Federation of Labour Releases Budget and Legislative Priorities – Calls for Action on Affordability and Worker Safety
For Immediate Release: Monday, March 2, 2026
ST. JOHN’S, NL – As the House of Assembly begins its legislative session, the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) is calling on the government to put workers and their families at the heart of its agenda.
“Our province’s economy is powered by the labour, skill, and determination of workers, yet far too many are being left behind in this cost-of-living crisis,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “Workers need more than justwords, they need concrete action. From modernizing our labour laws, to expanding access to $10-a-day childcare, to tackling poverty and building affordable housing, to strong community benefits, creating good jobs, and beyond, this government must deliver on its promises to the working class.”
“While economic and social justice is critical, occupational health and safety continues to be a priority for our Federation,” said McCormick. “We are advocating for legislative and policy changes, some with little to no cost to the government, that would dramatically improve workplace safety and ensure workers are properly supported if they are injured on the job.”
In its 2026 Provincial Budget Submission, the Federation has outlined a comprehensive vision to build a Newfoundland and Labrador that works for everyone. The key priorities include:
- Stronger Labour Laws: Modernize the Labour Relations Act by implementing card-check certification to protect the right to organize.
- Worker Health & Safety: Strengthen regulations and enforcement to ensure every worker returns home safely and improve supports for workers who are injured.
- Protecting Public Services: Halt the privatization of public assets and increase funding for public healthcare, education, and essential services.
- Economic Justice & Pay Equity: Lift workers out of poverty by moving towards a living wage, enforcing strong pay equity legislation, adopting a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy, and strengthening the social safety net.
- A Worker-Led Workforce Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive labour market plan, designed with input from workers, to build a resilient and skilled workforce for the future.
- Community Benefits from Major Projects: Guarantee good, unionized jobs on major developments by enforcing strong Community Benefit Agreements that ensure local hiring, local procurement, and meaningful Indigenous engagement and consent.
- Affordable Housing: Launch a provincial housing strategy with significant, long-term investments in non-market and social housing.
- Strengthen Universal Childcare: Protect and improve the $10-a-day program by ensuring federal funding continues to support the program, expanding access, and ensuring Early Childhood Educators are supported with fair wages and better working conditions.
- A Just Transition: Create a worker-led framework for an economy that guarantees the creation of good, unionized jobs and provides necessary retraining opportunities.
The full NLFL Submission can be found here – https://nlfed.ca/2026-nlfl-provincial-budget-submission/
“True economic diversification and lasting prosperity are built by investing in our people,” said McCormick. “By combining strategic public investment with an unwavering commitment to workers’ rights and dignity, we can build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous Newfoundland and Labrador for everyone. We will continue to put pressure on decision-makers to ensure that workers’ voices are not just heard, but are central to their legislative and policy agenda.”
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