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The disappointing results of a recent blitz of forklift-safety inspections should come as no surprise to Alberta’s employment minister, says the province’s largest labour organization.

“We have told Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk repeatedly that occasional safety blitzes are not enough to solve forklift-safety problems in Alberta,” says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), which represents 140,000 workers.

“If the government was really committed to promoting forklift safety, it would follow the lead of Manitoba and institute a mandatory system for training and certification of forklift operators. We require people to pass licensing tests before they can get behind the wheel of a car or a truck. But no such requirements are in place for forklifts. It just doesn't make sense."

McGowan points out that forklifts are potentially dangerous pieces of heavy industrial equipment - and they're involved in thousands of injury incidents every year. "I can't understand why the Minister and this government continue to reject mandatory training and licensing. It's a common-sense solution to a serious problem,” he says.

A total of 214 orders were issued by health and safety inspectors against employers for forklift-related safety violations after the recent inspections blitz in February and March. Of the 87 employers visited, 65 were found to have failed to maintain or inspect their forklifts or did not properly train workers.

“The Minister's recent safety blitz is welcome because it reveals just how serious the problem is. But it's obvious that such blitzes are not enough," says McGowan. "Mandatory training and certification for forklift operators, as happens in Manitoba, would be much more effective in saving lives and preventing injuries. We also need on-going random inspections as opposed to one-off safety blitzes. Without on-going inspections, employers get complacent.”

McGowan points out that even the Alberta Construction Association, which represents employers, prefers on-going, random inspections over one-time blitzes.

The issue of forklift safety rocketed to public attention in 2008 after 16-year-old Mitchell Tanner died on his second day on the job while on a forklift at a Rona store in St. Albert. An AFL campaign at that time led to the creation of a joint government, industry and labour panel to look into the issue of forklift safety.

The panel drafted a set of guidelines which were quietly released earlier this year. Over the AFL's objections, the new rules provide only voluntary "guidelines and best practices" instead of the kind of mandatory rules found in Manitoba's Code of Forklift Safety.

“Voluntary guidelines are not enough. We can’t simply hope that employers will do the right thing. Proper training and certification have to be mandatory,” says McGowan. “I'm convinced that Mitch would be alive today if he had received proper training. Unless Alberta follows Manitoba’s example, people will continue to be injured and killed unnecessarily on forklifts in Alberta.”

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For more information call AFL President Gil McGowan @ (780) 218-9888

Labour unions in British Columbia and Alberta held ceremonies April 28 to remember workers who have been killed on the job, while the governments in both provinces say injury rates are at record lows.

"Workers in B.C. continue to pay far too high a price for simply going to work to support themselves and their families," said B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair at a ceremony in Vancouver's Hasting Park,

Sinclair said 179 workers were killed in the province in 2010, a very troubling statistic because the vast majority of these deaths and injuries were preventable.

According to WorksafeBC, 143 workers died on the job in 2010. Of those fatalities, 68 were traumatic deaths and 75 were the result of occupational diseases, mainly from exposure to asbestos.

The construction sector recorded the most fatalities overall with 27, followed by 26 in transportation, and 15 in mineral products.

In Alberta, there were 136 workplace-related fatalities in 2010, up from 110 in 2009.

A lower number of fatalities in 2009 is believed to be a result of the economic downturn.

"We warned the government time after time that more needed to be done to save lives and prevent injuries as our economy recovered," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"Sadly, our warnings were largely ignored and the result has been more preventable deaths — more families missing loved ones."

The number of fatalities in Alberta peaked at 165 in 2008 at the height of the economic boom. In each of the five years between 2004 and 2008, there were between 124 and 165 workplace fatalities.

Despite the increase in the number of fatalities in Alberta, the 2010 lost-time claim rate is 1.41 injuries for every 100 full-time jobs, the lowest in 20 years.

This compares to a rate of 1.53 last year, down from 4.13 in 1991, marking 10 straight years of decline. The disabling injury claim rate, which includes workers injured yet able to perform modified work, also decreased to 2.67 in 2010 from 2.79 per 100 full-time jobs in 2009, and 3.34 per 100 in 2008.

