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Saskatchewan Fixes Essential Services Law After Supreme Court Ruling

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Oct, 2015 11:25 AM

REGINA — Saskatchewan has fixed a law that the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional because it prevented some public-sector employees from striking.

Amendments to the essential services law include removing a definition of essential services and allowing the parties involved to determine what duties must be maintained.

The changes also set up a tribunal which can decide what are essential services if the two sides can't reach an agreement.

Part of the old law said that if the two sides couldn't agree, the government got to choose who was an essential worker.

Labour Minister Don Morgan says the changes were made in consultation with labour groups and he believes they comply with the high court's ruling.

The essential services legislation introduced after the Saskatchewan Party first won power in 2007 was challenged by labour groups all the way to the Supreme Court.

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