Canadian Labour Reporter

Ontario should repeal Bill 124: OFL TORONTO — Ontario unions renewed their call on June 12 for the government to repeal Ontar- io's wage-control legislation (Bill 124), after a court struck down a similar law in Manitoba. "This court decision found that the Manitoba wage-con- trol legislation is a 'draconian measure that inhibited and dramatically reduced' the col- lective bargaining and associa- tional rights of unionized pub- lic sector workers," says Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) president. "The Manitoba courts have upheld workers' rights to meaningful and fair collective bargaining." The Ontario challenge — brought by a coalition of unions against the legislation — re- ceived a boost as a result of Man- itoba Court of Queen's Bench Justice Joan McKelvey finding that the government's Public Services Sustainability Act (Bill 28) interferes with the right to collective bargaining and vio- lates the freedom of association guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, says the OFL. In March, a coalition of Ontario unions representing about 270,000 employees filed a similar constitutional chal- lenge to Bill 124, arguing that it violates collective bargaining rights enshrined in the free- dom of association guarantee of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. PSAC backs fight against religious symbols ban QUEBEC CITY — The Pub- lic Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) filed an application on June 5 to intervene in the con- stitutional challenge against Quebec's religious symbols legislation, Bill 21, which cov- ers Quebec public service workers. The Laicity Act bars pub- lic school teachers and many government civil servants and staff at arm's length govern- ment agencies from wearing religious symbols — such as hijabs and turbans — while at work. The law also requires anyone delivering or receiving a provincial public service to uncover their faces for identi- fication purposes, says PSAC. If granted, PSAC's applica- tion will allow the union to sup- port a Quebec trade union and civil liberties organizations challenging the legislation before the Quebec Superior Court, says the union. The act violates the Cana- dian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as the Que- bec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, and the use of the notwithstanding clause — which the government used in an attempt to shield the legis- lation from inevitable court challenges — does not comply with requirements set out in the charters, says PSAC. PSAC represents more than 21,000 members in the uni- versity sector and hundreds of researchers covered by the leg- islation. e Leap workers join CUPE TORONTO — Workers at The Leap — an organization oper- ating in Canada and the U.S. focused on climate change, in- equality and racism — voted unanimously to join the Cana- dian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) on June 15. "CUPE has a long history of advocating for positive change in our communities, and these new members work day in and day out to bring about the kind of societal change that will ben- efit everyone," says Kristy Da- vidson, a CUPE representative who is involved in the drive. The workers contacted CUPE earlier this year, and The Leap's management and co- founders have supported the workers' decision at every step of the way. "I'm looking forward to ne- gotiating a collective agree- ment to ensure that workers can contribute with passion, pride and power to our work every day at The Leap," says Ka- tie McKenna, executive direc- tor at The Leap. GET LISTED IN THE HR VENDORS GUIDE Visit hrreporter.com/hr-vendors-guide HR Professional Development Description: Faccaerio. Name volore pre et atur. Cerumqui consedi seraectis eos magnisi nvenihi lliquist qui accum de pres experis testior eperest que ventust qui re volorum quatat. Ed et aut aut harunt aut fugitata iur. Cerumqui consedi seraectis eos magnisi nvenihi lliquist qui accum de pres experis testior eperest volorum quatat. Training and Development Description: Faccaerio. Name volore pre et atur. Cerumqui consedi seraectis eos magnisi nvenihi lliquist qui accum de pres experis testior eperest que ventust qui re volorum quatat. Ed et aut aut harunt aut fugitata iur. 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