I rise today in solidarity with 250 workers from the Windsor Salt mine and over 400 workers at Highbury Canco. Windsor Salt workers, members of Unifor Locals 240 and 1959, are on strike for job security and to fight the company’s move to contract out their jobs to third-party and non-unionized workers—classic union-busting.

Over 400 workers from the Highbury Canco plant in Leamington, members of UFCW Local 175, are on strike for wage improvements. Their employer is busing in replacement workers, scabs, and paying them more than the permanent workers and offering them benefits—again, union-busting.

From beverages, food products and even road salt, these dedicated workers in Windsor and Leamington work hard every day. Scab labour undermines collective bargaining, prolongs labour disputes and removes the employer’s incentive to negotiate in good faith.

New Democrats have tabled anti-scab legislation numerous times but neither the previous Liberal government or the current Conservative government has passed it. To be clear: Conservatives showing up for photo ops on picket lines isn’t solidarity; passing anti-scab legislation is.

Conservatives claim to be friends of labour, but real friends don’t allow scabs to cross picket lines. Friends don’t attack education and health care workers, like the Conservatives did with Bill 28 and Bill 124.

Speaker, 98% of collective agreements are settled without a strike. With the Conservatives consistently undermining the collective bargaining process at every opportunity and refusing to pass anti-scab legislation, strikes will continue to happen.

To Unifor Locals 1959 and 240 and UFCW Local 175: I stand with you in this fight. One day longer, one day stronger.

The skilled trades are a vital part of our province’s economy, but unfortunately, after 15 years of neglect under the previous NDP-supported Liberal government, we are experiencing critical labour shortages in this sector.

In Barrie–Innisfil, thousands of jobs are being unfilled in the trades sector. These jobs represent opportunities for people, many of them paying good paycheques, with benefits and potential pensions. These are jobs that are valued. They’re important and they’re urgently needed for our province to overcome the housing shortage we are facing and to rebuild vital infrastructure.

Can the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development tell us what our government is doing to address the skills shortage that is currently holding back Ontario from its economic potential?