Professionals on the Picket Line?
"Federal scientists, doctors, geologists and other professionals who have never been on a picket line are going on 'mobilization' and strike training so they’ll be ready if contract negotiations with the Conservative government hit an impasse."
"The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is holding a two-day conference and training sessions [the week of February 16, 2015] with about 150 local leaders on how to mobilize employees who, historically, have been cool to strikes and other militant labour tactics."
"It’s a major cultural shift for PIPSC, whose 55,000 professionals have largely preferred to settle disputes at the bargaining table with arbitration rather than strike."
"The Conservatives, however, changed that with new labor legislation, buried in omnibus budget Bill C-4. It gave the government, not the union, the right to pick strike or arbitration to resolve impasses."
Ottawa Citizen, February 13, 2015: "Professionals on the picket line? Federal union training, just in case," by Kathryn May
"This week’s training has focused on broadening PIPSC’s efforts at what it has styled 'public interest bargaining', recently exemplified by federal scientists’ call to negotiate scientific integrity agreements, and in presenting compelling evidence of the damage inflicted on critical public services in the lead up to the next federal election."
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, February 20, 2015: "PIPSC Leaders Prepare for Possible Job Actions and Strikes Due to Changes Imposed on Federal Collective Bargaining"
rabble.ca, November 21, 2013: "Why labour unions are concerned about the new budget bill -- and you should be too," by H.G. Watson
Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP, November 2013: "Bill C-4's Impact on Federal Public Sector Unions," by Steven Barrett (12 pages, PDF)