It’s unclear if Ontario Tories are done with union-busting or merely assuming a more moderate pose to win a byelection in blue-collar Niagara Falls. What’s certain is that there has been sharp debate within the party over a proposed policy that would lower wages by stripping organized labour of money and members.

Some Ontario Progressive Conservatives, quite rightly, doubt the wisdom of Tory Leader Tim Hudak’s interest in passing so-called “right-to-work” legislation common in the United States. This glimmer of sound judgment should be welcomed by anyone concerned with fairness for Ontario’s working people.

Anxiety about right-to-work bubbled up in a conference call of 300 Tory riding association officials, monitored by the Star’s Robert Benzie, this past week. And the party’s candidate in Essex was fired on Tuesday for disclosing a split in Tory ranks on the issue, and for publicly advocating a retreat from the anti-labour measure. Former candidate Dave Brister correctly warned that the party’s right-to-work proposals would deprive unionized employees of their collective voice and result in lower incomes.

Hudak responded by declaring this view “unacceptable” and announcing that Brister was no longer the Tory candidate in Essex. But Hudak may be less committed to this divisive legislation than in the past.

Putting the boots to labour was given a prominent place in a secret Tory campaign blueprint drafted in case there was a spring election last year. But when Hudak released his dubiously named “Million Jobs Act” last week there was no mention of stripping labour of its clout by allowing people in unionized workplaces to reject union membership and refuse to pay their dues. When pressed by reporters asking if he was still committed to delivering these measures, the Tory leader would not give an explicit “yes.”

It’s not clear if this waffling represents real uncertainty about the merit of proceeding, especially in light of internal party doubts, or if Hudak is simply dissembling to confuse byelection voters.

The U.S. experience shows that states with right-to-work laws have lower average wages than those where collective bargaining is protected. It’s a good policy for the boss, but bad for workers. Even former Tory premier Mike Harris — no friend of labour — didn’t go as far as this. Some Conservatives worry, with good reason, that it will drive votes away.

Hudak will never win organized labour’s endorsement. But rank-and-file union members don’t go to the polls slavishly obeying instructions from union headquarters. Many unionized workers do, in fact, vote Conservative. And Hudak risks alienating these people through his ill-judged attack on the collective bargaining system that upholds their wages.

No wonder some Tories are expressing doubts. Is Hudak still fully dedicated to his earlier union-busting agenda? Perhaps. We can’t be sure. The real question is whether he has the flexibility to drop this toxic policy before it poisons either labour or his own election chances.