Coalition of unions launch challenge to public sector wages cap

By News staff

A coalition of 10 unions, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), have announced they will also be challenging a bill that caps public sector wages at one per cent in Ontario.

The Ford government’s Bill 124 or the “Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act” passed in the legislature last month and was swiftly met with criticism from unions across the province.

The coalition represents 250,000 workers in Ontario.

President of CUPE Fred Hahn said the bill is a direct attack on frontline public sector workers.

“This is a violation of worker’s rights, full stop. This challenge is about defending worker’s rights protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedom. Charter rights matter. Human rights matter. Workers’ rights matter,” said Hahn at a press conference.

The challenge will be filed in the new year.

Four major teacher’s unions launched a constitutional challenge against the bill last week. The unions also say the bill, which caps all public sector salary increases at one per cent per year for the next three years, violates their charter rights.

The Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) has also said they will file a charter challenge to the bill, saying it will worsen hallway health care and discriminate against women.

ONA President Vicki McKenna said in a statement “this legislation could likely deepen the already serious nursing shortage in Ontario, and have negative effects on health care and public safety.”

The union represents 68,000 nurses and 18,000 nursing students in Ontario.

The government has said the wage cap bill respects the bargaining process, noting it still allows for employees to get raises for seniority, performance or increased qualifications.

Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy has said he is confident the law is constitutional.

With files from The Canadian Press

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