Worker protections have “absolutely without question, taken a step back” under Ford’s leadership, CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn told PressProgress.
“Not only are they systematically negatively impacting and trying to trample on the rights of workers, but then they try to convince people that they’re doing the opposite,” Hahn said. “So we have double the work to do – we first must convince people against their spin.”
Ford also made it more difficult for unions to educate their members and the general public about how PC policies impact workers, Hahn added. Ford’s Bill 306 targeted the ability of unions to engage in political advocacy and limited their ability to advocate for pro-worker policies. At the same time, Ford introduced Bill 254 which increased individual party donation limits, allowing wealthy donors to contribute more.
Hahn added:
“The Ford Conservatives use the notwithstanding clause for the first time in our province’s history in order to drive through changes that were meant to make it harder for critics of the government to be public about those criticisms, and easier for large, rich donors to donate money to the Conservative Party. It’s incredible.”
