Two-Year Brantford Strike Exposes Need for Anti-Scab Law

March, rally highlight third day of action in support of striking ECP workers

• Today's rally begins at 9 a.m. at the Steelworkers' picket line, 369 Elgin Street.
• The group will march to Brantford Courthouse, 70 Wellington Street, where addresses will begin at 11 a.m.
• Possible PHOTO OP: March to courthouse will be led by giant, 20-foot rat.

BRANTFORD, ON, Sept. 17 /CNW/ - A two-year strike at a Brantford manufacturing plant exposes the need for anti-scab legislation in Ontario and the disregard of Dalton McGuinty's government for working families.

The reinstatement of provincial anti-scab legislation was a prevailing theme today during the third consecutive day of rallies in support of striking workers from Engineered Coated Products.

"Twice anti-scab legislation came to Queen's Park this session, and both times Dalton McGuinty's Liberals voted it down," said Ken Neumann, National Director for Canada of the United Steelworkers union.

"So we are here today not only to condemn ECP and its union-busting agenda," Neumann told strikers and supporters gathered outside the Brantford Courthouse - site of several injunctions sought by ECP to intimidate strikers and weaken their rights to picket.

"We are here to condemn the Liberal government for condoning the anti-labour agenda of bad employers, for allowing these attacks on working families to continue. We are here to condemn Dalton McGuinty for ignoring you, for abandoning working families in this province."

Other speakers at the rally included Sid Ryan, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour, and New Democratic Party MP Chris Charlton.

This week's rallies were organized by the OFL, the Brantford and District Labour Council and the Steelworkers.

The 84 ECP strikers, members of Steelworkers Local 1-500, went on strike in August 2008 after the company demanded a 25% rollback in wages and benefits. Rather than negotiate, ECP hired scabs and a private security force to operate the plant.

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