A Monumental Month For Labour In Canada
A Letter From IBEW Canada’s IVP, Russ Shewchuk
Brothers and Sisters,
The month of June marked a historic month for Labour in Canada. After years of hard work and advocacy – a charge led by Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) – we celebrate the passing of three labour-related bills, each receiving royal assent last month:
Bill C-50: Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act
Bill C-58: Federal Anti-Scab Legislation
Bill C-59: Investment Tax Credits (Clean Energy)
CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland addresses these wins in a video below, calling last month’s events “a huge win, a game changer, a monumental victory for building trades and all construction workers.”
As the collective voice of unionized construction in Canada, CBTU is the driving force of advocacy for skilled trades workers within Parliament. Their persistence and activism have resulted in positive outcomes that will:
- Ensure the inclusion of union voices in discussions and decisions related to job sustainability as our nation transitions to green energy solutions (Bill C-50).
- Ban replacement workers during strikes in federally regulated workplaces (Bill C-58).
- Promote strong labour conditions and secure training opportunities for apprentices in emerging green energy projects (Bill C-59).
On behalf of IBEW Canada, I congratulate Sean Strickland and his team for pushing these and other important issues forward. This is exactly why the IBEW is proud to belong to Canada’s Building Trades Unions.
As Sean mentions, “Our work is not done.” We must continue fighting for our members and labour in Canada. Let’s build on this momentum and keep pushing forward.
Together, we are stronger.
In Solidarity,
Russ Shewchuk
International Vice President
IBEW First District (Canada)
