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FREDERICTON, April 8, 2016 /CNW/ - Unifor is pleased with the decision of Premier Brian Gallant's Liberal government to shelve its proposed changes to labour legislation.
"We are glad to see that the premier heard and acted upon our very serious concerns with Bill 24," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias, who with Unifor's Atlantic Regional Director Lana Payne met with the premier and Labour Minister Francine Landry earlier this week to outline the problems with the legislation.
"Bill 24 would have resulted in unnecessary labour conflict across both the public and private sectors, eviscerated free and fair collective bargaining, put a downward pressure on the wages of all New Brunswickers and made it very difficult to achieve negotiated agreements," said Payne. "We look forward to working with government on the announced consultation process for labour laws."
Dias and Payne thanked the many Unifor local leaders and activists who pushed back against the proposed changes to New Brunswick's labour laws. Unifor members gathered at the Legislature with members of other unions on different occasions over the past two weeks to voice their opposition to the bill.
Unifor also presented the Premier's office with a review of the legislation by Unifor's legal team which noted that Bill 24 amounted to a substantial interference with collective bargaining. This would violate section 2(d) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"Our strong opposition to this legislation was not just to protect the rights of our members, but to protect the rights of all workers in the province," said Payne.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.
SOURCE Unifor
