Law to Ban Companies from Hiring Replacement Workers During Strikes

This proposed law wants to change how strikes and lockouts work in Canada. It says companies can't hire replacement workers when employees are on strike or locked out. Replacement workers are people brought in to do the jobs of striking or locked-out employees. This change would affect workers and companies that follow federal labor laws. These are usually businesses that operate across provinces, like airlines, banks, and railways. If this law passes, these companies would have to negotiate with their employees without being able to hire replacement workers during a work stoppage. This matters because it could shift the balance of power during labor disputes. Unions argue that replacement workers weaken strikes and make it harder to reach a fair agreement. Businesses might say that not being able to hire replacement workers limits their ability to keep operating during a strike or lockout.

This bill has not yet been published on the government website.