moved for leave to introduce Bill C-312, an act to provide for the resumption of operations at ADM Agri-Industries Ltd.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to table a bill regarding the resumption of operations of the company ADM Agri-Industries Ltd. As was already said, the employees of this company have been negotiating their collective agreement since it expired on January 31, 1992. The employees have been on strike now for eight months.
Despite the efforts of conciliators and mediators to put an end to this strike, it has dragged on and the employer has kept operations running by hiring outside help. Therefore, I am tabling this bill, which provides for a mediator-arbitrator to settle the conflict and which provides that employees will go back to work under the terms of a memorandum of agreement, drafted by the mediator-arbitrator.
The bill contains provisions obliging the two parties to respect the memorandum of agreement and to try to settle the current conflict. It also contains sanctions in the form of fines, if the legislation is not respected.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)