Monday 31 October 2011

Court date rapidly approaching

All legal arguments have now been filed in the unprecedented case against the Sask. Party governments' anti-worker, anti-democratic, unconstitutional labour laws.

As reported earlier in this blog, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and 25 additional plaintiffs (SFL et al) plus 3 intervenor unions filed their legal arguments in the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench related to the Charter Challenge by the SFL et al against the Sask. Party government's Bills 5 & 6. Legislation which the Wall government introduced and passed in late 2007 and early 2008.
 The plaintiffs (SFL et al) and 3 supporting intervenor unions (CUPE, SEIU-West, and SUN) have now also filled their reply arguments.

You can download and read all of the arguments and backgrounder material on the case from the SFL Website at:  http://www.sfl.sk.ca/our-campaigns/labour-legislation

In what is arguably the largest lawsuit ever filed by working men and women against a sitting government in Saskatchewan (and quite possibly Canadian) history, the Federation and unions in the province have prepared hundreds of pages of legal argument and tendered thousands of pages of evidence.

In addition to the Charter Challenge, the SFL and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) won a case in March 2009 wherein the Sask. Party government was found guilty of violating Saskatchewan workers international human rights by the United Nations International Labour Organization .

The ILO requested that the Sask. Party government take action to repair the offending legislation in consultation with representatives of the labour movement. The government has steadfastly refused to comply with the ILO ruling and refuses to meet with the labour movement to discuss the matter.

This historic Charter Challenge case will be heard in the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench from November 14 - 25th, 2011.