A new report by the ITUC on core labour standards in Canada, published to coincide with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) review of its trade policies, finds some significant workers’ rights restrictions.

Despite the fact that federal law grants workers in both public and private sectors the right to join and form trade unions, many restrictions of trade union rights exist due to the legal regimes in force in several Canadian provinces. Furthermore provincial governments frequently use back-to-work legislation to unilaterally end strikes by their employees.

The report also finds that, although the laws of Canada prohibit discrimination, women still face a considerable pay gap and the labour market is segregated on gender lines.

Canada has only ratified five of the eight ILO international core labour standards.

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