Thread by @TheLawofWork

If #Bill28 just imposed a 'collective agreement' w/out notwithstanding clause, then situation would be similar to that which occurred with the Putting Students First Act, 2012:

canlii.ca/t/51whv

That law essentially imposed a contract, & was found to violate Charter.

https://twitter.com/TheLawofWork/status/1589628287860736000

Ok, now gearing up for the CUPE press conference.

In the battle of duelling placards, CUPE's has "Respect Charter Rights, Repeal Bill 28"

CUPE Press conference about to begin. Big crowd. Mark Hancock, national president of CUPE speaking.

Huge contingent of unions. Basically the entire Canadian union movement. Pretty impressive showing!

Symbolic of fact that Ford Government threatened collective bargaining.

Hancock:

Bill28 was a threat to collective bargaining and all Canadians with notwithstanding clause. United labor movement like never before.

[Maybe the Conservatives ARE the workers' party after all!]

Hancock:

Government confirmed it "will rescind Bill28". Credit to power of workers and unions across Canada.

[And some lawyers 😀]

Hancock: Not done yet. 55,000 workers who still need help to make ends meet. We will stand by them until they get a fair deal.

I think this is @waltonmom now.

We did not leave the bargaining table, as Ford claimed. Ford promises to introduce legislation to repeal #Bill28 in its entirety.

Historical win for Labour Movement that will appear in texts books (including my own .. shameless plug).

CUPE will withdraw protests starting tomorrow as show of good faith to government's promise.

This all started because of attack on education workers have been overworked, under-appreciated, and legislated into poverty.

The mobilization of members brought this historical win and it will now help us to win a fair collective bargaining agreement.

We have our bargaining rights back.

Members said, "hell no, not today". We're going back to the bargaining table to continue the fight.

Now Bea Bruske, @PresidentCLC:

Ford pushed through draconian legislation. Glad he walked back this wreckless legislation. Now ask him to put his money where his mouth and give workers a fair deal.

Canada's unions will be back again if needed.

Now Karen Brown, @ETFOcb.

Elementary teachers stand in solidarity with other workers. We will not stand by while a government uses notwithstanding clause to strip workers of fundamental rights. Never.

This was an unprecedented attack on workers' rights.

Now, @Lanampayne, @UniforTheUnion President.

Congrats to CUPE education workers. For their courage and resolve. The bargaining table is the only place this will be settled.

Bill28 was an unprecedented attack on workers, and we were ready for an unprecedented response.

Payne:

We will not stand for notwithstanding clause being used to take away workers' rights. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. National Board voted to take 'whatever action is needed to defeat Bill28'.

Now @JPHornick, President of @OPSEU:

OPSEU stands with all workers across Ontario. We are being called upon to come together to stand for what is right.

Ford government has brought together largest public sector & private sector union to resist unprecedented attack on workers

Hornick:

Ford is still trying to divide us, with talk of public vs private sector unions. First they came for educational workers, but when govt's come after one of us, they come after all of us.

Workers united will shut this province down whenever we need to. Solidarity.

Quite the rousing presentation.

Can we just pause for a moment to express the amazing job of @fordnation and @Sflecce in mobilizing the Canadian labour movement.

👏👏👏

The NDP has agreed to return to legislature to repeal #Bill28.

Hancock asked if he could explain what would have happened in terms of general strike.

"One day I will write a book and you can buy it"

Zinger.

Learning that #Bill28 was drafted "long ago".

CUPE "did not walk away from the bargaining table".

With Bill28 repealed, we are back to the regular bargaining process. Right to strike back, duty to bargain in good faith back.

Hard to overstate how much of a screw up this was by the Conservatives.

Nothing that happened after Bill28 was passed was surprising. Entirely expected for anyone who knows anything about the labour relations world.

Nice shout out to Steven Barrett, who along with a bunch of other very good lawyers on both sides of the debate spent a beautiful fall weekend working 20 hours days litigating a complicated and rushed case.

That's it for the unions' press conference. Quite a day in Canadian labour and labour law history.

The revolution was televised.//