The following is an open letter signed by over seventy labour experts calling on Canadian policymakers to support Bill C-58 An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, which is currently undergoing Second Reading in the House of Commons.
We the undersigned are writing in our capacity as work and labour studies researchers, scholars, and policy experts to express our support for a federal ban on replacement workers.
By adopting Bill C-58, Parliament has a historic opportunity to advance workers’ rights and improve labour relations in federally-regulated workplaces by:
- Strengthening the collective bargaining process and levelling the playing field in contract disputes;
- Banning the use of strikebreakers that inflame tensions and poison workplace relationships;
- Reducing instances of picket violence and vandalism;
- Incentivizing employers to focus on reaching negotiated settlements at the bargaining table rather than strategizing over how to best undermine union members exercising their right to strike.
Bill C-58 offers practical and meaningful measures that help to address longstanding imbalances in the labour relations regime.
Assertions from business lobbyists that a ban on replacement workers will drive away investment and increase the likelihood of work stoppages are unfounded. While there is no academic consensus on the economic implications of anti-scab legislation, we know that similar legislation in Quebec and British Columbia that bans the use of replacement workers in provincially-regulated industries did not lead to escalating wage demands, dramatic increases in strike activity, or economic collapse.
Calls by corporate interests to water down the bill are ill-advised. Bill C-58 is already watered down. It exempts the federal public service and the restrictions on replacement workers apply only to those employed after the day on which notice to bargain collectively is given. To water down the bill any further would be to render it meaningless.
Moreover, as currently constituted, Bill C-58 will not come into force until 18 months after it receives Royal Assent. That timeline is unnecessarily long in our view. The legislation should be amended to take effect sooner rather than later.
A ban on replacement workers is necessary and long overdue. We urge Members of Parliament to resist efforts to weaken the bill and to instead work cooperatively to strengthen the legislation and ensure its swift adoption.
Signatories
Dr. Rachel Aleks,
University of Windsor
Dr. Rupa Banerjee,
Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Geneviève Baril-Gingras,
Université Laval
Dr. Bob Barnetson,
Athabasca University
Dr. Jean-Luc Bédard,
Université TÉLUQ
Dr. Stéphanie Bernstein,
Université du Québec à Montréal
Dr. Simon Black,
Brock University
Dr. Louise Boivin,
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Dr. Julie Bourgault,
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Dr. Alison Braley-Rattai,
Brock University
Dr. Michelle Buckley,
University of Toronto
Dr. Jonah Butovsky,
Brock University
Dr. Susan Cake,
Athabasca University
Dr. David Camfield,
University of Manitoba
Dr. Thomas Collombat,
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Dr. Renée-Claude Drouin,
University of Montreal
Dr. Michel Coutu,
University of Montreal
Dr. David Doorey,
York University
Dr. Thomas Dunk,
Brock University
Dr. Edward Dunsworth,
McGill University
Dr. Barry Eidlin,
McGill University
Dr. Evelyn Encalada Grez,
Simon Fraser University
Dr. John-Paul Ferguson,
McGill University
Dr. Jason Foster,
Athabasca University
Dr. Tami J. Friedman,
Brock University
Dr. Judy Fudge,
McMaster University
Dr. Julie Garneau,
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Dr. Raoul Gebert,
Université de Sherbrooke
Dr. Peter Graefe,
McMaster University
Dr. Paul Gray,
Brock University
Dr. Julie Guard,
University of Manitoba
Dr. Judy Haiven,
Saint Mary’s University
Dr. Jesse Hajer,
University of Manitoba
Dr Geraint Harvey,
Western University
Dr. John Holmes,
Queen’s University
Dr. Jordan House,
Brock University
Dr. Franca Iacovetta,
University of Toronto
Dr. Gregory S. Kealey,
University of New Brunswick
Dr. Linda Kealey,
University of New Brunswick
Dr. Paul Kellogg,
Athabasca University
Dr. Philip Kelly,
York University
Dr. Adam D.K. King,
University of Manitoba
Dr. Wayne Lewchuk,
McMaster University
Dr. Cynthia Loch-Drake,
York University
Dr. Stephen McBride,
McMaster University
Dr. Ian MacDonald,
Université de Montréal
Dr. Ravi Malhotra,
University of Ottawa
Dr. Isabelle Martin,
Université de Montréal
Dr. Jeremy Milloy,
Wayne State University
Dr. Suzanne Mills,
McMaster University
Dr. Claire Mummé,
University of Windsor
Dr. Katherine Nastovski,
York University
Dr. James Naylor,
Brandon University
Dr. Sean O’Brady,
McMaster University
Dr. John Peters,
Memorial University
Dr. Stephanie Ross,
McMaster University
Dr. Jason Russell,
SUNY Empire State University
Dr. Larry Savage,
Brock University
Dr. Adrian A. Smith,
Osgoode Hall Law School,
York University
Dr. Charles Smith,
STM College University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Julia Smith,
University of Manitoba
Dr. Jennifer A. Stephen,
York University
Dr. Andrew Stevens,
University of Regina
Dr. Andrea Talarico,
Université du Québec à Montréal
Dr. Mark P. Thomas,
York University
Dr. Eric Tucker,
Osgoode Hall Law School,
York University
Dr. Sean Tucker,
University of Regina
Dr. Steven Tufts,
York University
Dr. Guylaine Vallée,
Université de Montréal
Dr. Anelyse Weiler,
University of Victoria
Dr. Bradley R. Weinberg,
Queen’s University
Dr. Donald Wells,
McMaster University
Dr. Johanna Weststar,
Western University
Dr. Ania Zbyszewska,
Carleton University
