With Canada’s busiest shopping season ahead of Christmas holidays threatened by a weeks-long rotating postal strike, the federal government is pushing emergency legislation to force Canada Post employees back to work.
Labour Minister Patty Hajdu tabled the proposed legislation in the House of Commons Thursday morning.
The Liberal government also tabled a motion to expedite the bill instead of it going through the normal parliamentary process of that could take weeks or even months.
The federal government has faced growing pressure from online retailers who depend on Canada Post’s parcel delivery to intervene in the labour dispute.
Canada Post is dealing with a fifth week of rotating strikes by thousands of unionized workers as both sides remain apart in contract negotiations. Postal workers have been without a contract for a year.
Today’s move comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons Wednesday that the government is encouraging both sides to reach a deal, but was prepared to act if there is no “significant progress.”
“We have provided conciliation officers, appointed mediators and offered voluntary arbitration,” Trudeau said. “Legislation is not a step that we take lightly.”
The centre-left opposition New Democratic Party lambasted the Liberals for taking away the only leverage postal workers have and emboldening Canada Post executives not to bargain in good faith.
The Liberals show that “the government is prepared to do anything to please web giants such as Amazon and eBay,” NDP parliamentary leader Guy Caron said in the House of Commons Wednesday.
With files from CBC News
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