Legislation unconstitutional unions say

Canada’s largest union, Unifor, has joined a coalition of Manitoba unions and worker organizations to challenge the Manitoba provincial government over proposed wage freeze legislation.

The Public Services Sustainability Act was introduced to and passed in the legislature this spring and it proposes to enact into law wage freezes for all future public sector contracts thus bypassing the collective bargaining process. The legislation would force workers to accept 0% increases in the first two years of a contract followed by a 0.75 % increase in year three and 1% in year four.

“Premier Pallister wants to strip workers of constitutionally-protected rights,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Joie Warnock. “It failed in Saskatchewan under Brad Wall, and it will fail again with the PC government.”

The union partnership filed an injunction against the legislation being enacted citing that the proposed legislation is unconstitutional and undermines collective bargaining rights.

The unions represent more than 110,000 public service workers, including teachers and nurses in Manitoba.

-News 4 –

© 2107 News4, a DigiPix Media Group company

.