A “pro-union” Conservative party?
Erin O’Toole, the newly elected Conservative Party leader, has made a point of being publicly supportive of unions. In early November, he told the Canadian Club of Toronto that unions were “an essential part of the balance between what was good for business and what was good for employees” and spoke against “the decline of private sector union membership.”
So how progressive is the Conservative Party when it comes to unions? Could the Conservative Party really become a pro-union party under Erin O’Toole?
Under the Conservative majority government of 2011-2015, two major pieces of anti-union legislation were passed. Bill C-377 would have required public salary and expense disclosures by federally regulated unions, in an attempt to embarrass and discredit unions. Bill C-525 would have made it more difficult for workers to join federally regulated unions.
Almost all Conservative members in attendance voted yes on those bills, including Erin O’Toole. All opposition members voted against.
The most notable anti-union bill to pass under Trudeau is Bill C-89, which mandated a return to work for striking Canada Post workers. It passed with the support of all Conservative members in attendance.
Recent legislation that has sought to expand union power in Canada has split along similar partisan lines, including 2016’s Bill C-4, which faced opposition from all Conservative members in attendance, including Erin O’Toole.
The legislative record is not exactly inspiring. For context, Canada has a relatively right-wing labour regime that lacks important labour protections:
Most Canadian provinces lack private union elections by simple majority (known as card check), a measure designed to limit the power of employers to coerce their employees against forming a union.
Employers in all provinces except Quebec and BC are able to hire replacement non-union labour during union strike action, undermining labour power.
Few union contracts are negotiated under neutrality agreements, which bar employers from using anti-union tactics.
Canada does not have sectoral bargaining, a way for unions and employer groups to negotiate pay for an economic sector as a bloc.
Provincial and federal governments often break union strikes through legislation.
These are areas where a party supportive of unions might want to push legislation. Conservatives have not signalled any any interest in these issues.
In the struggle between business and labour interests, Erin O’Toole’s Conservatives are firmly on the side of business. Pro-union voters should look elsewhere.