Can you be compelled by law to walk a picket line?No. "I know of no law in any of the labour jurisdictions in Canada that forces people to walk a picket line," says John Mortimer This article is about the writer. For the leader of the Kent rebellion, see Jack Cade. Sir John Clifford Mortimer CBE QC (born 21 April 1923) is an English barrister turned prolific writer and dramatist. , president of the Canadian Canadian (kənā`dēən), river, 906 mi (1,458 km) long, rising in NE New Mexico. and flowing E across N Texas and central Oklahoma into the Arkansas River in E Oklahoma. Labour Watch Association. "There's no statute, but there are a lot of tools in [a union's] arsenal." For instance, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Mortimer, they apply peer pressure, in some cases intimidation, like the threat of expulsion EXPULSION. The act of depriving a member of a body politic, corporate, or of a society, of his right of membership therein, by the vote of such body or society, for some violation of hi's. . In some provinces, a union can then go to the employer, claim a member is not in good standing and demand termination. One of the heavier sticks used by the Public Service Alliance of Canada The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is one of Canada’s largest national labour unions, with members in every province and territory. In fact, it is the biggest union in the Canadian Federal Public Sector. PSAC members also work abroad in embassies and consulates. to keep its brothers in line is small claims court. Following the 2004 strike, PSAC PSAC Public Service Alliance of Canada PSAC Petroleum Services Association of Canada PSAC Plan for Software Aspects of Certification PSAC President's Scientific Advisory Committee PSAC Prospective Students Advisory Committee dragged a few select members into court to serve as examples to others, enforcing fines created in 1991 for not walking the picket line. But the union's victories in court come mostly by default, when defendants don't appear. "Trying to defend yourself against a union that has revenues of over $60 million a year presents a formidable challenge," Mortimer says, so people just don't show up. But now some are fighting back, and when they do, they win. "I'm not aware of any case where a court has upheld a fine when an employee appeared with a lawyer who knew the law and was able to argue it." That may be why PSAC has been arguing vociferously for a federal anti-scab law--not because they want people stickin' with the union, but because they want a bigger stick to wave at their members. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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