Issue 65 – 25, August 24th, 2025
Strike a Victory for Labour - Winnipeg Free Press Op-Ed by Paul Moist
Labour day marks the end of summer, the beginning of the school year, and a public holiday to celebrate the accomplishments of Canadian workers.
For workers in the federal sector, regulated by the Canada Labour Code, the past two years have seen repeated government action to terminate the legal right to strike, a right affirmed in an epic 2015 Supreme Court decision which extended Charter protection.
Beginning with longshore workers in British Columbia in 2023 and extending to WestJet maintenance staff, rail workers, and Quebec longshore workers, the past 24 months have seen the federal Liberals use of an obscure provision of the Canada Labour Code, Section 107, to avoid Parliament, by way of ministerial directives to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), to terminate legal strikes by ordering workers back to work.
The two most recent high-profile federal disputes ended by ministerial fiat, involving postal workers and flight attendants, have garnered widespread media coverage. Both reveal the Liberals continued practice of obliterating workers right to strike in response to requests from employers. In these latter two instances, it was incredible to witness both the hubris and incompetence of key players on both the government and employer side of the table.
In late 2024 postal workers struck for 32 days, when the federal government stepped in, instructing the CIRB to end the strike. They also launched an inquiry into the future of the postal service, requiring a report by May 15 this year. One week later, postal workers had their right to strike restored.
Postal workers opted to impose an overtime ban and to call their employer back to the bargaining table. The federal Jobs Minister, Patty Hajdu, urged the parties to come up with a settlement, failing this, to agree to terms of referral to binding arbitration. Talks again stalled, the postal workers said they would agree to arbitration, but Canada Post said no, calling upon the minister to force postal workers to vote on their final offer to the union.
The minister complied and unsurprisingly postal workers accepted their union’s recommendation to vote down the offer by a two-to-one margin. The negotiations remain unresolved.
Flight attendants at Air Canada, coming off of a 10-year deal that saw them lose ground to inflation, were motivated to seek catch-up, like pilots achieved in 2024 through an historic settlement on the eve of announced plans to strike.
The 10,000 flight attendants, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) also sought to settle the archaic practice of their not being paid for work prior to or after flights. They historically only received pay from the moment the door closed, and the aircraft began moving and pay ended when the flight landed and parked at the gate. All preflight and postflight work was not compensated.
alks stalled, the workers voted 99.7 per cent in favour of strike action to back their contract demands and on Aug. 16 exercised their legal right to withdraw their labour, shutting down Air Canada. Some 12 hours into the strike, acting upon a request from the employer, Hajdu instructed the CIRB to end the strike and impose final binding arbitration.
Here is where things became interesting.
CUPE said they would remain on the picket line and would only accept a negotiated deal. Air Canada filed an unfair labour practice and the CIRB ordered CUPE members back to work. The workers remained on strike and chaos broke out with the 130,000 passengers the airline transports each day and having their flights cancelled.
Air Canada’s CEO, Michael Rousseau, was asked what his plans were for passengers in the event of a strike, incredibly he stated his plan was to have government invoke Section 107, thereby ending the strike. The labour movement has long argued that employers will never bargain in good faith if they feel they have the government at their beck and call to end strikes.
Rousseau’s candor revealed at best incompetence or at worst, incredible hubris, neither ought to be acceptable to the shareholders he serves.
Two days into the walkout minister Hajdu announced plans for a “federal probe” into the issue of unpaid work in the airline sector, stating she found this “disturbing.” One wonders where she has been for the last three years as CUPE openly campaigned on this issue. She looked weak and ill-informed and may well have earned a trip to the Liberal backbenches.
With public opinion solidly with the flight attendants, Air Canada returned (I expect government ordered them) to the bargaining table and a negotiated agreement was achieved in eight hours with the assistance of a mediator. Unpaid work for flight attendants would end.
A victory for flight attendants and for the labour movement as a whole. One hopes that the federal government and employers take note, worker solidarity and public support for fairness are a powerful combination.
Happy Labour Day!
Paul Moist is a retired labour leader. He is president of the Manitoba Federation of Union Retirees.
