Manitoba unions want Supreme Court to weigh in on public sector wage freeze case

By The Staff The Canadian Press

Posted November 3, 2021 11:28 am

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Public-sector unions in Manitoba are hoping to appeal a court ruling that said the government had a right to impose a wage freeze on more than 100,000 workers.

The coalition of unions says it is asking the Supreme Court of Canada to hear the case in order to protect collective bargaining rights.

Read more: Appeals court rules Manitoba had the right to impose wage freeze on public sector

The Progressive Conservative government introduced a bill in 2017 to impose a two-year wage freeze, with small increases in the third and fourth year, on any new public-sector agreement.

A Court of Queen’s Bench judge ruled the move violated bargaining rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and struck down the wage freeze.

Click to play video: 'Appeals court rules Manitoba had the right to impose wage freeze on public sector' 0:35 Appeals court rules Manitoba had the right to impose wage freeze on public sector Appeals court rules Manitoba had the right to impose wage freeze on public sector â€" Oct 13, 2021

But the government took the matter to the Court of Appeal, which overturned the lower court ruling and said the government was within its authority.

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Kevin Rebeck, head of the Manitoba Federation of Labour, says he is hoping the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.

Read more: Manitoba’s public sector wage freeze bill violates Charter, court rules

“When we launched our constitutional challenge to the … government’s wage-freeze law, we knew it would not be a quick process,” Rebeck said in a press release Wednesday.

“But we will always stick up for the rights of workers.”

Click to play video: 'Province to introduce bills that may freeze public-sector wages' 1:18 Province to introduce bills that may freeze public-sector wages Province to introduce bills that may freeze public-sector wages â€" Mar 20, 2017

© 2021 The Canadian Press

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