Employers push Ottawa to curb future transport strikes with pre-emptive powers

Employers representing Canada’s transportation and communications industries have asked Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration to grant the labour minister authority to halt strike action in sectors such as airlines, railways and ports when a national public-interest test is met. The request aligns with the government’s ongoing overhaul of the federal labour code, which seeks to prevent disruptions to critical supply chains but faces stiff opposition from unions protecting collective-bargaining power.

Recent incidents, including a WestJet flight-attendant walkout and an Air Canada strike last summer, have underscored the urgency of the issue. The government delayed its planned June legislation to allow further feedback, with Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu leading new consultations on arbitration powers. Employers propose a “national public interest” trigger and a special mediator with limited powers, while Unifor President Lana Payne warns the changes could be used to chip away at workers’ rights amid U.S. trade tensions. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon emphasized the broader economic and reputational stakes of transport labour disputes.