Alberta Premier Redford passes harsh anti-union legislation, where public sector workers are left effectively powerless and easily repressed for organizing efforts by the new laws. Already, public sector strikes have been illegal across the board. Now arbitration is eliminated, meaning the government has complete power to impose new contracts (they are currently in negotiation with the Alberta Union of Public Employees (AUPE)). Most importantly, not only are strikes banned, but now all talk and discussion about strike activity is illegal. Clearly this is a response to the impressive struggle of Alberta prison guards - an illegal wildcat strike - that led to solidarity strikes in other sectors and broad solidarity of the labour movement. From Article: But from now on, they won’t even be able to talk about a strike or any disruptive labour action that could be seen as leading to a strike. If there’s a hint of a work stoppage, just a puff of smoke from a shop floor, the union will have to forfeit $1 million a day, unless it can convince the court it didn’t encourage the strike talk from locals or random militants. Along with prohibitions against specific actions such as calling a strike vote, Bill 45 contains an exceptionally vague ban on “an act or threat to act that could reasonably be perceived as preparation for an employees’ strike.” ----------- This is disgusting and clearly anti-democratic. This is a huge offensive of labour rights, and militant, co-ordinated and across the board struggle should be carried out to stop this. Prepare for a one day province-wide general strike against this legislation, calling for solidarity strikes and action in other provinces. The AUPE, which is facing a legislated austerity contract in the current negotiations, alone represents nearly half of the unionized workers in Alberta (if Im not mistaken). This is an attempt to break the back of labour in the province. However, carrying out a militant struggle in defiance of this legislation and in the current collective bargaining with the provincial government could be an important turning point for the labour movement. calgaryherald/opinion/columnists/Tory+laws+very+mention+union+strikes+delivers+blow/9243464/story.html
Posted on: Thu, 05 Dec 2013 01:49:21 +0000
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