JASON KENNEY MUST REFUSE UCP CALLS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL “RIGHT TO WORK” LAWS

EDMONTON – Alberta NDP Labour Critic Christina Gray issued the following statement regarding the UCP’s endorsement of turning Alberta into a “right to work” province:

“Jason Kenney continues to lead the most anti-worker party in Canada. This past weekend, the United Conservatives passed a resolution to bring in "right to work" legislation, which restricts the power of workers to negotiate a shared contract. These types of laws, typically pushed by the far-right, only serve to drive down wages and undercut the benefits negotiated by all workers in a workplace. The UCP has already axed overtime laws, slashed holiday pay, and attacked workers’ right to speak out. Now, they want to pit Albertans against each other, just to help make sure their bosses can pay them less.

“Jason Kenney may not like it, but the right to collectively bargain is constitutionally protected by the Supreme Court of Canada. Instead of throwing more money at government lawyers to fight the inevitable court challenges resulting from these kinds of laws, Jason Kenney should reject this policy and focus on creating jobs for a change.”