Debates of June 23rd, 2011

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

(Clause 13)

There is an amendment to Clause 13. I will read it.

That Bill C-6, in Clause 13, be amended

(a) by replacing line 11 on page 5 with the following:

“13.(1) Subject to subsection (2),”

(b) by deleting lines 24 to 30 on page 5.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Madam Speaker, we put forward this amendment because we think it precludes both the company and the union from bargaining. They will not be able to bargain for wages that are better than what is listed in clause 15. We think the amendment would speak to clause 15.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

Madam Chair, as we have indicated many times in the past 47 hours, the purpose of this clause is to recognize that the government has negotiated a set of wage increases with PSAC that are very fair and that have been bargained at the table. We think it is appropriate to include them in this act so there is no uncertainty for the worker and there is no uncertainty for Canada Post as to what the wage increases are. As I said, we believe these are fair.

Quite frankly it is not unprecedented that this clause be included in back to work legislation, for the purposes I just gave.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Shall the amendment on clause 13 carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Can we apply the results of the previous amendments to this one?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

I declare this amendment defeated.

(Amendment negatived)

Shall clause 13 carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Shall we apply the result of the vote on clause 12 to clause 13?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

I declare clause 13 carried.

(Clause 13 agreed to)

[See list under Division No. 27]

(Yeas, 158; Nays, 112)

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

(On clause 14)

I will read the amendment to clause 14:

That Bill C-6, in Clause 14, be amended by replacing 31 on page 5 with the following:

14.(1) Despite

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Madam Chair, Liberals believe that the amendment is a housekeeping amendment, but it deals with the deletion of clause 15 in its entirety, which imposes wages.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Shall the amendment to clause 14 carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Can we apply the results of the votes on the previous amendments to this one?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

I declare the amendment to clause 14 defeated.

(Amendment negatived)

Shall clause 14 carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Can we apply the results of clause 13 to clause 14?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

I declare clause 14 carried.

(Clause 14 agreed to)

[See list under Division No. 27]

(Yeas, 158; Nays, 112)

[The Chair, NDP, Denise Savoie]

(Clause 15)

I shall therefore read the amendment to Clause 15:

That Bill C-6, in Clause 15, be amended

(a) by replacing line 6 on page 6 with the following:

“1.9%;”

(b) by replacing line 9 on page 6 with the following:

“1.9%;”

(c) by replacing line 12 on page 6 with the following:

“1.9%; and”

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today in this House to speak in favour of the proposed amendment. This amendment aims to correct one of the worst elements of this defective bill. If this bill is not corrected, it will impose an employment contract that includes a salary lower than the employer’s final offer. This section of the bill is an attack on the principles of collective bargaining, one of the most fundamental aspects of our rights as entrenched in the Charter. This is a clear signal to all employers in the country that they are no longer obliged to bargain in good faith. Thus, if it is not possible to arrive at a negotiated agreement, do not worry, because this government is going to use a bill to negotiate even lower salaries on behalf of the employer. What the employer is unable to negotiate, Ottawa will impose on you.

This is a dangerous precedent. At this moment, all over Canada, nurses, firefighters and police officers are asking themselves whether they will be next on the list. If they do this to the postal workers, after Canada Post has made millions of dollars in profits, and the managers accept those offers, who is going to be their next target?

Targeting workers is nothing short of contempt on the part of this government. It is not the proper thing to do, and we will oppose every such attempt by the Conservatives. This amendment would restore the salary increases that were proposed in the employer's last offer. It does not reflect what workers want, but what management proposed, nothing more and nothing less. This amendment would eliminate the most unfair and unacceptable provision in this bill, and I urge all hon. members to support it.