Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates has co-sponsored a bill at Queen's Park aimed to crack down on scab labour as the party marks 10 years since they lost a member who was passionate about the cause.
NDP MPP France Gélinas introduced the Anti-Scab Labour Act, 2023, with co-sponsors MPPs Gates, Jennifer French, Lisa Gretzky and Jamie West.
Ontario banned scab labour in 1992 when NDP Labour Minister Bob Mackenzie amended the Labour Relations Act, however the ban on replacement workers was repealed in 1995 under legislation introduced by the PC Mike Harris government.
This is the 16th time the NDP has introduced this bill.
The anti-Scab labour Act, 2023 wants to ban the use of replacement workers during a strike or lockout, except in the case of emergencies.
It is being introduced this week in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the death of MPP Peter Kormos (Welland 1988-2011).
“To allow corporate bosses to circumvent, to avoid, collective bargaining at the table by importing scabs is an outrage”Kormos once stated.
Kormos passed away ten years ago on March 30th 2013, he was 60 years old.
“I have been a member of the labour movement for 40 years. Over and over again I have seen workers’ rights trampled on when workers are locked out and employers use scab labour to do their jobs. There is no incentive for employers to bargain in good faith, or at all, if they can simply replace locked out workers with scab workers. The Ford conservative government spends a lot of time saying they stand up for workers. Now is the time to do that and pass this bill,” MPP Wayne Gates stated.