"We've certainly come a long way over the last two decades," said Thomas Lukaszuk, Minister of Employment and Immigration, responsible for occupational health and safety. "However, as far as we've come, there's still a long way to go. We won't rest until the rate is zero." Others agree there have been some encouraging improvements in workplace safety over previous years.

"In 2010, for every 100 workers in B.C., about two were injured – that's the lowest injury rate in our province's history,"said Stephanie Cadieux, B.C.'s Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government. "While that's good news, no fatality is acceptable and injuries can and must be prevented." Both Sinclair and McGowan criticize the provincial governments in B.C. and Alberta for not making enough progress in reducing workplace injuries and fatalities.

Sinclair is calling on the B.C. government to:

• Hire more prevention officers, with a focus on enforcement in high-risk industries;

• Develop a comprehensive public awareness campaign about exposure to substances, combined with stricter enforcement of the regulations surrounding occupational chemical hazards;

• Establish a registry of public buildings and workplaces that are known to contain asbestos; and

• Increase criminal prosecution of employers who wilfully ignore worker safety.

McGowan is calling on the Alberta government to:

• Improve workplace safety, including posting the full safety records of employers online;

• increase the prosecution of employers whose unsafe worksites cause injury and death (the prosecution rate for workplace fatalities is 2.8 per cent);

• Give inspectors the power to issue tickets for violations during inspections; and

• Introduce mandatory worksite health-and-safety committees that include workers.

Journal of Commerce, Wed May 4 2011
Byline: Richard Gilbert

EDMONTON - On the same day news broke of an Alberta worker being killed by deadly gas at a job site, Employment Minister Thomas Lukaszuk said Alberta's workplace injury rates for 2010 are at a 20-year record low.

Lost-time claim rates, which track workers who receive reimbursement for full or partially lost wages because of a job-related injury or disease, were down to 1.41 injuries for every 100 full-time jobs.

Alberta Employment and Immigration, which released the statistics Sunday, says that's the lowest rate in 20 years of data gathering, though critics question their veracity.

The lost-time rate is down from a rate of 1.53 last year and down from 4.13 in 1991.

"For the last 10 years, year-to-year the number of injuries has been dropping quite significantly," Lukaszuk said.

The disabling injury claim rate, which includes workers injured yet able to do modified work, also decreased to 2.67 per 100 full-time jobs in 2010. That's down from 2.79 in 2009, and 3.34 per 100 in 2008.

"One could conclude we are moving in the right direction, but still have a lot of work to do," said Lukaszuk.

"We have definitely increased enforcement of occupational health and safety laws. We have definitely boosted our educational component. Now, what needs to happen is a cultural shift."

But one all-important statistic — workplace-related fatalities — increased to 136 last year from 110 in 2009. That compares to 165 deaths in 2008.

The provincial fatality rate increased nearly 24 per cent to 78 fatalities per million full-time jobs in 2010.

Of the 136 deaths, 43 were workplace incidents, 31 were motor vehicle incidents and 62 were occupational disease.

"It's agents or chemicals that workers were exposed to decades ago and now the condition has progressed and obviously ended in a fatality," Lukaszuk said.

The high occupational disease rate has pushed the province to develop ways to reduce occupational disease by working with Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services and Workers Compensation Board, he said.

"We are developing strategies on now preventing exposure to those agents so that 10, 15, 20 years from now a minister will not have to be reporting fatalities as a result of occupational diseases."

Lukaszuk said his department has taken steps to increase workplace safety enforcement and awareness, including publishing all employers' safety records online and increasing advertising.

"I'm hiring a large number of additional health and safety officers who will randomly visit job sites."

Gil McGowan, who was newly re-elected on the weekend as president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, said lost-time claim and disabling injury claim rates are misleading measures because employers may under-report injuries in order to pay lower WCB premiums.

"The only statistic that can be relied on as an accurate measure of workplace safety in Alberta is the fatality rate because you can't hide a dead body," McGowan said.

"Employers can and do hide injuries. It makes absolutely no sense to say that fatality rates will go up while at the same injury rates are going down."

