NDP Leader Howard Hampton today joined with workers trying to unionize their workplaces to call for the immediate reintroduction of card certification in Ontario.

Under card certification, a union can be created without a ratification vote when more than 55 per cent of workers sign a union card. The Harris Conservative government removed card certification in 1995.

“From almost half a century, under governments of all stripes, Ontario workers were able to unionize through the card certification process. With so many workers toiling away for low changes and without good benefits, we think it is time to reintroduce card certification,” said Hampton, whose private members’ bill calling for the return of card certification will be debated at Queen’s Park tomorrow.

Hampton was joined at a press conference this morning by workers from across Ontario who have had to deal with harassment, intimidation and even termination when their employers discovered they were leading unionization efforts.

“I can tell you that what these workers have gone through is not unusual under the current union certification regime where employee intimidation is more the norm than the exception. My bill won’t end these anti-union activities, but it will restore much-needed balance in Ontario labour laws,” said Hampton.

During the press conference, Hampton cited numerous studies that demonstrate that Ontario’s economy will not suffer from the reintroduction of card certification.
“When we had card certification, Ontario’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by an average of almost four per cent annually. Since we got rid of card certification, annual growth is about 25 per cent less. Card certification isn’t just good for workers, it’s good for business and for our competitiveness,” he said.