Bill expected to limit federal strike interventions, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says

The Story

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says the federal government is preparing legislation intended to reduce the frequency of Ottawa interventions during labour strikes, a change she frames as moving disputes back to negotiation tables.

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on September 19, Hajdu said she does not want the government stepping in and suggested both sides are better off resolving issues directly when negotiating.

Hajdu said the government is looking to amend the Canada Labour Code, but she did not provide additional specifics about the exact provisions or how the bill would change processes related to strike activity.

A central point of contention for employers and unions is the use of Section 107 of the labour code, which has been used more often in recent disputes, according to the report referenced in her comments.

Section 107 has been used to curb work stoppages by referring labour disputes to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, an approach that has been met with strong disagreement between employers and unions.

Hajdu’s remarks come after Employment and Social Development Canada released a report earlier in September describing how deeply divided employers and unions are about how much power the federal government should have to intervene in labour disputes.

According to the same description, the disagreement reflects competing views on when federal involvement is necessary and what level of authority Ottawa should hold during bargaining conflicts.

The comments also land as Parliament prepares for the House of Commons to resume, with MPs set to return next week after a period leading up to the broader fall parliamentary schedule.

Prime Minister Mark Carney was scheduled to meet with his Liberal caucus in Ottawa on September 19, in the same timeframe as Hajdu’s briefing, as parties work through internal priorities before the House reconvenes.

For workers, employers and labour relations stakeholders in Canada, the prospective changes are significant because Section 107 and related mechanisms affect how quickly disputes can escalate into work stoppages and what pathways exist to limit them.