Summerland members among those protesting Conservatives’ latest attack on free collective bargaining

Agriculture Union members are joining PSAC members across the country in protesting Bill C-59, the Budget Implementation Act.

The proposed law, introduced in the House of Commons in mid-May, is the latest attack on free collective bargaining by a vindictive Harper government. It would permit the employer to unilaterally modify collective agreements to remove sick leave and impose a short- and long-term disability plan outside of collective agreements.

The Conservatives’ legislative hammer would ignore both current collective bargaining and existing public service labour laws. Our bargaining agent, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, had temporarily suspended contract talks while considering its options.

The photo below shows our members at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, B.C. who answered the call by the PSAC to protest Bill C-59. During the May 19 event, the participants also signed a banner in support of their negotiating team members.

Local 20043 president Darrell-Lee McKenzie and her members were joined by Bob Jackson, an Agriculture Union member and PSAC Regional Vice-President for British Columbia.

Summerland