Labour leaders, Opposition furious with UCP ‘bully bill’
Posted June 18, 2019 2:14 am.
Last Updated June 18, 2019 8:50 am.
EDMONTON (660NEWS) — Just after midnight Tuesday morning the UCP government moved ahead on trying to shut down debate on Bill 9, the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act.
MLA’s took to twitter to express anger after the news came out and no more debate would be allowed in the legislature.
After just one speaker, the UCP invoked closure, shutting down debate on their Bad Faith Bargaining Bill. #ableg
— Nicole Goehring (@nicolergoehring) June 18, 2019
This is terrible. The UCP has just invoked closure on Bill 9 that takes away the right of unions to fair bargaining. They allowed only one opposition member to speak before they told us they would no longer allow us to debate the bill.
— Richard Feehan (@FeehanRichard) June 18, 2019
Democracy in action at #ableg. It’s midnight and the @UCPCaucus just brought in closure on #Bill9 in the dead of night after one #ABNDP speaker. They can’t wait to break collective agreements.
— Sarah Hoffman (@shoffmanAB) June 18, 2019
The bill was presented last week by Finance Minister Travis Towes and would delay wage talks for public sector workers until after Oct. 31st.
Labour leaders, however, are furious over the legislation, dubbed the ‘bully bill.”
“If the government can use the power of the state to take away collective bargaining rights to this degree, they’re capable of anything and we’re capable of anything to fight back and we will,” said Guy Smith, President of AUPE.
Smith believes the government will abuse its power and eventually legislate wage rollbacks.
Premier @jkenney was asked a direct question in the Legislature today: will you assure Alberta's public-sector workers that you will not use the law to reduce wages.
He did not answer the question.#ableg— Alberta Federation of Labour (@ABFedLabour) June 17, 2019
The head of the United Nurses of Alberta echoes that concern saying Bill 9 sets a dangerous precedent.
“This is a significant betrayal and in the history of our union, it is the biggest betrayal by government we have ever seen in terms of reaching in and using the power of legislation to alter the terms and conditions and agreed upon terms of our contract.”
