Evidence of meeting #49 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was strike.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Less than 20%. Okay.
Thank you. That helps me with my question.
I know that the trucking association has raised a number of concerns. I've also met with them in my office.
I'm a bit puzzled here. I know that your percentage is very low in terms of unionized workers. I also realize that with our ever-aging market, it is becoming more and more difficult to find workers. I know that your industry has a terrible problem finding extra workers, even to fill the demand you presently have.
If there were a strike, how would you manage to get replacement workers when you can't even get workers at the moment?
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Trucking Alliance
That would be difficult to do, I grant you that. That's why we say we don't think it's been resorted to very often in our industry.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
But you don't think it's realistic that if you were to go on strike that you could get replacement workers the next day.
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Trucking Alliance
No, not enough to fill all of the seats, absolutely not—depending on the size of the company, of course.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Right. Because I believe your association has been quite clear in stating that you have a shortage, and a need for—
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Trucking Alliance
Yes, we have a long-term structural shortage.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Okay. Thank you very much for that statement.
To the Wireless Telecommunications Association, obviously the Telus labour disruption was very bitter and quite confrontational. If anything, it created great animosity within the employees because replacement workers were brought in.
Is that not something your members would see as a reason not to have replacement workers during a strike?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
I can't comment on the matters between one of my members and the union. I'm not here to represent Telus. I think our big focus is essential services and the lack of protection of essential services that's contained in this bill. Certainly as replacement workers, or lack thereof, affects this, that's really our focus.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Can you be very specific on what part of the legislation? Essential services is not covered in this private member's bill, because essential services was covered in the amendments made in 1999. Can you tell me what specific concern you have about essential services?
Maybe Mr. Massy could speak on this afterwards.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Really it's the absence in this bill of protection of essential services that we're concerned about.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
What exactly is specifically absent? Because essential services is in the current part I of the Canada Labour Code.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
But our understanding of the effect of this bill is that Bill C-257 would mean that essential services would no longer be protected. The prohibitions contained in Bill C-257 would invalidate or impair the ability to provide those services.
Liberal
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Presumably we can get one. I can--
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Could you please do that? I don't have that information, and I've been told that's not the case. I can't proceed unless I know the facts, so if you could provide a legal opinion that would be great.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
I'd be pleased to provide you with an opinion.
Vice-President, Burnaby, Telecommunications Workers Union
It would be incorrect to say that activities are not maintained during a labour dispute. In our brief to the committee we provided a copy of a letter—I'm sorry that it's not translated--called “Maintenance of Activities”. There's nothing in Bill C-257 that would suggest section 87.4 is going to be removed.
In the labour dispute with Telus in 2003, we signed off a letter that explicitly ensured that our members would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to maintain 911 emergency, police, fire, ambulance, hospitals, coast guards, and anything else, if need be, for the purposes of protecting the public as mandated by the code.
So the code clearly has...and this is where the imbalance is. The code clearly lays that out, that we have to protect the public. At the same time, we don't have the same balance when it comes to the use of replacement workers.
Liberal
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Massy, could you make that letter available to the members of the committee?
Vice-President, Burnaby, Telecommunications Workers Union
I believe you have it. It's the last page of our brief.
Liberal
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Thank you very much to all of the witnesses for providing us with your particular insights. I think some of the information you provided us is going to be beneficial to all parliamentarians when making their decisions.
Mr. Barnes, you feel that telecommunications has not been included in essential services. If it were included, are there any other concerns you have with this particular piece of legislation?
