To the Editor:
Public service unions are not alone in worrying about Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre's proposal to undo 60 years of Canadian labour law. If Harper backs his plan, it could mean chaos for employers and workers alike.
Poilievre wants to change the decades-old rule that workers who are covered by a union contract must pay union dues. This sensible arrangement is fundamental to a labour relations system that is designed to serve both employers and workers, not to mention the general public.
Workers get to decide by free vote whether or not they want to unionize. If the majority say yes and an independent labour relations board approves, the union is certified and must by law represent all the workers fairly.
To allow workers to opt-out of paying the costs of representation, as Poilievre proposes, would be the same as allowing Poilievre's constituents to opt out of paying taxes because they didn't vote for him. It's an idea that might have appeal to some at first blush, but it is nevertheless undemocratic.
Morna Ballantyne, Ottawa, ON.
