As MPPs debate back-to-work legislation to keep power workers from zapping Ontario’s electricity system, Premier Doug Ford is not ruling out eventually designating them an essential service.

“We haven’t crossed that bridge yet. Would we rule it out? We wouldn’t rule anything out,” the premier said Tuesday at Amazon headquarters where the U.S. company announced 600 jobs for the province.

Making the workers essential would forbid them from ever striking. Their contracts would instead be settled through arbitration, as is done with police, emergency services and Toronto Transit Commission employees.

“The most important thing is get the OPG workers back on the job,” Ford said of the 6,000 Ontario Power Generation employees who are members of the Power Workers’ Union.

“We can’t afford to have any power outages, any power blackouts or brownouts across the province,” the premier told reporters.

“It’ll be an absolute catastrophe,” he said, criticizing NDP Leader Andrea Horwath for not expediting Progressive Conservative legislation that would end the job action.

Read more:

Tories introduce legislation to block strike by power workers

NDP vows to stall Ford government legislation to block hydro strike

“I heard Andrea Horwath saying give them more time. I’ve given them (since) March to come up with a solution between the front-line people and management. They control 50 per cent of the power here in Ontario.”

With the bill expected to pass by Thursday, Ford said he was hopeful things get back to normal by Friday.

Energy Minister Greg Rickford, noting the government has moved quickly to end the first such job action since 1985, praised the unionized workers for behaving so responsibly in the dispute.

“When 50 per cent of the Ontario’s hydro supply is at stake, we take the issue very seriously,” said Rickford.

“We appreciate the Power Workers’ Union. They issued their vote to strike and strike notice on Friday and they remain on the job. We appreciate that, because we think they understand the importance of no interruptions during this critical season of peak demand and temperatures getting colder,” he said.

“After eight months of negotiations, three votes, a rejection of the final offer on Thursday, a vote to strike on Friday and the option for arbitration, every right has been afforded to resolve this. This is now less about rights than it is about lights.”

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath oppose the legislation because it infringes on the Charter rights of workers to collective bargaining.

The PWU also expressed disappointment at the bill.

“Our union has a proven track record of negotiating fair and responsible employment agreements,” said union president Mel Hyatt

“Our priority has always been the strength and health of Ontario’s electricity sector. This is reflected in how we negotiate for our membership and in our public statements about energy issues affecting the people of Ontario,” said Hyatt.

“These highly-trained and skilled term workers have not been treated fairly or responsibly by OPG,” he said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“Since the PWU initiated the current job action in response to OPG’s last offer, our members have acted professionally and responsibly to ensure the energy needs of the people of Ontario are met.”

The workers, who operate the Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations as well as 66 hydroelectric stations, rejected OPG’s offer of a 6.6 per cent wage increase over three years.

That decision last Friday triggered a 21-day period in which the utility and its employees take steps to begin shutting down the plants.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about: