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Open LetterOctober 25, 2005 PSAC accuses federal government of colluding with Lakeside Packers, calls for anti-scab lawThe Honourable Joseph Frank Fontana Minister of Labour 165 Hôtel-de-Ville Place du Portage, Phase II 10th Floor Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0J2 The Honourable Reg Alcock President of the Treasury Board Dear Ministers Fontana and Alcock: Today marks the 14th day of strike action by the United Food and Commercial Workers against the Lakeside Packers—a strike marked by violence directly attributable to the fact that Canada does not have anti-scab legislation and first contract arbitration that cover all jurisdictions. PSAC members employed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are directly involved in this dispute because while employed by the government of Canada their work location is Lakeside Packers in Brooks, Alberta—during the strike their employer expects them to go to work. The government of Canada and its various departments and agencies have professed in the past and profess in the context of this strike that its first priority as an employer is to ensure the safety of its workers. The current strike in Brooks, Alberta is a striking example of rhetoric clashing with reality. In reality, the government of Canada, through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, is putting some 30 PSAC members directly in the middle of a labour dispute that has turned violent on many of the past 13 days. On October 24th, our members employed at Lakeside Packers did not board the bus to their regular work location. Their general reasons for doing so are outlined in my October 24th letter to the President of CFIA (a copy of which is attached). I would urge the two of you to take note of the general reasons that I sighted for doing so, and more importantly to intervene to ensure that the government of Canada at least remains neutral for the duration of this strike and any future labour-management disputes that involve federal workers required to work on the premises of companies where the workers are on strike. In the current case, the government knows that it faces a potentially explosive situation when it attempts, on a daily basis, to transport its workers across the picket line. Despite this, it has, through the CFIA, colluded with the company to make a bad situation worse by violating the picket line protocol in existence. Specifically, it has transported and continues to attempt to transport our members into the plant over gravel roads built by the company subsequent to the start of strike actions with the direct intent of reducing the impact of the strike. In addition to using these some 13 newly-created access roads, the CFIA has actually acquiesced to management and, on one occasion, transported our members across the picket line through a field. It has also, and on a continuing basis, made use of company supervisors to cross picket lines. In addition, and on a daily basis, the government of Canada, through CFIA, is using cellular communications with company management representatives to circumvent plant access points with the longest picket line. These and other actions are rightly seen as being provocative by the UFCW and a great many of its striking members. I can assure you that while the UFCW has not and will not take any action that undermines the safety of our members employed by the CFIA, the community of Brooks, Alberta, is completely divided and actions undertaken by individuals supporting one side or the other have undermined their safety, not only at the plant, but in the community. This situation cries out for government actions at the highest level on two fronts. First, with respect to CFIA, I would suggest that both of you impress upon the CFIA that the government of Canada has a position of neutrality in the current labour dispute and that any collusion with the company is inappropriate. Given the CFIA’s inability to comprehend the need for neutrality, I believe that it would be appropriate for you both to attend the meeting that I have requested with the CFIA President. Second, with respect to public policy, I urge Minister Fontana to introduce anti-scab legislation for workers covered by the Canada Labour Code, and work on an urgent basis with provincial and territorial labour ministers to ensure that all Canadian jurisdictions adopt anti-scab legislation. I also request Minister Alcock to develop, in consultation with federal public sector unions, a firm position on how government departments and agencies act in any future labour dispute where the government’s regulatory responsibilities require the onsite presence of federal workers in jurisdictions where there is no anti-scab legislation and first contract arbitration. Sincerely,
Nicole Turmel National President c.c. The Right Honourable Paul Martin Gilles Duceppe, Leader, Bloc Québécois Stephen Harper, Leader, Conservative Party Jack Layton, Leader, New Democratic Party François Guimont Dear Mr. Guimont: Over the weekend of October 22-23, 2005, I received a number of highly disturbing phone calls from people within and outside of our CFIA membership concerning the situation at the Lakeside Packers in Brooks, Alberta. This followed earlier incidents associated with the labour dispute at the Lakeside Packers Plant that resulted in a refusal of work under Part II of the Canada Labour Code. Under the circumstances, I immediately dispatched PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President, Robyn Benson, and a member of my staff to Alberta to review the situation, and meet with our members and your employees. This review has led me to conclude that a number of actions undertaken by the CFIA have placed our members at considerable risk of personal injury. During discussions with management representatives on site in Brooks, Alberta today, management representatives failed to understand the gravity of the situation and, on at least one occasion, reverted to threatening PSAC/CFIA members with disciplinary action. I request, on an urgent basis, that we meet to explore ways that this situation can be resolved in a way that protects your employees and the members that we represent. Sincerely,
Nicole Turmel National President c.c. Robyn Benson The Honourable Andrew Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture The Honourable Joseph Fontana, Minister of Labour Andrew Raven, Raven Cameron Ballantyne Yazbeck, Ottawa
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