Political interference in collective bargaining

% Green:
74.80
% Yellow:
17.50
% Red:
7.70
Voting Detail:
Plenary
% Ratified:
0.00

Party Commentary

This motion is consistent with Green Party policy on collective bargaining. The intention of the motion is to ensure that public sector employees can collectively bargain without impediment. The motion is complementary to motion G14-P24. The intention of the second operative is unclear.

Preamble

WHEREAS the Human Right of freedom of association includes the right to free collective bargaining for the best interests of all parties; and

WHEREAS Free enterprise envisions freedom, as much as possible, from government interference or intervention; and

WHEREAS governments have undermined Free Collective Bargaining from the workers side, by legislation placing its own needs as paramount or superior; therefore

Operative

BE IT RESOLVED that all impediments that restrict public sector employees from using their Human Right to freely bargain as equals, be removed to allow equality and dignity for those workers at the bargaining table.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Green Party of Canada would support in principle any Supreme Court challenge to see to it that union/labour Human Rights are respected.

Sponsors:
Chris Alders, Damon Bath, Wesley Stevens, Joe Foster, Danny Polifroni, Eric Walton, Scott Harrison, Rick Freeman, Patricia Farnese, Stacey Leadbetter, loraine Rekmans, Andrew Park, Grant Sharp, Roslyn Woodcock, Dirk Heoppner, Jean-Luc Cooke, Brian Timlick, John Redekopp, Erich Jacoby-Hawkins, John Hague

Background

Many times the government has used its legislative power to undermine collective bargaining and interfer with the free nature of collective bargaining. The Post Office, Air Canada, and the railways are examples. When a government uses its political agenda to control working conditions and wages, to its own benefit, it essentially is using its workers as political pawns.

When an employer locks out its employees, it is to raise their anxiety levels and force them to agree to its agenda and when employees go on strike, it is to the same ends. This stress is sometimes necessary to drive the negotiations process. Between these two extremes, a happy medium is usually arrived at.

When governments dictate conditions, such as who is essential, it takes away from the equality of the process and amounts to collective begging on behalf of the employees. This is a violation of the very principle of free enterprise where each party is free to act in their own best interests.

Code

G14-P43

Proposal Type

Policy

Submitter Name

Brian Timlick

Party Commentary

This motion is consistent with Green Party policy on collective bargaining. The intention of the motion is to ensure that public sector employees can collectively bargain without impediment. The motion is complementary to motion G14-P24. The intention of the second operative is unclear.

Preamble

WHEREAS the Human Right of freedom of association includes the right to free collective bargaining for the best interests of all parties; and

WHEREAS Free enterprise envisions freedom, as much as possible, from government interference or intervention; and

WHEREAS governments have undermined Free Collective Bargaining from the workers side, by legislation placing its own needs as paramount or superior; therefore

Operative

BE IT RESOLVED that all impediments that restrict public sector employees from using their Human Right to freely bargain as equals, be removed to allow equality and dignity for those workers at the bargaining table.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Green Party of Canada would support in principle any Supreme Court challenge to see to it that union/labour Human Rights are respected.

Sponsors

Chris Alders, Damon Bath, Wesley Stevens, Joe Foster, Danny Polifroni, Eric Walton, Scott Harrison, Rick Freeman, Patricia Farnese, Stacey Leadbetter, loraine Rekmans, Andrew Park, Grant Sharp, Roslyn Woodcock, Dirk Heoppner, Jean-Luc Cooke, Brian Timlick, John Redekopp, Erich Jacoby-Hawkins, John Hague

Background

Many times the government has used its legislative power to undermine collective bargaining and interfer with the free nature of collective bargaining. The Post Office, Air Canada, and the railways are examples. When a government uses its political agenda to control working conditions and wages, to its own benefit, it essentially is using its workers as political pawns.

When an employer locks out its employees, it is to raise their anxiety levels and force them to agree to its agenda and when employees go on strike, it is to the same ends. This stress is sometimes necessary to drive the negotiations process. Between these two extremes, a happy medium is usually arrived at.

When governments dictate conditions, such as who is essential, it takes away from the equality of the process and amounts to collective begging on behalf of the employees. This is a violation of the very principle of free enterprise where each party is free to act in their own best interests.