CBTU and our 14 affiliated unions support the Canadian Government’s commitment to introduce legislation by the end of 2023 to prohibit the use of replacement workers in federally regulated sectors.

A union’s right to strike is an important component of collective bargaining, and allowing for replacement workers seriously undermines that right. As will be expanded on throughout this submission, replacement workers should be banned entirely in federally regulated sectors in the Canada Labour Code and stronger penalties should be given to employers who violate workers’ right to strike.

Legislation prohibiting the use of replacement workers in federally regulated sectors should:

1. Clearly ban all replacement workers in federally regulated sectors in all circumstances, except where public safety or health is at risk; the current ban does not go far enough.
2. Penalties for employers who illegally use replacement workers should be strengthened, including increasing monetary penalties.