Bank of Canada Defends Use of Replacement Workers Amid Security Strike

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem is defending the central bank's use of replacement workers during a strike involving security officers. The Bank of Canada was found to have contravened the Canada Labour Code by using contractors from Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Garda Canada Security Corporation, and union members.

In a letter to Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske, Macklem stated that the bank never refused to comply with orders from the Canada Industrial Relations Board. The bank felt it necessary to put in place alternative arrangements due to acknowledged threats to safety and property during the strike.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada called on the Bank of Canada to stop using replacement workers and return to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair deal. In 2024, Canada passed legislation banning federally regulated workplaces from bringing in replacement workers during a legal strike.