The federal Liberals defeated an anti-scab bill Wednesday that would have prevented federally regulated employers from hiring replacement workers during labour disputes.
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré voted against Bill C-234, and Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre was not present for the vote.
While the private member's bill, introduced by NDP MP Karine Trudel, was defeated in the House of Commons, five Liberal MPs voted alongside NDP and Bloc Québecois MPs in support of the bill.
Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota voted in favour of the bill, along with Hamilton-area Liberal MPs Filomena Tassi and Bob Bratina.
Serré said he did not vote for the bill because it was poorly worded and designed by the NDP to “drive a wedge through the Liberal caucus”.
“There are revisions in the bill that were vaguely worded and difficult to interpret in labour disputes,” Serré.
He added the bill included provisions for financial penalties that were inconsistent with those currently in the Canada Labour Code.
When asked if he would support a bill with the same goals, but better and clearer wording, Serré said he could not speculate.
“I do support good collective bargaining, good dialogue, making sure that parties are there and that the workers and companies have a good, sound environment to negotiate a good agreement for all parties,” he said.
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who has proposed anti-scab legislation at the provincial level said she was disappointed with the federal vote.
Gélinas said the 2010 United Steelworkers strike against Vale saw bitter disputes – including physical altercations – between replacement workers, or scabs, and workers on the picket lines.
“When it does happen, it does so much damage to the fabric of the community where scab labour is used,” Gélinas said.
Gélinas added Serré failed to listen to his constituents by voting against the anti-scab bill.
“You have to remember you are there to represent the wishes of the people who elected you,” she said. “The overwhelming majority of people in Sudbury and Nickel Belt would have wanted their elected representative to speak for them and take this opportunity to show how much our community suffered because of the use of scabs.
“To me this is a failure of leadership. You are there to bring the voice of your community forward.”
In a press release the United Steelworkers also expressed disappointment at Wednesday's vote.
“By using their majority to block this bill from even being studied in committee, the Liberals have demonstrated they oppose the principle of preventing the use of replacement workers,” said United Steelworkers national director Ken Neumann.
“This government is siding with employers who use scabs to prolong strikes and lockouts. The Liberals have chosen to uphold a practice that denies workers' rights to free collective bargaining.”
