Bill will help reduce government interventions during strikes: Hajdu

Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has announced upcoming legislation aimed at reducing the number of instances where the federal government needs to mediate strikes. During a press conference on Parliament Hill, Hajdu emphasized that governments generally prefer to avoid intervention and that workers and employers are better off resolving disputes independently at the negotiating table.

"The government already possesses the authority to intervene," she stated, "the focus is on minimizing the frequency at which the government is compelled to resolve these issues." Employers and unions have expressed strong opposition regarding the implementation of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, which has been increasingly utilized to limit work stoppages in crucial sectors by referring disputes to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

According to a recent report from Employment and Social Development Canada, there is a division between employers and unions concerning the extent of government intervention in labor disputes. Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to convene his Liberal caucus in Ottawa on Saturday as Members of Parliament prepare to reconvene in the House of Commons next week.

With Parliament set to reconvene in the fall, several MPs indicated that proceedings will likely be brisk. Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, emphasized in a statement that the right to strike is essential for national interest. "Canada’s economic security hinges on workers having the power to negotiate for improved wages, working conditions, and job security," she remarked.

"Any new power to prevent or halt a legal strike, even before it begins, would undermine that power. Canada requires workers who are empowered, not restrained." Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon assured reporters that the proposed legislation does not target the right to strike. "Our objective is to make the process of reaching collective agreements more straightforward," he declared. This report by The Canadian Press was originally published on September 19, 2026.