The government has announced 30 new health and safety inspectors over three years to help prevent unsafe practices, but McGowan said that only brings Alberta closer to the national average.

"We have so many more people in our province working in dangerous occupations as a proportion of our labour force than other provinces."

Bob Barnetson, assistant professor of labour relations at Athabasca University, estimated every year in Alberta about half a million workers suffer minor to fatal injuries, if unreported and unreportable injuries are factored in.

"That suggests to me that Alberta's occupational health and safety system doesn't work," Barnetson said.

"There's basically no chance you're going to get caught violating the health and safety code. There are about 100 inspectors and there are about 140,000 employers in Alberta, many of whom will have more than one work site

"And if you do violate the law, even if you kill somebody, there's very little chance you're going to get prosecuted."

Barnetson said inspectors need the ability to ticket employers on the spot.

Lukaszuk said he plans to announce new enforcement tools.

"Right now, we have very effective tools for employers who have in a gross manner not adhered to regulations. We also have orders that demand employers change their job site.

"My officers have been telling me ... that some intermediate tools, in-between, are required not only aimed at employers but also at workers."

Lukaszuk also expressed condolences for a man killed and two workers hospitalized after hydrogen sulphide leaked Saturday night from a gas production line south of Fox Creek.

He said charges will be laid if any laws were broken in the incident.

Edmonton Journal, Mon May 2 2011
Byline: Bill Mah

It's the only open race in Calgary — with no incumbent seeking re-election — and now the mad dash to the finish has begun.

The five federal hopefuls in Calgary Centre-North are working hard over the final weekend before Monday's election, to solidify their votes in this inner-city riding — chatting with residents at events such as pancake breakfasts, door-knocking and meet-and-greets at senior homes.

Political analysts say Conservative candidate Michelle Rempel stands the best chance because of the strength of her party's brand and lingering support for retired cabinet minister Jim Prentice.

Unlike other ridings, the campaign is not a done deal, said Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Mount Royal University.

"It's the only interesting race in Calgary," said Bratt.

And in the improbable chance that a non-Conservative candidate was elected, "everything would change," he said. "It would be giving hope to every other riding, that there's the possibility that this could happen."

For her part, Rempel spent a good part of Saturday door-knocking with a group of volunteers, which included her husband, Scott, and previous mayoral hopeful Ric McIver.

As the sky grew gloomy over the intersection of Northmount Drive and Centre Street N.W., Rempel hugged her team and set off running — literally — to the doors of the Thorncliffe neighbourhood.

"It's all about going out and talking to voters," said Rempel, the 31-year-old director of institutional programs division at the University of Calgary, who is running for office for the first time. And what she's hearing, she said, is support for a Conservative majority.

Not so at the rally to protest "Harper's Broken Promises" on pension reform, at Eau Claire Market, organized by the Alberta Federation of Labour.

About 100 people, including NDP candidate Paul Vargis and Marxist-Leninist candidate Peggy Askin, showed up to voice their support for labour rights, such as health care and education.

"It's very important to be here with all these workers," said Askin, who has run for office since 1974.

At his small campaign office on Centre Street N. at 9th Avenue, Vargis took a rest after a visiting a senior residence and main-streeting in Kensington, before he set out for some door-knocking in the afternoon.

Vargis said he's spent the past week or so fending off criticism of his party leader, Jack Layton, now a probable second-place finisher, while trying to advocate for his party's fiscal policy.

"I haven't seen people politically active in Alberta for all the time that I've lived here, actually. So it's good to see people suddenly concerned about the issues," he said.

Earlier in the day, Liberal candidate Stephen Randall went door-knocking with provincial Liberal leader David Swann.

Randall said his task this campaign has been to overcome the "Liberal party baggage," such as the National Energy Program, and to define the party as an option in the wake of an NDP surge in polls.

"We've worked very hard ... We've had very good organization here. We have people out door-knocking now. We've had people all week in here on all of our 10 lines, phoning constituents," he said.

Green party candidate Heather MacIntosh is banking on voters' wanting something different.

At a pancake breakfast in the parking lot of the North Hill Shopping Centre, MacIntosh poured organic syrup over cakes made with free-range eggs as she met with supporters.

