On Feb. 19, the Quebec government tabled Bill 89 which limits the right to strike. But this shameless attack on workers did not come from nowhere. The CAQ sees the rise of class warfare on the horizon, and is preparing its weapons.
Bill 89
The bill aims to give the cabinet the power to send a dispute to the Labour board by simple decree. The union and the employer will be forced to agree on essential services, failing which the Board will decide the outcome. This type of essential services legislation has constantly been used to undermine strikes, and it will be no different here.
But more than that, the bill will give the government the power to impose arbitration in a labor dispute in cases of “serious or irreparable harm to the public”—obviously, as the government defines it.
The CAQ has learned the lessons of recent strikes in Canada. The federal government has broken three strikes since last summer without even convening Parliament, thanks to the obscure section 107 of the Labour Code, under which workers were ordered back to work.
The CAQ is seeking to give itself a similar tool to break the labour movement without having to resort to unpopular back-to-work legislation. If this bill is passed and implemented, there will be little left of the right to strike.
Trade war and austerity
At a time when the economy has already been hard-hit by the prolonged crisis of the global capitalist system, a trade war has just broken out between Canada and the United States. The threat of recession hangs like a sword of Damocles over our heads. Layoffs and plant closures are on the cards, and this will push some of the working class into a struggle to save jobs.
But even before the trade war became an issue, the CAQ had already begun a turn toward austerity in public services. They have already ordered $1.5 billion in cuts to healthcare, and are preparing to impose austerity in education, with $200 million in cuts to food aid, book purchases and cultural outings.
More cuts are on the way, and they will lead to even more labour struggles.
Class war
Already, daycare workers have gone on strike; 2400 Montreal transit workers have voted 97 per cent in favor of strike action; and construction workers could go on strike this summer. We can also expect many more struggles against austerity and the closures caused by the trade war.
Several unions have indicated their intention to fight back against Law 89. A demonstration against the return of austerity took place on Feb. 20 in front of the National Assembly, involving some 100 public sector workers.
Jean-Pierre Lauzon, President of the Montreal union of blue collar workers(SCFP-301), had this to say: “Those who preceded us never backed down in the face of repression. They braved bans, defied injunctions, stood up to the bosses and governments […] We will fight this bill with all the means at our disposal, including civil disobedience if necessary!” (our italics). This points in the right direction.
The CSN president characterized Law 89 as a “declaration of war” on workers. If we take her words seriously, the CSN should provide us with a serious battle plan to win this class war. Actions must follow words. But it’s going to take a lot more than the usual demonstrations and court cases.
The labour movement must organize a mass mobilization against this bill. The repeal of Law 89 must be included in the demands of all future strikes and workers’ struggles. Construction workers, for example, should include it now in their demands for this spring’s negotiations. A strike by these workers against Law 89 would be an excellent starting point for a mass movement against this attack.
The entire labor movement must make this struggle to preserve the right to strike its war horse. In the words of Mr. Lauzon, we must be ready to “defy prohibitions” and fight with “civil disobedience”.
