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Nova Scotia NDP bill would ban use of replacement workers during strikes

Nova Scotia’s NDP has tabled a bill that would ban the use of replacement workers during a strike.

Party leader Claudia Chender says her opposition bill is similar to legislation in Quebec and British Columbia and comes as federal legislation is currently before the House of Commons.

Chender says her party’s bill includes a $100,000-a-day fine for employers who use replacement labour and would also allow unions and employers to agree on work that could continue during a strike or lockout for health and safety reasons.

The bill is supported by UNIFOR, which represents more than 230 workers at the Halifax Autoport facility who have been on strike since Feb. 27, and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour.

Jennifer Murray, UNIFOR Atlantic’s regional director, says Autoport has been using replacement workers since the strike began, a move she says seriously undermines the bargaining process.

Labour Minister Jill Blaser didn’t commit to supporting the NDP bill but said the issue deserves careful consideration, especially since legislation appears likely at the federal level.