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On Monday October 26, 2026, Unifor National President Lana Payne presented to both a Senate and a House of Commons committee studying Bill C-39.
Payne’s testimony centered on the infringement on the right to strike included in the bill, and its predictable knock-on effect of curtailing collective bargaining itself.
Bill C-39 introduces a new mechanism so that the Minister of Labour can unilaterally and immediately end a strike in federally regulated sectors, end negotiations, and send the contract to an arbitrator to decide.
This decision is based on if the Minister believes the strike affects Canada’s national interest.
“The national interest test is so broad it is defined simply as having an "economic impact" or causing ‘serious social disruption’. All strikes have economic impacts. It’s the entire point of a strike,” said Payne.
Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske highlighted the recklessness of the new ministerial power on the same panel at the Senate, saying that in this new Section 107 of the Labour Code, “the minister's opinion and the law are one and the same.”
Payne walked decision makers through the cause and effect of this dangerous new ministerial power.
“There are those who think these changes will result in less conflict at bargaining tables, fewer disputes. I disagree and I’m here to say: it’s time to pump the brakes,” said Payne to the federal decision-makers.
“Big federal employers have not been shy about their demands to weaken the very rights workers depend on to improve their livelihoods, make their workplaces safer, or advance equality.”
“If employers believe the government will intervene on their behalf, this changes their bargaining tactics and strategy.”
The legislation is currently being rushed through both the House of Commons and the Senate.
Watch the full proceedings
Share your thoughts on this dangerous legislation with those decision makers.
In its submission, Unifor referred to a recent round of negotiations at DHL Express, where the employer asked the Minister to intervene in its behalf to end the union’s job action.
“Only after it understood that there would not be a Ministerial intervention under section 107 was DHL moved to bargain and soon reach a deal with Unifor. In this and other similar cases, the Government created an expectation of intervention - a problem that Bill C-39 will make worse,” said the union.
The bill includes two changes which support workers’ rights, support for a union’s first contract and ending contract flipping at airports, which Payne urged government to protect.
“Ending contract flipping is especially important given the looming threat of airport privatization. And newly organized workers should be able to get a first collective agreement in a timely fashion. Employers should not be able to circumvent their right to a union by using egregious stalling tactics.”
Unifor members are sharing their thoughts on this legislation through a petition to MPs and Senators. Add your name today and defend the right to strike and to bargain collectively.
Canadian Telecommunications Workers Alliance also delivers submission to Parliament
Through its involvement in the Canadian Telecommunications Workers Alliance (CTWA), Unifor participated in an additional submission on the legislation, highlighting the incongruence of claiming to protect the telecommunications infrastructure while failing to put any limits on offshore outsourcing of the operations of Canada’s telecommunications infrastructure.
