2013 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights - Canada
| Publisher | International Trade Union Confederation |
| Publication Date | 6 June 2013 |
| Cite as | International Trade Union Confederation, 2013 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights - Canada, 6 June 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/51b8517a18.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Interference by public authorities in migrant workers' right to freedom of association: Migrant workers of Mexican origin employed at Floriala Farms and Sidhu Nurseries near Surrey, British Columbia under Canada's Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programme have been warned by their consulate about visiting union-run support centres in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. At a 2012 hearing before the B.C. Labour Relations Board the Mexican government successfully claimed sovereign immunity, a view now being appealed by the United Food and Commercial Workers before the B.C. Supreme Court.
Interference by employers: Wal-Mart closed a branch in Jonquière, Quebec because of a potentially successful organising drive by UFCW Canada. In November 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada indicated that it would hear UFCW's appeal.
Interference in strike action: In June 2012, the Federal government moved quickly to introduce back-to-work legislation to end a strike by 4,800 members the International Brotherhood of Teamsters against Canadian Pacific Railway.
In March 2012, the Federal government referred two Air Canada labour disputes involving pilots (Air Canada Pilots Association) and ground crews (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, a move that effectively blocked work stoppages and forced the employees back to work. In both cases, the Board subsequently sided with the employer. This followed two other actions: (i) in June, 2011, the government announced its intent to introduce back-to-work legislation to end a legal strike of Air Canada's 3,800 sales and service agents (Canadian Auto Workers Union), forcing the union and employer to resolve differences within a few days, or face a legislative resolution; and (ii) in October 2011, a dispute involving Air Canada flight attendants (Canadian Union of Public Employees) was immediately referred to the Canada Industrial Relations Board by the Federal government to prevent the employees from exercising their right to strike.
