In Canada it's the law that they have the right to strike and the right to fair and collective bargaining but at what point should the government intervene?
Over the past month or so it seems everybody is on strike - from teachers, to health care workers, to postal employees and now as of late Air Canada employees have walked off the job. They have the right, but what happens when it all begins to have a lasting impact on the country's economy? How long do we allow two sides to bicker before we try another course of action?
On Wednesday - just hours after about 3,800 Air Canada staff walked off the job - the Government of Canada announced it "has set the legislative ball rolling" to force these workers back on the job.
Canada's Labour Minister Lisa Raitt says the impact of the strike is expected to grow and the effect on Canada's economy will be too great if the matter goes unattended.
"Knowing what the process is involved with back-to-work legislation we commenced it yesterday because it takes 48 hours even before the tabling of legislation," Raitt says, noting that it would then have to be put to debate and a vote. "So it would be 7-8 days from the time which you give notice... to actually having action."
Basically the federal government has given the two sides 48 hours to come to an agreement before stepping in...
While he agrees with the government's opinion that Air Canada is a strategic industry on which the national economy depends, Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick says he doesn't think the situation would be best served by a legislated end to the strike.
Many say it's unfair the government legislates one industry back to work while leaving the others be.
It's a tough call and there are a lot of issues at play but as some observers point out, Air Canada is this country's major airline with flights all over the world. Should it be allowed to have a negative impact on the nation's financial recovery? Should any union have the power to place any corporation in financial jeopardy? Maybe it is time for "back to work legislation." Maybe at the very least, it's time for outside intervention in the form of trained arbitrators. Let both sides make their best arguments and then accept the ruling of the arbitrators... and then we move on.