Strong Boarders Act
Bill C-2 is a new law that the Canadian government wants to pass. It is called the "Strong Borders Act." The government says it is to keep Canada safe from crime and illegal activities at the border. But many people believe that this law is a bad idea and that we should help stop it.
Bill C-2 would give police and government spy agencies more power. They could ask for personal information from many places, like banks, doctors, and car rental companies. Right now, they need a special permission called a "warrant" from a judge before they can look at your private data. But this law would let them get some information without a warrant.
They say this is necessary to catch bad criminals quickly. However, critics say it will make it easier for police to look at your private life whenever they want, which is a big invasion of privacy.
Many groups, like civil liberties organizations, are worried about Bill C-2. They say it gives police and spy agencies too much power. They fear that this law could be used wrongly or unfairly. For example, police could demand information about innocent people, not just suspects.
Other experts say this law is "ripe for abuse" — meaning it could be misused. It could even violate our rights protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Everyone has the right to privacy, and many believe that the government should not be allowed to spy on people without good reason and proper approval.
If Bill C-2 becomes law, it could lead to worse privacy protections for everyone. It might also allow other countries, like the U.S., to share and access Canadian data easily. That could mean more surveillance and less control over our personal information.
It could also make it harder for refugees and people seeking safety. The law might stop some from claiming asylum if they entered Canada recently or after a certain time. This could be unfair to people fleeing danger or persecution.
We have a right to keep our personal information safe. Giving police too much power can lead to unfair treatment and violate our rights.
Bill C-2 might seem like it’s about keeping us safe, but it could make us less safe by invading our privacy and giving too much power to the government. Our privacy and rights are worth protecting!
ITUC Win for Workers
A few weeks ago, the International Labour Movement (ITUC) celebrated a big win for workers around the world. For the first time ever, countries agreed to create rules that protect people who work on digital platforms, like Uber drivers, food delivery workers, and content moderators. These rules are called enforceable global protections, and they mean that millions of workers now have a chance to get fair treatment, safe working conditions, and basic rights.
But winning this agreement was just the beginning. Now, we need to make sure these rules are strong enough to truly protect workers. That’s why the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) is asking everyone to support their petition. As part of the CURC community, your voice matters, and your support can help make these protections a reality.
The ITUC is working to create a global agreement called a Convention, supported by recommendations, that will set clear standards for platform workers everywhere. Here’s what we want these rules to include:
1. Transparency: Workers should be able to see how apps decide their pay and hours. No more hidden algorithms controlling their lives.
2. Fair Rights: Workers need the same protections as traditional employees, like the right to organize and bargain for better wages and conditions.
3. Benefits: Everyone deserves sick leave, health coverage, and other benefits that keep workers safe and secure.
4. Fair Dispute Resolution: When workers face unfair treatment, they should have a way to speak out and get justice.
Many companies say they’re just providing technology connecting workers with customers. But these companies control workers’ wages, hours, and conditions—without being held responsible for fair pay or safety. They make huge profits while workers often face unstable income, no sick leave, and even sudden deactivation from their jobs by machine decisions. This system puts the risks and costs on workers and governments, not the companies. Workers are left vulnerable, and governments miss out on taxes and social security contributions that could help everyone. If we don’t act now, these problems will only get worse as technology spreads into more jobs.
Supporters like you can help ensure these rules are strong and fair. When governments hear from people around the world—workers, unions, and communities—they are more likely to adopt rules that protect everyone’s rights. That’s why the ITUC is asking for your support to back the proposed Convention and recommendations at the upcoming International Labour Conference in 2026.
Your support can help stop companies from weakening these protections through lobbying and pressure. Together, we can make sure that technology benefits workers, not just big companies.
Supporting the ITUC petition is a way to stand up for workers everywhere. It’s about fairness, dignity, and making sure that everyone who works on digital platforms gets the protections they deserve. Join us in supporting these global rules so workers’ rights are protected now and in the future. Together, we can create a fairer and safer world for all workers! Share broadly in your organizations.
Sign the Petition - It’s time to deliver rights for all platform workers! - International Trade Union Confederation