Public service union calls proposed labour law changes “life threatening”

OTTAWA – One of the country’s biggest unions is calling on the Harper government to withdraw proposed changes to labour laws contained in its omnibus budget bill.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada calls the legislation life threatening.

Bill C-4, the Budget Implementation Act, contains a wide range of legislative changes.

PSAC is alarmed over proposals to give the government more powers to alter working conditions.

Once passed, the legislation would give the government exclusive right to determine essential services and would limit the use of arbitration for resolving disputes.

Union vice-president Chris Aylward says the proposals would also make federal government employees vulnerable to unsafe working conditions and make it difficult for them to refuse dangerous work.

But it’s unclear how some of the changes will impact the public service.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement said exact details on how the legislation will affect public servants won’t come until some time after C-4 becomes law.