The federal government is missing an opportunity to grow good jobs by letting companies take public investments without committing to support unionization.

Not only that, but the federal government changed the law so that it can order people back-to-work without even taking a vote of parliament.

When Air Canada flight attendants went on strike last year, Jobs Minister Hajdu ordered them back to work less than 12 hours into their job action (the workers said no). But what employer would bargain in good faith when they know the federal government is ready in the wings to force an end to a strike as soon as it begins?

Looking ahead, as we negotiate new trade deals with the US, Canada has to keep an eye on labour rights violations and unfair trading practices in states with so called “right-to-work" laws.

Unifor calls on the federal government to:

• Require firms sign “union neutrality” covenants, with strict oversight provisions, on condition of access to public funding through the Strategic Response Fund, Defence Investment Agency, and other public funding bodies.
• Defend free and fair collective bargaining and the right to strike in federally-regulated sectors, pushing back against employer efforts to undermine fundamental union rights.
• Negotiate an expansion of CUSMA’s special Rapid Response Labour Mechanism (RRLM) to include U.S. workplaces in “Right to Work” states as “Covered Facilities”, remedying labour rights violations and unfair trading practices.