By Haseena Manek Federal restrictions on unpaid internships are being pushed further and further back on the federal agenda. It was announced last month that the Trudeau government is pushing back plans to regulate unpaid internships to 2019. This would put this issue very close to the next federal election, and bring it up to Continue readingLiberals moving slowly on dealing with unpaid internships
labour law
By David Bush On June 27 the United States Supreme Court handed down its ruling on the Janus v. AFSCME case. In a 5–4 decision the court ruled that public sector union fees to non-members is a violation of First Amendment rights. In effect the ruling obliterated closed shop unions in the public sector across Continue readingWhat Janus means North of the border
By Bob Barnetson Last week, Alberta announced new Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) rules affecting 14,000 paid farm workers on 4200 Alberta farms and ranches. These rules represent a significant win for farm workers by setting out minimum safety requirements. The announcement of new OHS rules concludes at two-and-half-year struggle over the degree to which Alberta’s employment Continue readingNew Alberta farm safety rules an improvement but leave workers vulnerable
By Bob Barnetson Two weeks back, Alberta announced that it would be sending letters to employers alleged to have stolen workers’ wages. These letters will be sent after a worker files an Employment Standards complaint but before the government investigates. The idea is to identify and resolve complaints where the employer is willing to pay as Continue readingAlberta enforcement efforts incentivize wage theft
By Bob Barnetson Last week, CBC ran an article with some preliminary data about how Alberta’s new labour laws are affecting unionization. In 2017, Alberta allowed organizing drives with the support of 65% or more of workers to be certified without a vote (called card-check certification). Previously, any organizing drive required a vote of all the Continue readingOrganizing increases in wake of Alberta labour law changes
By Michael Hughes, a senior communications and education officer with UFCW Local 401 When management at the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites in downtown Calgary decided to fire Aaron Doncaster, they probably thought they were ending their employees’ efforts to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401. After pursuing charges at the Continue readingFire a worker and you get the union
By Bruce Allen About a hundred autoworkers, led by workers from Toyota, and their supporters rallied in front of Queen’s Park in Toronto on April 22. They were protesting the Liberal government’s decision to allow an “exception” for the auto industry for personal emergency leave (PEL) days. The exemption was brought into effect in January 2017. Continue readingToyota autoworkers take on Liberal’s ESA exemption
By Robert M. Schwartz Bosses are in love with zero tolerance policies. One arbitrator calls them “the last refuge of weak managers.” Zero tolerance policies authorize employers to discharge workers who commit specified infractions without consideration of the surrounding circumstances, length of service, or the employee’s lack of prior discipline. Unfair punishment Zero tolerance policies Continue readingConfronting Zero Tolerance
By Larry Haiven On Tuesday, August 22, the provincial government enforced the Public Services Sustainability Act (Bill 148), imposing a four-year wage package on 75,000 public employees. Even at current low rates of inflation, this could result in a real wage cut of about 7%. In addition, the Act peremptorily removes a long service award Continue readingPremier McNeil’s Bill 148 takes us back to the dark ages
by Pam Frache Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, has been referred to the parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Over 10 days in July in 10 different cities, the Committee heard deputations on the Bill. In August, the Committee will review the Bill “clause-by-clause” to decide what, if any, amendments Continue readingThe Fight for $15 & Fairness isn’t over. It’s just gearing up
By Daniel Tseghay When Ontario’s Liberal government initiated the Changing Workplaces Review in 2015, to identify ways to improve the Employments Standards Act (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act (LRA) in light of the evolution of work, it led to a number of unions and labour activists offering their recommendations. That pressure led to the Continue readingNew report in BC gives workers a voice in highlighting abuse and exploitation at their jobs
By Bob Barnetson It is expected that the Alberta government will introduce legislation this week containing changes to the Employment Standards Code and Labour Relations Code. Employers are expressing concern with the possibility that Alberta will re-introduce card-check provisions that govern how workers can unionize. Currently, unionization is a two-step process. First, workers sign a Continue readingThe argument for card-check certification in Alberta