A private members bill was introduced onto the government order papers by Tony Abbott (PC-Drayton Valley-Calmar). Motion 532 urges the government "to ensure employees are not forced to join labour unions in order to secure employment in either the private or public sector." This kind of anti-union legislation is ironically known as Right To Work.
The Industrial Workers of the World, Edmonton General Membership Branch, calls on the labour movement to come together to oppose this disreputable attempt by the Alberta Government to introduce right to work legislation through the back door.
While a private members bill is not the same as a government motion, in 1995 a private members bill led to a full government inquiry into Right to Work. That inquiry dismissed any idea of implementing Right To Work laws in Alberta.
This motion should prompt all Unions and labour activists in the province to join together in Solidarity to oppose any attempt to introduce Right To Work laws in Alberta.
Alberta has the worst labour legislation in Canada and has been identified as being in violation of international labour standards by the International Labour Organization and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
Clearly we need laws to protect workers not legislative attacks on workers rights to belong to a union.
The IWW is committed to defeating any Right To Work legislation, beginning with Motion 532, and calls on the labour movement in Alberta to join us in this effort.