Labour, business eager for details of NDP plan to improve relations

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This article was published 21/11/2023 (684 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Labour and business groups say they are keen to learn how the new government plans to “re-balance labour relations to ensure fairness for workers” following a summer of public-sector strikes amid the affordability crisis.

In Tuesday’s throne speech, the NDP promised to reset the relationship with industry and labour, which soured under the Tory government, and to make it easier for Manitobans to enter the workforce, join a union and become middle class.

“I think we’ll have plenty more to say on that as we go through the legislative session,” Premier Wab Kinew told reporters.

He wouldn’t reveal if his party will introduce legislation to ban replacement workers or make union certification easier. The Progressive Conservative government changed the process, including eliminating automatic certification, in 2016.

“I think we’ve already taken steps towards re-balancing (labour relations) just by having a government that would rather negotiate than force people out onto the picket line,” the premier said.

Public-sector workers at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, as well as Manitoba Public Insurance, took to the picket line in the summer to demand higher wages after years of freezes under the Tories. While liquor workers settled before the Oct. 3 election, MPI reached a settlement after the NDP took office.

About 11,000 other provincial civil servants have given their union a strike mandate; negotiations continue next week.

The head of the Manitoba Federation of Labour said Tuesday’s throne speech signalled a “refreshing change” in the labour relations environment.

“We’ve certainly been advocating for making it easier for people who want a union to get a union,” said Kevin Rebeck, who was president during seven years of a Tory government that froze public-sector wages and cut the civil service by 12 per cent.

“We’ve also been seeing a lot of strikes over the summer and the use of replacement workers which really tips the scale against workers when they’re on strike or lockout,” said Rebeck. “We’d like to see a ban on that, just like the federal government’s exploring right now.”

Manitoba business leaders who attended Tuesday’s throne speech were divided about whether the relationship with labour is out of balance.

“We do really see that there was a re-balance that needed to be made,” said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. He said he’s waiting to see details of the government’s re-balancing act.

“Anything that’s going to potentially tilt that balance in one way or another is not something the business community is looking for at this time,” Davidson said.

The head of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce said Manitoba has a balanced labour environment and there’s evidence to prove it.

“We have one of the lowest numbers of days lost to labour disruptions” compared to other jurisdictions, said Loren Remillard president and CEO of the Winnipeg business organization.

“We have a healthy labour environment right now. Our message to the new government is, unless there is evidence to suggest it’s not balanced, to really consider maintaining the balance that we do have. We should be making decisions based on evidence, not ideology,” said Remillard.

Big businesses headquartered in Manitoba, meanwhile, are “very optimistic” about dealing with the new premier and the tone of the speech from the throne, said Bram Strain, president and CEO of the Manitoba Business Council.

The speech referred to “having good partnerships” and that “we’re all better when we work together,” Strain said Tuesday. “That all makes good, solid sense.”

Kinew’s philosophy about “the economic horse pulling the social cart and understanding that in order to pay for all the things we want in health care and education requires a strong business community” strikes the right notes with the business council, said Strain.

The throne speech promised to establish a “premier’s business and jobs team” that includes members from every region, many sectors and representation from employers and employees.

Strain said it’s welcome news.

“It sounds like he’s going to engage the right people to talk to, so I think he understands how the economy works. What he said about the budget and needing to find the money to balance in four years, and that it comes from taxes, and taxes come from people working and corporations paying taxes,” was reassuring, he said.

Still, “the devil’s in the details. We’ll wait and see what comes out,” said Strain.

“I think what business really needs most of all is people with good, family-supporting jobs having disposable income to go and be customers and buy their services and products,” said Rebeck.

“I think that serves business better than more tax cuts that ultimately hurt us all.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca