Private Member's Bill Misplaced Attack on Unions

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 3, 2011) - The President of the Canadian Labour Congress says a proposed Private Member's Bill is one more example of the Conservative government's attempt to bully anyone who does not agree with them.

Ken Georgetti was responding to a Bill from Conservative MP Russ Hiebert, which Hiebert claims would force unions to disclose their financial statements in public.

"This is an attempt to create an issue that doesn't exist," Georgetti says. "This government has bullied civil servants, bullied scientists, bullied the churches and NGOs, and now they want to bully the labour movement."

Georgetti says, "Our financial records have always been open to our members and if Russ Hiebert knew anything about unions, he would know this. I wish Conservative cabinet ministers like Tony Clement and Peter McKay would be as transparent with their use of taxpayers' money as we are with our dues from members."

Georgetti adds, "This is simply a distraction from the real issues facing our country – a slow economic recovery, increasing joblessness, high youth unemployment, six in ten unemployed unable to receive EI benefits, and over 60% of workers unable to have a decent retirement because they have no workplace pension plans."

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.2 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada's national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils. Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca