Did Ontario Tories really just double down on “right to work” agenda?

Ontario Tory leader Tim Hudak raised eyebrows when he released a jobs plan last week that didn’t include any reference to “right to work” legislation.

Making union dues voluntary is popular in some conservative circles, especially in the United States. It weakens unions so they can’t bargain or organize effectively.

Hudak had been talking up “right to work” legislation in the lead up to an anticipated spring election, but then he didn’t mention it as part of his jobs plan. The Globe and Mail noticed the omission, and mused about whether was Hudak setting the stage for a flip flop on his support for a “right to work” regime in Ontario.

After all, driving down wages and benefits for everyone isn’t a great idea if you’re trying to revitilize the middle class. Even corporate executives know that strong unions are a “key driver” in creating the middle class.

Dave Brister, a nominated candidate for Hudak’s Progressive Conservative Party in the Windsor area, took to Twitter late Monday and Tuesday morning to give his two cents. He doesn’t like “right to work” laws, and indicated he was pleased with Hudak’s apparent change of heart.

By the end of the day, Hudak had fired Brister as a PC candidate, making it clear the fight with labour is on. Here’s Brister’s play-by-play:

Photo: Ontariochamber. Used under a Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0 licence.