Harper's War on Universal Human Rights Continues

It's Air Canada again.  This time it's the 6,800 flight attendants who have voted down an offer from the airline and will be in a legal strike position on Thursday.

It wasn't long after the flight attendants' Sunday vote that a spokesperson for LabourMin Lisa Raitt began sending out e-mails warning the Harper government won't tolerate a lengthy work stoppage.

"We will be clear that a work stoppage is unacceptable in this time of fragile economy," said Ashley Kelehear in the email.


About 65 per cent of employees who cast a ballot voted against the contract.

Raitt made it clear during the negotiation process that she was ready and willing to introduce back-to-work legislation if the two sides were unable to make a deal by the deadline.

She even had the legislation prepared ahead of time, though it was never used because the negotiators managed to settle on an agreement just hours before the deadline was reached.

Now that members have rejected that deal, Raitt will likely bring back the legislation if employees walk off the job.

That is Harper's notion of collective bargaining.   Before negotiations even conclude the government loads a "back to work" round in the chamber.  And it's all done on the flimsy claim that a strike by flight attendants would cripple the fragile Canadian economy.   Couldn't they at least have said the cabin crews were concealing WMDs?  But that's what happens when you have authoritarian rule.  They don't even try to lie convincingly.

And there's a clear pattern here.  Harper will not abide strike action in sectors falling under federal jurisdiction.  And by repeatedly and consistently siding on behalf of employers against labour, Harper is flagrantly violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under which Canada, as a signatory, guarantees the right to collective bargaining.   Apparently being a human rights violator doesn't cut much ice with lardass Steve.