"It's an open race," said Dale Voight, who lives in West Hillhurst. "I've never seen so many signs in our neighbourhood for the Greens."

As for MacIntosh, she planned on door-knocking with the Chinese community on Saturday and riding through her neighbourhood on Sunday in a decorated car alongside bicycles."We're busy, I'm excited. I'm a bit nervous. I feel like we're building momentum."

Calgary Herald, Mon May 2 2011
Byline: Laura Stone

EDMONTON (Canadian OH&S News)

A study suggesting potentially widespread labour malpractices involving children and adolescents in Alberta, including illegal employment, has elicited calls from the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) to beef up enforcement.

Of the 8,200 (6.3 per cent of) children aged nine to 11 who held jobs between 2008 and 2009, 78 per cent were employed in prohibited jobs such as newspaper delivery and janitorial services. For the 26,000 (19.4 per cent of) adolescents aged 12 to 14 who worked, 21 per cent were employed in prohibited occupations, such as janitorial services, sports teams and on golf courses.

"I was surprised by the number of children who were employed," says Edmonton-based study author Bob Barnetson, Ph.D, associate professor of labour relations with Athabasca University.

The "Effectiveness of Complaint-Driven Regulation of Child Labour in Alberta" is based on data from telephone surveys of 1,200 homes conducted by the University of Alberta's Population Research Laboratory, and 20 interviews with parents and children or adolescents who participate in the workforce.

"This study shows that underage workers need more than a few targeted inspections. Alberta's complaints-driven employment standards system does not work for families in this province," AFL president Gil McGowan charges in a statement.

The study suggests that the province's reliance on complaints to trigger enforcement of labour laws is ineffective, as the number of complaints filed often fall far below violation levels. Ignorance of worker rights and workplace practices, coupled with fear of potential employer retaliation, are also influencing factors.

McGowan adds that the province's decision to allow children as young as 12 to work in restaurants has exacerbated the problem.

Young workers in Alberta fall under two categories: adolescents aged 12-14, and young persons aged 15-17. "There are strong rules in place within Alberta's Employment Standards that forbid young people under 12 from being employed," says Jay Fisher, public affairs officer with Alberta Employment and Immigration (AEI) in Edmonton. "We would be concerned about any Albertan under 12 years of age being employed in a regular job."

Babysitting, doing chores not employment

Some children do take up tasks like babysitting or raking the neighbour's lawn, "but that's not considered a job," says Fisher.

The study notes that these jobs are not regarded as forms of employment as there is no intention to establish an ongoing employment relationship. "If I babysit as an adult, that's an employment or at least it could be employment" that would be regulated, says Dr Barnetson by way of example.

For those aged 12-14, legal forms of employment include delivery of newspapers or wares, clerical or messenger duties for offices and retail stores, and work in restaurants or foodservices industry, notes Dr Barnetson.

While there are limitations surrounding what young workers in restaurants can do, such as not serving liquor, "what I find in my interviews with adolescents who work in restaurants is, generally speaking, no one pays attention to those limitations that Alberta requires," says Dr Barnetson.

Violations include working too many hours, most commonly a four-hour shift on a school day; receiving less than minimum wage; and working under age, in prohibited occupations or performing prohibited tasks, the study reports.

In some instances, "parents were surprised to learn that their child routinely handled box cutters, worked on ladders, lifted heavy boxes and used fryers and other equipment. Among the injuries reported were burns, cuts and back injuries," the study notes.

Farms and ranches is another area that falls outside of regulatory scrutiny. "Young kids, when they grow up on a farm, are often working with their parents and are doing menial jobs," Fisher points out. "But these are traditional farm jobs that are not covered by employment standards."

Most provinces prohibit minors from working on a variety of jobs that are dangerous, difficult or likely to have a negative effect on a child's moral development, says the Guide to Child Labour Laws in Canada by the Commission for Labor Cooperation. Minors younger than 14 years of age in New Brunswick, for example, are prohibited from working in garages and dance halls.

McGowan is urging the Alberta labour ministry to repeal the decision to allow children as young as 12 to work in restaurants, and put in place a sustained program to inspect workplaces that are known to employ underage workers.

