Bill to ban replacement workers among those held up by Manitoba Opposition delays

The Manitoba government's legislative agenda, including efforts to ban replacement workers and make it easier to join a union, was pushed back Monday by the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, who stalled proceedings in the chamber.

The NDP government tried to introduce a bill that would ban the use of replacement workers during strikes and lockouts. Another bill would end a requirement for secret-ballot voting for workers to join a union, and instead allow unionization if a majority of workers at a location sign a union card.

"This is something that workers have been asking for for decades," Labour Minister Malaya Marcelino said.

"This legislation will pass."

But one by one, members of the Tory Opposition rose Monday afternoon on matters of privilege -- complaints which allege that a politician's work is being interfered with and which put a stop to all other proceedings.

There are several other bills now stalled as well, including a bill to recognize March 31 as Two-Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility, a bill to change the rules governing rent increases by landlords and a bill to make it easier to seize criminal assets.

Tory education critic Grant Jackson complained that Premier Wab Kinew had called him a "failed political staffer." Tory interim leader Wayne Ewasko complained that Kinew had accused him of being against transgender people.