With the political parties already gearing up for a new election, it may be worthwhile to look backward and see how the worker of Saskatchewan fared under this new corporate-backed government.

It seems to this writer, the new Sask. Party MLAs have the same hatred for workers as the government of Grant Devine. They just couldn’t wait to amend the trade union act, a’la Bill 5 or 6 or those who don’t remember Bill 6 it was the child of Grant Devine’s Bill 104.

This, they considered as necessary “to put labour in its place.” In reality, it was a second harder blow at limiting and interfering with a worker’s right to join or form a union in his or her workplace — a right that is listed among Canada’s charter of rights.

If one has forgot the sting of Bill 104, this booster shot now will remind us my mentor says, when it comes to paying up for corporate support in elections. There is no difference except the Sask. Party pays up in the first few days whereas with Conservatives their is a waiting time to make it look more thoughtful and considerate. That may be only the half of it, another piece of anti-labour legislation (Bill 80) is coming down the pipe.

This Bill is directed toward those unions in the construction industry. Like others there was no discussion with building trade workers or employees. It just got dropped on the table with the Labour Minister Rob Norris assuring a business association “this bill is going to pass.”

Now the construction industry has never had it so good as the last two years in Saskatchewan. So what more could they want? I asked a guy I know who has been associated with unions. He tells me the construction bosses are wanting their support recognized as well and it is Bill 80 which will shift more control to employers. Even in some cases it will try, I am told, to give the employer the power to decide which union they choose to bargain with concerning that employer’s labour force.

This sort of interference with workers’ rights has never been tried before my contact tells me. So I expect the whispering will soon start. We will hear about what else business has on its wish list — besides tax breaks — as we ramp up for the next election. It is becoming more clear every day the Saskatchewan Party is determined to disadvantage workers in Saskatchewan. Other groups may get forgotten or overlooked but few are deliberately discriminated against.

Henry Neufeld, Waldeck, Sask.