Political pressure from Ontario Labour Unions forces Ford Government to Scrap Bill 28

BY PAUL JUNOR

The introduction of the anti-worker Bill 28 on Monday, October 31^st to squash the strike by the 55,000 strong Canadian Union of Public Employees galvanized the labour unions.

CUPE planned to strike on Friday, November 4^th, 2022, which would continue on the week of November 7^th. The response by the Ontario Government to the Keeping Students Act known as Bill 28 on Thursday, November 3^rd, 2022, was intended to force CUPE to back down from its planned strike. It catalysed labour unions to react.

Stephen Lecce, Ontario Education Minister tweeted, “Immediately following the proclamation of the Keeping Students in Class Act, we filed a submission to the Ontario Labour Relations Board in response to CUPE’s illegal strike action. Proceedings started last night and will continue today. Nothing matters more right now than getting all students back in the classroom and we will use every tool available to us to do so. We are prepared to use all the tools available to us. We will always stand up for their rights.”

Andria Babbington, President of Labour Toronto and York Region Council expressed her opposition to Bill 28 in an E-Newsletter on Wednesday, November 2^nd. She wrote, “It’s time to stand up for democracy. The Conservatives Government infringes and strips workers’ right to withdraw their labour. We must be concerned about the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to shut down collective bargaining, because it will probably lead to other abuses. They’ve used it before and will use it again.”

On Wednesday, November 2^nd, 2022, CUPE and the SCFP penned a joint statement titled, “Don’t Be a Bully. Repeal Bill 28.” The statement reads,

“On November 3^rd, 2022, the Ford Conservatives took the unprecedented step of passing legislation that violates our constitutional rights under the Charter. Bill 28: undermines our most fundamental rights and freedoms, forces a terrible contract on education workers, validates workers’ constitutional right to bargain fairly, and pre-emptively deems a strike illegal instead of continuing with negotiations. This is an attack on all unions because if they can strip away education workers’ Charter-protected right to strike, they can do the same to any other worker. With the invocation of the Notwithstanding clause, the undermining of the Charter is a threat to protest rights, to those seeking religious freedom, and to equity seekers across the province.”

Political protests were held on Thursday, November 3^rd, 2022, and on Friday, November 4^th, 2022. CUPE’s members and other labour unions demonstrated at Queen’s Park. There was a province-wide protest, which impacted many school boards and districts. Solidarity with the teachers’ protest was held on Saturday, November 5^th, 2022, at Yonge & Dundas Square.

On Monday, November 7^th, 2022, the Doug Ford government announced at a press conference that it intends to repeal the regressive and anti-worker Bill 28. Premier Ford indicated that he will repeal the legislation that forces a contract on the teachers and strips them of their rights to strike. He indicates that he is willing to work with unions as long as they call off the strike and return to the negotiation table.

On Monday, November 7^th, 2022 labour leaders held a joint press conference which saw over twelve public and private sector unions which include the four major teachers’ unions, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) as well as steel, postal workers and Unifor represented. They expressed solidarity in opposition to Bill 28.

On Monday, November 14^th, 2022 the Ontario government repealed Bill 28 in the Legislature.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) released a statement which reads, “The Keeping Students in Schools Act, Bill 28, was an unprecedented attack on collective bargaining rights, the likes of which had not been seen in Ontario’s history. Today, we celebrate the release of this oppressive bill, which was accomplished through the courage of CUPE education workers and the collective power of workers and families across Ontario.”