Unifor, Canada's largest union in the federally regulated private sector, has expressed outrage over a recent Senate Committee on Transport and Communications report. The report recommends imposing binding arbitration in marine and transportation sectors, bypassing collective bargaining.
Union Condemns Report as Attack on Workers' Rights
Unifor National President Lana Payne stated, "The conclusions of this report are shocking, radical and only add confusion to the already rushed consultations to amend the federal labour code." She emphasized that free and fair collective bargaining is a cornerstone of Canadian law and society.
The report suggests introducing binding arbitration in marine and rail sectors and weakening essential services designations. Unifor rejects the notion of "national interest" as justification to deny workers their right to bargain collectively.
Union Calls Out Misguided Crisis Narrative
Payne added, "This committee is creating a crisis where no such crisis exists." She argued that labour disputes are rare compared to global challenges like climate change and geopolitics, and should not be used to justify stripping workers of their rights.
Unifor warns that binding arbitration would end negotiated contracts in the sector. In transportation, collective bargaining is vital for growing good jobs and ensuring worker safety. Decades of deregulation and anti-labour practices have already weakened job quality and standards.
Senate Consultations Lacked Worker Representation
The union noted that the Senate's consultative process did not include any Unifor witnesses and heard from only three worker groups. Unifor submitted a brief to the Senate committee in fall 2025 and also contributed to Employment and Social Development Canada's consultation on modernizing the federal labour relations framework. Sixteen Unifor locals representing workers in various transportation sectors, energy, telecommunications, and media also made submissions.
Unifor highlighted that the International Court of Justice recently affirmed the right to strike as a protected trade union activity under international law.
Unifor represents 320,000 workers across Canada's economy and advocates for working people's rights, equality, and social justice.
