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The provincial NDP is hesitating to take a position on so-called “anti-scab” legislation for Saskatchewan, a day after its federal cousin promised to introduce such a bill in the House of Commons.

David Forbes, labour critic for the Saskatchewan NDP, said Wednesday that the party is planning to engage in consultations over the issue and wants to ensure there are no “unintended consequences.”

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The federal NDP sent out a news release Tuesday that specifically cited the ongoing dispute between Unifor and the Co-op Refinery Complex. The company has relied in part on replacement workers — derided as “scabs” in union parlance — to keep the refinery running during the 57-day-long lockout.

‘’The use of scabs undermines workers’ ability to negotiate fairly and it hurts labour relations. Scabs prolong strikes and give the employer little incentive to reach a fair deal,” said a statement attributed to NDP MPScott Duvall, who represents Hamilton Mountain.