Dr Barnetson recommends increasing the visibility of prosecutions. "A bit of public shaming is highly underestimated as an enforcement strategy," he says.

Fisher says that AEI will be commencing focused random inspections aimed at young worker safety. Legal actions against inappropriate youth employment, such as the conviction of a director with Shelby Amusement Services Inc. in November of 2009 for allowing a young worker to sell food and beverages at its retail premise at a prohibited time, are also posted on its website, adds Fisher.

Canadian OH&S News, Mon May 2 2011

Red Deer city councillor and long-time activist Dianne Wyntjes has received the May Day Solidarity Award, which is given to an Alberta trade unionist every year who has "contributed to peace, social justice and the improvement of working conditions and workers' rights for all Albertans."

"Now, as I am enjoying the work of city councillor, I take with me the many lessons I learned in the labour movement," Wyntjes said.

Wyntjes worked in her early years as a dishwasher in a hamburger restaurant and eventually secured her first full-time job with the federal government in Red Deer. She then became a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 417.

Wyntjes started working for CUPE in 1980 and has held various positions within the organization. She has been Alberta regional director there for the past 12 years. She was elected to Red Deer city council in 2010.

"I can't think of a more worthy recipient," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL).

"This woman has been a phenomenal advocate for all workers — in support of a social agenda for the betterment of all society."

The May Day Award was created in 1989 by the AFL, which represents 140,000 workers in Alberta.

Red Deer Advocate, Mon May 2 2011

Left-leaning labour activists gathered for an anti-Stephen Harper rally Saturday, voicing outrage over "broken promises" by the prime minster and support for another man, Jack Layton.

With only two days before the vote, members of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) protested in downtown Calgary, a city seen as a Tory stronghold, against Harper's policies and "lies."

Holding placards high in the air, and shouting "Healthcare yes, Harper no," at least 100 people, many wearing New Democrat Party buttons, took a break from a convention to have their voices heard at the event.

Gil McGowan, president of the AFL, which represents 140,000 members, who called Harper a "promise breaker" said the rally was about sending two messages.

"The first was on the eve of the federal election May 2 we wanted to encourage Albertans to think about Prime Minister Harper's broken promises," he said.

"He made a promise to Albertans that his government would fight to keep oilsands jobs in this province but he has reneged on that promise by supporting the export of raw bitumen and the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

"He has also broken the promise to Albertans and other Canadians he made on support for expansion of the CPP as a solution to what we think is a looming crisis in retirement income."

A year and a half ago, finance minister Jim Flaherty met with labour movement activists at a meeting of the Canadian Labour Congress executive in Ottawa who said he agreed with the call for an expansion to the CPP.

"Six or seven months later when there was an opportunity for the government to put their money where their mouth was ... the Harper government decided to renege on their promise and in the process they left millions of Canadian retirees and Canadian workers who are worried about retirement out in the cold," McGowan said.

Paul Moist, CUPE national president, in Calgary for the convention and rally, said 65% of Canadians do not have a workplace pension plan.

He also said the recent rise of the NDP, to whom many protestors align their values, is "astounding."

"There is a kind of bouoyancy...they don't believe Harper owns all of Alberta or all of Canada," he said looking around the crowd of supporters.

"Elections are about trust and vision ... it seems Jack Layton has gained the trust of Canadians."

Paul Vargis, NDP candidate for Calgary Centre North, who attended the rally said the surge of support for the party is encouraging.

"We definitely have a chance," he said.

"We are getting senior support, support from environmentalists, improving the health care system."

Calgary Sun, Sat Apr 30 2011

Alberta has nothing to fear from a federal government led by Jack Layton, says provincial New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason.

Despite the federal Conservatives' insistence that NDP environmental policies would ruin Alberta's energy industry, Mason said Friday the party's national leader "understands the importance of the oilsands."

Layton has vowed to eliminate federal subsidies to the energy sector and use the cash for renewable energy projects.

The party wants a moratorium on new oilsands projects until environmental issues are better managed, and a national cap and trade system for large industrial greenhouse gas emitters.

