Conrad Black argues for a reform in the government’s strategy towards public sector strikes

November 18, 2024 TruthUSA

Commentary

The current postal strike is reminiscent of past strikes in the public service that were prevalent during Pierre Trudeau’s time as Prime Minister more than 40 years ago, especially in Quebec.

The Crown corporation operating Canadian post offices loses $3 billion annually. Postal services have been declining due to the rise of the internet, courier services, and more informal business practices that rely on scanned or faxed confirmations of receipt.

In the past, there was a significant debate about the right to strike in essential public services. Quebec’s long-serving premier, Maurice Duplessis, famously stated in 1948: “The right to strike against the public interest does not exist.” Duplessis introduced statutes that improved the working conditions of Quebec’s labor force through direct government action, rather than favoring labor union leaders legislatively.

One of the most famous labor conflicts during Duplessis’s time was the asbestos workers strike in Mégantic in 1949. The technically illegal strike led to the seizure of law enforcement officials by strike leaders, prompting Duplessis to intervene with paramilitary units and prosecute the union leaders. He also enacted legislation that granted generous pay increases and better working conditions for the strikers.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that government employees in Canada gained the right to collective bargaining and striking. The secularization of teachers and health services in Quebec was seen as a positive step towards human and social progress.

Pierre Trudeau supported these views but faced challenges during his tenure as Prime Minister. In 1978, he had the head of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Jean-Claude Parrot, imprisoned for defiance of a back-to-work order. At that time, I suggested in an editorial that postal delivery be awarded to Jehovah’s Witnesses and other religious minorities, as they were often at people’s doorsteps daily.

Premier Daniel Johnson, Duplessis’s disciple, faced a strike by Montreal schoolteachers in 1967. He followed Duplessis’s tactics by issuing an order requiring teachers to return to work within 48 hours, leading to a swift resolution.

As a member of the Ontario Premier’s Business Advisory Council, I advised Premier Bill Davis in 1975 against extending collective bargaining rights to provincial employees, particularly schoolteachers. Despite my advice, he proceeded with the decision.

The unionization of Quebec’s teachers resulted in a decline in educational quality and achievement levels. Public school systems across the West have shifted towards becoming daycare centers.

While the current postal strike aims to address various issues, including protection against technological changes, the government should ensure a fair return to work. Strikes in the public sector are detrimental to the country, and the concept of such strikes needs reevaluation.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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