Anti-Scab Legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador gains momentum

As I reported here, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador is exploring the possibility of passing anti-scab legislation in the province, in part as a response to the strike at Voisey's Bay mine.

That proposal has gained some momentum here, in Lana Payne's column in the Telegram.

Therefore, like any law, anti-scab legislation is needed to keep the few bad apples from spoiling the entire barrel — from tainting what has been a decent labour-relations climate, a good place to do business. A ban on replacement workers will not, as Tucker claims, give more power to unions.

The province’s employers council is supporting and condoning the actions of a tiny number of rogue employers that do not want to bargain fairly, and that have no respect for the rights of unions and working people to organize and collectively bargain. This is exactly the case in Voisey’s Bay. The workers have been on strike since mid-April, and if research and history tell us anything, when replacement workers are used, strikes are often prolonged, nasty affairs. It is time to take on the rogue employers. The provincial government must ask itself if it is going to allow a few irresponsible employers to sully a stable labour-relations climate.

Balance and fairness. It's not a whole lot to ask for.