Editor:
I see power struggles between workers and employers all the time, but it seems very unbalanced.
In the teachers’ struggle, there is no real desire by the employer to negotiate in good faith because they know that, push comes to shove, the government steps in and helps the employer to save itself money.
The fast-food industry has been abusing workers with the help of the government program of foreign temp workers. The government has finally done something about that, as there is so much publicity they will lose votes.
In the City of White Rock-CUPE battle, I see one of the sticking points is long-term disability program for the workers. Even if the employees pay for it, the employer says ‘no’, yet city managers have this paid for by taxpayers. Talk about discrimination.
Thank God we have unions, or we would be back in the Dark Ages with indentured workers and fat-cat industrialists.
It’s time for governments to stay out of private negotiations and let the parties settle it themselves.
Of course this would mean the government has to take some heat, and politicians don’t want that.
Laurence Gill, Surrey