moving Manitoba forward to re-balance our labour laws and help workers get bigger paycheques, greater job security, and safer workplaces.
It makes a difference to have a Premier and a provincial government who are looking out for the hardworking people of Manitoba by bringing in new protections to ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity on the job.
Manitoba’s unions have been clear that workers need to be protected from employer threats and intimidation when they are trying to organize a union at their workplace. Workers know what they’re doing and they know what they want. If a majority of workers sign a union application card, they should get a union.
And Manitoba employers are using replacement workers more and more. Seven of the last eight full strikes in Manitoba have seen the use of replacement workers. It isn’t fair that employers can replace workers who are on strike or locked out and just carry on like business as usual. We are thrilled to see the Kinew government righting this historic wrong and banning scab labour here in our province. And we could not have won these historic changes for Manitoba’s unions without your help, including the thousands of post cards calling for card check and anti-scab legislation that union members sent to the Premier’s office.
We will keep you updated as these legislative changes as they go through the process of becoming law.
In Solidarity,
Kevin Rebeck
President of the Manitoba Federation of Labour