The UCP government’s Bill 9, the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act, was passed early Thursday morning.
The legislation will delay negotiations with Alberta unions that represent public sector workers until October 31.
The government moved closure on the third reading of the bill early Thursday morning, after the Opposition NDP forced the debate to continue overnight.
During the debate, Premier Jason Kenney handed out earplugs to members of his caucus.
“This was a harmless and light-hearted attempt to boost Government Caucus morale after being forced to listen to the NDP’s insults, lies and over-the-top rhetoric for hours on end,” the UCP said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.
The opposition has criticized the legislation, calling the move undemocratic.
The government has said it will revisit the issue once it reviews the findings of the blue ribbon panel on Alberta’s finances.
