Canada’s labour union leadership is preparing a coordinated nationwide defense, warning that federal legislation targeting the Canada Labour Code could trigger widespread job actions across the country. Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske announced on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, that unions are establishing a joint “war room” to pool legal expertise and financial resources if the Liberal government moves forward with Bill C-39.
Confronting Bill C-39 and Section 107 Powers
The bill clarifies Cabinet’s use of Section 107 of the labour code, by giving the labour minister “guardrails” on when they can intervene to end a lockout or strike, including a special mediator report and a national interest test.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu argued before a special committee that the bill strengthens the right to strike by removing the ability to use Section 107 before a labour disruption. Hajdu maintained that the government has a responsibility to act during an “exceptionally consequential” dispute, stating that protecting workers and protecting the national interest go hand in hand
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Business and industry groups have applauded the bill’s changes to Section 107 of the code and bargaining, which they believe will help curb the amount of work stoppages that have a significant impact on Canadian supply chains and the economy.
The Labour Movement Mobilizes a Joint Defense
Union leaders argue that the bill undermines workers’ constitutional right to strike. Alongside Bruske, prominent labour figures including David Chartrand, Canadian general vice-president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Marty Warren, national director of the United Steelworkers, voiced strong opposition to the legislative push.
While the final decision to strike or defy a government order rests with local union memberships, Bruske noted that nationwide coordination could ultimately culminate in a day of job actions across the country, adding that local memberships decide whether to strike or defy a government order while the rest of the movement steps up with resources, financials, and actions that could cumulate to a day of action, 100 per cent it could cumulate to that
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Meanwhile, the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agrées du Québec (CRHA) and CPHR Canada submitted a joint brief to the House of Commons committee studying the bill, entitled Strengthening Accountability and Clarifying the Scope of Exceptional Measures to Preserve Balanced Labour Relations
. The organizations put forward eight recommendations, urging lawmakers to establish clearer regulatory parameters for defining the national interest and to bolster the independence of special mediators appointed under the code. Their recommendations include having the Canada Industrial Relations Board recommend the appointment of the special mediator whenever the Minister requests it to strengthen independence and legitimacy, suggesting the Minister justify any decision by considering economic impacts, social disruption, and freedom of association implications, and establishing key indicators through regulation to assess social and economic impacts. Rola Helou, CRHA, Chief Executive Officer of CPHR Canada, added that the measures aim to ensure intervention is limited to necessary situations while safeguarding special mediator independence, establishing a clearer national interest definition, and ensuring Section 107 is applied in a non-partisan manner.
Political Battlegrounds in Parliament
The bill was passed at second reading, with help from the Conservative Party.
Opposition parties including the NDP and the Bloc Québécois voted against the bill. On Wednesday, Conservatives voted in favour of NDP MP Leah Gazan’s private member’s bill which would repeal Section 107 from the labour code altogether. The bill was defeated by Liberal MPs.
With the Canadian Labour Congress actively consolidating resources through its newly formed operational defense structure, the coming weeks will determine whether Parliament incorporates structural amendments or sets the stage for protracted nationwide labour conflict.
