Anti-replacement worker legislation: yes or no?

Opposition Leader and MHA for the District of Cartwright L’Anse au Clair, Yvonne Jones, says the premier immediately needs to come clean and tell striking workers at Voisey’s Bay whether or not his government will bring forth anti-replacement worker legislation in the province.

The Opposition Leader questioned the premier today in the Legislature on the urgent need for his government to get off the fence and advise people of their intentions.  The Voisey’s Bay strike, affecting some 200 employees and their families, has been ongoing since August 2009 while replacement workers carry out duties.   

“The premier finally issued a press statement last week expressing concern over the impact of this strike on communities, employees and families; and yet, has failed to take concrete action that would help these workers get back to their jobs,” says Jones. “This is very typical of this government with their rhetoric spouting one thing and their unwillingness to act revealing their true position.”  

Jones points out that it has been three years since the Williams administrative promised the people of the province that they were undertaking a review of all labour legislation in the province, including a law banning replacement workers during strikes.  “Surely, it does not take that much time to draft and table legislation.  The issue appears to be one of government backing down from its commitment to bringing forward this legislation, yet are unwilling to be up-front and honest about their backtracking.

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