Premier Doug Ford speaks during question period, with Finance Minister Vic Fedeli seated to his left and Health Minister Christine Elliott seated to his right, at the legislature on Sept. 12, 2018. (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star)

TORONTO — The Doug Ford government plans to recall the legislature on Monday to ensure the Power Workers’ Union doesn’t take job action.

On Friday evening, the union gave its required 21-day notice to strike. The lengthy notice period is required because of the time it takes to shut down the province’s nuclear power plants.

A source in the premier’s office told reporters earlier in the day that the government would hold an emergency session to prevent job action by the 6,000 workers, since a strike would threaten the province’s power supply.

Late on Friday, Government House Leader Todd Smith confirmed that MPPs would return to the legislature on Monday at 1 p.m. to pass legislation that will force the unionized workers to stay on the job.

Smith’s statement said the move was needed, “given the uncertainty created by the impasse between Ontario Power Generation and the Power Workers’ Union.”

The union did not respond to requests for comment on Friday.

This is the second time the new government has called an emergency sitting. The first was in September to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause.

On Thursday, the 6,000 employees of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), represented by the Power Worker’s Union, voted in favour of job action after rejecting the utility’s final offer.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the union said OPG’s final offer had not changed from a previous one the union had also rejected.

Energy Minister Greg Rickford told reporters that if workers were allowed to go off the job, power interruptions would start between seven and 10 days into a strike.

“I’m not thumping my chest (and) I don’t believe anybody else is,” he said when asked whether the government was sabre-rattling. “Our responsibility is the integrity of the electricity supply.”

Half the workers affected by the contract talks could walk off the job immediately, but the other half would need to wait the 21 days to shut down the province’s nuclear plants, according to a government source.

How quickly the legislation can be passed will depend on whether the opposition parties give unanimous consent. The NDP would not say how it plans to respond to the legislation.

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