Posted on 03/28/2003 7:47:48 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
A United Nations body has chastised the B.C. Liberal government for its treatment of public sector unions, saying laws that stripped teachers of the right to strike and imposed contracts in education, health and community services violate international agreements.
In a decision released Thursday, the Geneva-based International Labour Organization (ILO) called on the province to repeal the law declaring K-12 education an essential service and amend five other statutes to ensure working conditions are negotiated rather than imposed.
But Premier Gordon Campbell said he has no intention of making such changes. "We said in the election we were going to do this and that is what we have done," he stated. "I feel no pressure whatsoever. I was not participating in any discussion with the UN."
Labour Minister Graham Bruce added that the ILO's call for a return to full collective bargaining doesn't take into account that it's been years since there has been a negotiated contract in the K-12 education sector. He said he is exploring whether B.C. might be able to develop a new labour relations model for the public sector.
But Jim Sinclair, president of the B.C. Federation of Labour, said the ruling is a "terrible blow" to B.C.'s reputation at a time when it is trying to win international support for trade disputes, such as the one concerning softwood lumber, and Vancouver's bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"This ruling effectively relegates B.C. to the ranks of many Third World countries where basic democratic freedoms are regularly ignored," he told a news conference.
The ruling marks the second time this month that a UN body has criticized the B.C. government. Earlier, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women singled out B.C. in lambasting Canada for not meeting its obligations to women under international human rights law.
The ILO decision is non-binding but persuasive, Sinclair said.
"If our reputation is to mean anything -- and I believe that this is a province worried about its international reputation and wants a good one -- then we have to live up to the agreements that we sign on the international level."
He said the Liberals should admit they were wrong and rectify the situation. If they don't, Sinclair said he hopes Prime Minister Jean Chretien will give them a call to say: "Clean up this mess -- we don't need this."
Mark Thompson, a University of B.C. professor who specializes in labour issues, said the significance of the ruling depends, in part, on public reaction to it. Asked if it amounts to a black eye for B.C., he replied: "In international legal circles, yes. But how big a black eye, I don't know."
The timing is important in light of Canada's recent decision not to join the attack on Iraq because it wasn't sanctioned by the UN, he noted. "Canada is taking a very forthright stand in favour of international law with respect to the war ... we have been taking a leadership role in these kinds of things."
It's unusual for Canada to be criticized for breaching international law, added Thompson. Both he and Sinclair noted the ILO is a respected organization with eminent representatives from labour, business and government.
According to the Canadian Labour Congress, the ILO has ruled against Canada approximately six times in the past 10 years. In recent years, it has ruled against Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for laws that decertified unions and prevented workers from joining unions, a spokesman said.
Neil Worboys, president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, said the ILO ruling is vindication for unions that have accused the government of unfair labour practices.
"What we've said all along is that this government and their laws violated our rights and this ILO ruling validates that."
Cindy Oliver, president of the College Institute Educators' Association, said the decision is a slap at the Liberals for imposing contracts and unilaterally removing clauses that had been bargained previously.
"Instead of sitting at the table and bargaining those things -- actually discussing them as you would in a civilized nation -- they decided they didn't like it and they were going to change it.
"That's just not the right thing to do and it's very edifying to find the ILO saying they did a bad thing."
As long as the U.N. is the one paying the workers, of course.
This is what awaits the Brits if they sign up to the EU constitution, it will be the end of democracy as they know it. Thank God we have our own constitution, hopefully we won't defer to these international bodies, EVER!
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