Defeat of Anti-Replacement Worker Bill Good News to the Trucking Industry

from www.cantruck.com
Private members bill could have upset the labour relations balance in Canada

(Ottawa: March 22, 2007) – Last night in the Commons, Bill C-257, which would have prohibited the use of replacement workers in federally regulated companies, was defeated at third and final reading when enough Liberal MPs sided with the governing conservatives to out-number the Bloc Quebecois and NDP. David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance welcomed the news and said, “this was flawed, unnecessary legislation that could have potentially crippled transportation services to Canadians; disrupted Canada/US trade and caused a long lasting negative effect on labour relations.”

Bill C-257, a private member’s bill introduced by a Bloc Quebecois MP in May 2006, was defeated by a vote of 177-124. The intent of the bill was to prevent the use of any replacement worker except for management, supervisory or labour relations personnel, and would have also prohibited the services of a contractor or anyone working for another company. In addition, the bill did not, in the view of many observers and it would seem most MPs, provide adequate measures to ensure the continuation of essential services.

In addition to appearing as a witness at the hearings of the Commons Human Resources Committee, the Canadian Trucking Alliance, its member provincial associations and motor carriers across the country actively campaigned, along with other federally-regulated employer groups, against the anti-replacement worker bill over the past ten months. 

“This was truly a team effort at all levels of the Canadian trucking industry, whose associations and carriers made sure their concerns were heard by MPs across the country. We believe we were able to prevail on lawmakers to recognize that in trucking, a protracted work stoppage means that a company will go out of business. You can’t just shut your doors for a few weeks and then reopen – the business will be long gone by then,” said Bradley.