Ottawa, September 23, 2026 – The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC), representing more than 3,500 lawyers, prosecutors, notaries and articling students in the federal public service, opposes provisions in Bill C-39 that would allow the federal government to intervene in legal strikes on the basis of the “national interest.”

“The possibility of a strike gives workers meaningful leverage throughout the bargaining process. Bill C-39 risks weakening that leverage by creating an expectation of government intervention,” said Gregory Harlow, President of the AJC. “This would shift the balance toward employers and weaken collective bargaining.”

If employers can anticipate government intervention, they have less incentive to compromise at any stage.  The threat of intervention can undermine workers’ bargaining power before a strike begins, while intervention once a strike is underway limits the pressure created by withdrawing labour.

The AJC acknowledges that the bill contains measures that could improve worker protections, but these improvements must preserve the Charter protections engaged by strike action, including freedom of association and freedom of expression.

The proposed safeguards do not resolve the AJC’s concern about the breadth of the “national interest” test. The AJC calls on the government to remove provisions that would allow it to end a legal work stoppage on the basis of the “national interest.”  

Strong collective bargaining supports fair working conditions and a resilient Canadian economy. 

 

ABOUT THE AJC

The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC) is the union defending Canada’s legal team. Our 3,500+ members are Federal Crown Counsel, notaries and articling students employed by the Government of Canada in the Department of Justice, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and in various federal agencies, tribunals and courts across Canada.

MEDIA CONTACT

The Communications Department 
Association of Justice Counsel 
300–2725 Queensview Drive 
Ottawa, ON, Canada 
K2B 0A1

Phone: (613) 798-9900 
Toll-Free: (866) 218-3310 
Fax: (613) 564-0606 
Email: admin@ajc-ajj.ca

 

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