09) SASKATCHEWAN LABOUR READY TO FIGHT BACK

By Darrell Rankin

     The Brad Wall government's surprise 90‑day comprehensive review of provincial labour law was the main focus of the Oct. 31‑Nov. 3 Saskatchewan Federation of Labour convention. Delegates were solidly united to fight should the government revoke the 40‑hour work week or make Saskatchewan a "right to work" province - ending the closed shop.

     Nearly 600 delegates heard labour minister Don Morgan say on the last day of the convention that the still‑secret labour law is not "an attack on unions." But the high number of labour fed presidents in attendance was a sign that Canada's entire union movement is watching carefully.

     Held last spring, the review could be the opening salvo in a much broader attack against labour rights across the country. The responses posted online showed that corporations used the opportunity to create an anti‑labour wish list.

     The review backfired, creating widespread alarm and unity among labour activists. The NDP, Wall's main opposition in the Legislature, held its own hearings with broader input, recommending to keep existing laws and to index the minimum wage to inflation. The Communist Party's response (heavily censored on the government's website), proposes ways to create good‑paying jobs, strengthen labour rights (e.g., ban scabbing), and end discrimination, among others.

     Delegates were roused by SFL president Larry Hubich's opening remarks, and gave two other federation presidents standing ovations - Ontario's Sid Ryan and Alberta's Gil McGowan. Also attending was MFL president, Kevin Rebeck.

     "Why target working people and their organizations?" said Hubich. "(I)n spite of attempts by governments... who have tried to convince people that life in Saskatchewan is about letting everyone fend for themselves... their unions have always worked for a world that is fair and just."

     "We believe that our goal is to make life better, together. Not to pave the way for corporations to do whatever they want or take whatever they want from our province, and that corporations should only be allowed to operate in a community if they improve the lives of the people that live in the community."

     If Don Morgan's comments at the convention are serious, Wall and his corporate backers are thinking twice about carrying out a full blown assault. Saskatchewan's trade union movement isn't asleep. Instead, hundreds of delegates rallied at the provincial legislature in support of labour rights, and many spoke from the floor against growing inequality and low wages.