06/05/2026
Debate on Heather McPherson MP’s anti-CLAC bill (the Fair Representation Act) started in the House of Commons yesterday and we were proud to stand with her on Parliament Hill in support. The act is aimed at bringing accountability and democracy to company-unions and giving workers a pathway to both raise concerns and trigger a review.
Photos show supporters, including Local 1611 Political Liaison Corry Anderson-Fennell, other Building Trade Unions, and the Canadian Labour Congress - Congrès du travail du Canada with MP McPherson and NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver-Kingsway). Also pictured is Mike Pearson, spokesperson for the family of Sam Fitzpatrick, who was a member of CLAC when he was killed on a worksite in 2009. Siding with the employer, CLAC asked the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal to REDUCE the $250,000 fine against Kiewit for Sam's death given "the employer's prior demonstrated commitment to safety." The fine was reduced to $97,500. This, despite WCAT's acknowledgment that "the employer engaged with reckless disregard in a high risk safety contravention."
LiUNA LOCAL 1611 STATEMENT ON THE FAIR REPRESENTATION ACT
LiUNA Local 1611 unequivocally supports NDP MP Heather McPherson in her resolve to ban company unions.
McPherson’s Private Member’s Bill C-259—known as the Fair Representation Act— would give workers the power to challenge company unions—or “rat” unions—that fail to fight for them.
If made into law, the Fair Representation Act would allow the Industrial Relations Board to investigate, decertify and punish employer-dominated “unions” that work harder for employers than the members they are sworn to represent. These are the so-called unions that undermine workers’ rights, erode the collective bargaining process, dismiss democracy and suppress wages.
McPherson has singled out the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), but there are others, too.
CLAC has long been criticized for being employer friendly, and rightly so. For example, CLAC agreed to a Letter of Understanding with JJM Construction in 2003 that reduced workers’ rates of pay by 20 per cent when it came to overtime calculations. In 2013, CLAC appealed to the Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal to lower the fine levied against Kiewit Construction for the death of 24-year-old rock scaler Sam Fitzpatrick, citing the company’s “prior demonstrated commitment to safety.” Real unions don’t do these things.
Legitimate unions, like LiUNA Local 1611, are those that are accountable to their members.
We appeal to all Liberal, Conservative, Bloc, Independent and Green MPs to demonstrate their belief that unions must be accountable and democratic. They can do this simply by supporting McPherson’s bill.
Workers deserve just laws and fair representation. Fighting for members is literally the most basic function of a labour union.
Nav Malhotra
Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer
LiUNA Local 1611
