Please this important letter forwarded to me by Larry Hubich, President of the SFL
From: Pól Ó Cearbhalláin [mailto:pcar@eircom.net]
Sent: Fri 18/04/2008 12:00 PM
To: legislationfeedback@lab.gov.sk.ca; SFL; bwall@mla.legassembly.sk.ca; rnorris@mla.legassembly.sk.ca; aiwanchuk@mla.legassembly.sk.ca; Cara Banks; Larry Hubich
Subject: Withdraw Bills 5 and 6!
Is it not endearing and demonstratative to so many other countries that Canada has always valued consensus building in its approach to communities, and democracies enshrined at local, municipal, provincal and federal levels of government. Canadians have Like Irish citizens managed to show leadership on our merits and without becoming shadows of insignificance due to our respective large neighbouring countries. Under Thatcher's administration the anti - union stance taken by her and her colleagues attempted to smash trade unionism. The resulting polarisation in British Society can be linked back to bully tactics by government onto workers. Ireland has never chosen such a route and our national consensus model requires a tripartheid approach of government, unions and employers to produce national deals. this has worked for over 20 years and this little country had very strong union membership, over 75%.
The United States, similar to Britain had the re-emergence of anti union actions at a national level clearly indicated in the manner President Reagan and his administration handled the Air Traffic Controllers dispute, sack them all ! Of course the United States takes pride in ensuring trade union membership has been below 27% for so many years its hard to know when it was over 30%.
...and now a prairie province wants to hurt Canada's image. More specifically politicians want to take on workers in such a onslaught...and for what reason.
If there is one ideal that we in Ireland respect of Canadians is their independence of mind and positive, visible difference to their large neighbour. There is no need for such draconian legislation, this is the type of bill we would expect to see from Republican Governements in the United States.
Why oh! why would any Canadian government wish to embark on such a road.
I support responsibility, I support community, I support choice. Individual workers all understand communities be it family or wider afield, they understand the responsibilities that go with living in family or community structures and they also understand that they do have the right to consider with an individual conscience to embark on strike action. It is an affront to challenge the responsibility of an individual that is in organised labour.
It would be so heartening to see leadership and vision by the Premier and his team to decide that they will lead, not by attacking fellow canadians, not by attacking individual responsibilities, not by attacking communities, but to demonstrate that Saskatchewan and its newly elected administration is about positive and developing more and enshrining more maturity and responsibilities in provincial workers.
I dont like to use the word demand to anyone and I have chosen to alter this from the beginning of the union statement, I believe there is potential for leadership and responsibility from the
....Government of Saskatchewan to withdraw Bills 5 and 6, which by their nature are a direct attack on the fundamental trade union rights of Saskatchewan citizens. Bills 5 and 6 will uniquely tilt the balance of power in favour of one side, in this case the employers. This is not a responsible outcome by a government. Without meaningful negotiations at a tri-partheid level, workers, employers or government all loose.
respectfully I ask all those with influence to re-consider and demonstrate that Canada does its business different and should be an example to follow, not a poision to avoid.
Pól Ó Cearbhalláin, Dublin City, Ireland
Saskatchewan will have the worst labour legislation in Canada if these Bills pass. The Bills violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, the Human Rights Code, and international law, including the International Bill of Human Rights and several UN and ILO Conventions. Withdraw the Bills now.
Pól Ó Cearbhalláin
SIPTU Firefighters Branch
Ireland