"There needs to be a systematic plan for the further development of the oilsands, which maximizes jobs and improves our environmental performance," Mason said, noting the Tories have also talked about implementing a cap and trade system with the U.S.

However, Mason acknowledged he has talked to Layton about the party's approach to the oilsands, including giving up the word "tarsands" -which he said has become a pejorative term used by opponents of the industry.

"There's an increasing sensitivity to some of those feelings here in Alberta," Mason said.

But Calgary Southeast Conservative incumbent Jason Kenney said Layton would "shutter the oilsands," and insisted unionized workers should vote against the NDP because the party is a threat to jobs in the oilpatch and associated industries.

"The NDP policy on the economy and energy would be a disaster for Canada, but it would be a particular disaster for Alberta."

The provincial NDP leader was speaking Friday at the Alberta Federation of Labour convention in Calgary. The mood was jubilant as speakers noted poll results show the NDP leading the Liberals, and close to the Tories.

Lethbridge electrician Richard Merrick said Alberta is still an uphill battle for the NDP, but he hasn't ever felt such momentum. "It's awesome," he said.

In a speech, Mason called on union members to actively support local NDP candidates. He argued Alberta needs to send at least some New Democrat MPs to Ottawa to represent the province's views, should the party form or be a part of the next government.

Calgary Herald, Sat Apr 30 2011
Byline: Kelly Crydermann

The Egyptian revolution has opened the door for workers' unions to mobilise in Egypt – and it is bearing fruit. The Egypt Federation for Independent Unions was established as a result of the revolution and gave their first press conference yesterday at their headquarters to raise the curtain on the 1 May Labour Day and to explain several issues.

"Before the revolution all laws limited the syndicates' activities, but the constitutional decree gives us back our rights - and here we are establishing our independent union," Kamal Abbas, one of the founders of Egypt Federation for Independent Unions, told Ahram Online.

Labour Day celebration in Tahrir on Sunday

Thousands of labourers and Egyptians are expected to celebrate Labour Day this Sunday in a way that that has never been seen prior to the January 25 Revolution.

"Workers will gather with their families in Tahrir Square on Labour Day with Egyptian flags to celebrate their day after the revolution," said Abbas.

According to Abbas, the union has informed the military council, the ministry of interior and the Egyptian cabinet about the celebration, which will kick off with a 20-minute play, then several speeches by the heads of the unions, followed by a concert of famous Egyptian singer, Ali El-Haggar.

Current labour issues

Abbas, speaking on the petition to the Egyptian state council to dissolve the General Federation of Trade Unions of Egypt, asserts: "This is a part of the old regime and the National Democratic Party, which, having been dissolved by the revolution, should also be dissolved." They are also petitioning for the NDP-affiliated trade union to have their assets frozen and transferred to the strongest independent available labour union.

Not only is this union accused of being too closely related to the old, corrupt regime, but its head, Hussein Megawer is furthermore accused of taking part in the planning of the "Battle of the Camel," which was a camel- and horse-mounted deadly attack spearheaded by the NDP of peaceful protesters on the third day of demonstrations.

Blacklist us no more from the International Labour Conference

The ministry of manpower and immigration is proposing new draft laws on the freedom of association, especially as related to labour laws.

"We are working on a law that ensures freedoms to be able to attend the International Labour Conference held in Genève by the beginning of June and delete Egypt from the blacklist," said Abbas.

Egypt was blacklisted from the International Labour Conference because the Mubarak regime denied Egyptian workers the right to organise independent trade unions, but now the Egypt Federation for Independent Unions has 12 syndicates with 250 thousands members.

ahram.org, Sat Apr 30 2011

Getting Serious: The Role of Unions in Alberta's Changing Political Landscape (April 2011)

AFL political action paper presented to AFL 47th Constitutional Convention, April 28 to May 1, 2011

Over the past five or six years, the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) has significantly improved its ability to influence the debate over important issues of public policy within the province. Issues like workplace health and safety, the use (and abuse) of temporary foreign
workers and the job implications of exporting raw bitumen were our issues first – but they have now become major items for discussion by policy makers, the media and the broader public.