Harry Bains

VICTORIA — Earlier this year, the New Democrats launched an independent review of the Labour Code, the provincial law governing strikes, lockouts, bargaining, organizing and the relationship between unions and employers. …However, tucked inside the provisions of this Act was a significant change involving strikes and picketing… The change was crafted to reverse a decision by the independent labour relations board, which had ruled provincially regulated workers could not legally respect a picket line put up by their federal counterparts. …But the proposed change drew a swift and angry protest from the major employer organizations — the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council of B.C. and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. …The New Democrats are rewriting the Labour Code … in the midst of a supposedly independent review of the Code itself. There are many words to characterize such conduct. But fair, balanced and trustworthy aren’t among them.