July 7, 2020

EDMONTON—Premier Jason Kenney’s Bill 32 attempts to undermine the voice of Alberta’s working people while ensuring corporations remain as powerful and unaccountable as ever, says Unifor.

“When unions use free speech rights to speak out against injustice, we’re standing up for all workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Combined with criminalizing protest under the new Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, Jason Kenney is using the power of big government to silence the voices of working people.”

Bill 32 proposes to limit unions’ public advocacy campaigns with a government-imposed “free-loader” union dues model that lets union members benefit from union advocacy without paying for it, says Unifor. The union also says that Bill 32 would hamstring Kenney’s most effective critics and consolidate his own power.

“In this new attack on working peoples’ rights, Jason Kenney is using government regulations to benefit his friends in big business,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Fixing the rules to give even greater power to the rich and powerful will only hurt Alberta’s economic recovery. Working people must be heard if we’re going to build a more fair and sustainable society.”

Unifor says that, much like is expected with the undemocratic Critical Infrastructure Defense Act, Bill 32 will eventually be ruled unconstitutional by courts.

“Rather than admitting that his weak economic plan has made matters worse, Kenney would rather pick ideological fights using bad laws that will be thrown out by courts,” said McGarrigle.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.