Kinew not committing to act on all convention resolutions

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2022 (706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba New Democrats passed more resolutions at their annual convention, but whether or not their party leader would act on them were he to become premier isn’t guaranteed.

A resolution passed Saturday to ban the use of replacement workers, for instance, is something NDP leader Wab Kinew wouldn’t commit to when asked about it by reporters.

The use of replacement workers during strikes or lockouts undermines workers’ bargaining power, says the resolution that has passed at previous NDP conventions but has never been adopted by an NDP government.

“I think the argument makes sense, that if you go out on strike, you shouldn’t be replaced on your job, but what I think needs to happen now is that we need to educate Manitobans about this topic,” Kinew said.

A ban on replacement workers costs the government nothing, said Manitoba Federation of Labour president Kevin Rebeck.

“What it does is restore some fairness to a process that is tipped in favour of employers,” Rebeck said at the convention.

Although current legislation — passed by an NDP government — allows for replacement workers, it also allows either the employer or workers to bring any labour dispute to arbitration after 60 days.

There has been an increase in the use of replacement workers, including in a strike that recently started at a child-care centre in south Winnipeg, Rebeck said.

“Allowing replacement workers to come in and have (the employer) continue to operate, feeling nothing at all… is offensive,” he said.

The current system of labour laws works well and strikes the right balance between labour and business, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce said.

“There’s no compelling evidence that this is a problem. It’s more ideology than practicality,” president Loren Remillard said.

New strategist speaks

The star strategist brought in to run the New Democrats provincial election campaign told the party faithful Saturday he’s “happy and excited” about the prospect of taking down the Progressive Conservative government.

“Any day that you get to join a team that’s about a year away from getting rid of a Tory whale of a rotting government is a great day,” Brian Topp told the 260 delegates at the party’s hybrid convention in downtown Winnipeg.

Addressing the Manitoba NDP for the first time as their campaign manager, the man renowned for writing iconic speeches didn’t generate any standing ovations or rousing applause with his low-key talk about what the party needs to do to run a successful campaign.

He told New Democrats they’re doing well with respect to lining up candidates, raising funds and developing a platform, and now they have to decide how to frame it all.

“What’s the election about? I don’t think too many Manitobans get up in the morning right now and think, ‘Well, Martha, that’s sure a good government we’ve got there,’” Topp quipped.

Health care and affordability issues are obvious concerns but how to address them is the challenge, he said.

“That’s why we have to think carefully about our offer,” Topp said, offering more encouraging words at the end of his speech.

“The Manitoba NDP knows how to win elections, conduct a fierce opposition…(and) govern well. What an awesome year we’re going to have proving all this in the year to come.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

with files from Canadian Press