THE federal NDP said that on Tuesday, thanks to the party and labour unions across Canada, the government’s anti-scab legislation successfully passed second reading in the House of Commons and will go to committee.

As part of the Supply and Confidence Agreement, the NDP said it forced the Liberals to introduce anti-scab legislation for federally regulated industries which will give more power to workers to fight for better wages and working conditions.

“This is an important day for workers across Canada as anti-scab legislation moves closer to becoming law,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “More than ever, workers need security, and bargaining power to fight for fair wages and better working conditions. Left on their own, the Liberals would have taken the side of the bosses and not have introduced this bill. The NDP forced them to do it.’’

Nine anti-scab bills have been introduced by the New Democrats over the past 15 years. In 2016, when NDP anti-scab legislation finally came to a vote, 140 Liberals and 76 Conservatives voted to block it, the NDP noted.

It said that scabs prolong strikes and lockouts and give employers almost no incentive to reach a fair deal — and both Liberals and Conservatives refused to ban replacement workers during labour disputes for years.

“We will have to fight back against Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives attempt to water down and delay the implementation of this bill. In his career, he voted eight times against anti-scab legislation and his track record shows that he is on the side of the bosses. New Democrats fight for workers, not the rich and powerful. We will use our power at the committee to make this legislation stronger by pushing to make the ban come into force right away and extending the measures to public services. We will keep fighting until anti-scab legislation becomes law. We will always stand with and for workers.”