For Immediate Release
3 November, 2022
NL NDP Critic for Labour, and MHA for Labrador West, Jordan Brown, has submitted a letter to the Minister of Labour calling on the province to introduce anti replacement worker legislation and strengthen workers’ rights in this province. The letter calls on the government to follow the approach of the Federal Government who has announced it will introduce similar legislation within its jurisdiction.
“As we saw during the D-J Composites Inc. and Unifor Local 597 strike in Gander, and as pointed out in the Report from the Voisey’s Bay Industrial Inquiry Commission after the Vale and United Steelworkers Local 9508 strike – the lack of legislation is a real issue in this province and turning a blind eye to it is not acceptable,” said Brown.
With recent legislation tabled in Ontario to strip workers of their charter right to take job action, Brown is calling on government to put workers in this province first. In the legislature today, Brown also called for a review of the Labour Standards and Labour Relations Act, and for the province to re-introduce card check certification that was removed under a PC government.
“I am asking your department to take this issue seriously. Conduct meaningfully consultation with Labour representatives in Newfoundland and Labrador and bring in legislation that will protect workers’ rights in this province and ensure employers bargain in good faith.”
3 November, 2022
Bernard Davis,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister Responsible for Labour
P.O. Box 8700
Confederation Building
St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6
Minister,
I am writing to ask that this Liberal government finally take action and introduce anti-replacement worker legislation. Last month the federal government announced its intention to introduce this legislation within its jurisdiction. It is high time that we follow suit.
As we saw during the D-J Composites Inc. and Unifor Local 597 strike in Gander, and as pointed out in the Report from the Voisey’s Bay Industrial Inquiry Commission after the Vale and United Steelworkers Local 9508 strike – the lack of legislation is a real issue in this province and turning a blind eye to it is not acceptable.
The lack of anti-replacement worker legislation will only add to the issue of prolonged work stoppages and harms the collective bargaining process. We have seen this time and time again in this province.
I am asking your department to take this issue seriously. Conduct meaningfully consultation with Labour representatives in Newfoundland and Labrador and bring in legislation that will protect workers’ rights in this province and ensure employers bargain in good faith.
Sincerely,
Jordan Brown
MHA for Labrador West
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca