John Gordon paid his first visit to a PSAC area council since his election as PSAC National President on May 5. Gordon met with the members of the Comité d'Action politique de l'Outaouais (CRAPO) in Gatineau to discuss union members' political involvement.

Gordon's message was clear: The work of area councils is an essential element to PSAC's success when it comes to political action.

“There's a political action element to almost everything we do,” Gordon said. “Given that for many of our members, the government is also the employer, it's one of our most important tools we have to make change and to achieve gains for our members – during bargaining and during elections.”

He said that anti-scab legislation is now a top priority for the Canadian Labour Congress and that the PSAC will be an active participant in CLC activities on this subject. He added that Patty Ducharme, NEVP, has taken the lead on this issue and will coordinate PSAC's anti-scab fight. Gordon believes there is a good chance the federal government will pass an anti-scab legislation in the fall because of the increased pressure from the Canadian labour movement.

He congratulated CRAPO members for their lobbying work on this issue. During the last federal election, they arranged for the anti-scab legislation to be on the priority list for the Bloc Québécois' private members' bills. Bill C-257, MP Richard Nadeau's private members' bill, went through first reading in the House of Commons and is now before the House at the second-reading stage. The debate at second reading will continue this fall.

Gordon also said he was keenly aware of the different approach to political action on both sides of the Ottawa River. During the election, CRAPO came out in support of many Bloc candidates. For Gordon, the key issue for PSAC is whether or not the candidates are labour friendly, are part of a party that has labour friendly policies and has the ability to deliver on them.

John Gordon, PSAC National President, with members of the
Comité d'action politiuque de l'Outaouais.