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CALGARY -- At its Biennial Convention today, Alberta Federation of Labour delegates voted unanimously for a resolution calling for the immediate shutdown of the CNRL Tank Farm site north of Fort McMurray until government health and safety inspectors determine that the worksite is safe.
 
The resolution was made in response to news that a second tank collapsed late Saturday night. A first collapse killed two workers last month.
 
"A second collapse this quickly after the first tragic accident raises many questions about how safe that workplace is," says AFL President Gil McGowan.
 
"The labour movement is demanding that the site be shut down until such time that government safety officers can assure workers on that site and all Albertans that it is safe."
 
McGowan points out that when the delegates heard about the accident, they instantly wanted to have their voice heard on this serious matter. More than 300 delegates, representing more than 150 union locals from across the province, were in attendance at the convention.
 
"For the labour movement, the safety of workers is the biggest priority. Had this happened during the work day, we could have seen a repeat of last month's tragedy."
 
The Alberta Federation of Labour represents over 120,000 workers and their families. It is the largest labour body in Alberta.

 
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For further information: Gil McGowan, AFL President at (780) 218-9888
 
Click here to see Gil McGowan's Letter to Iris Evans, Alberta Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry

Seizing the Time: Collective Bargaining in a Boom Economy (May 2007)

Policy paper adopted at AFL 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10-13, 2007

Seizing the Day: Organizing during Boom Times (May 2007)

Policy paper adopted at AFL 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10-13, 2007

Making Gains for All: Political Change During a Boom (May 2007)

Policy paper adopted at AFL 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10-13, 2007

Climate Change Policy Paper (May 2007)

Policy paper adopted at AFl 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10-13, 2007

Policy Statement on Child Care (May 2007)

Policy statement presented at AFL 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10 - 13, 2007

Anatomy of a Boom (May 2007)

Policy paper adopted at AFL 45th Constitutional Convention, May 10 - 13, 2007

The Alberta Federation of Labour is creating a new Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate Office to help protect the basic human and workplace rights of vulnerable foreign workers in the province.

"We've already heard too many stories of exploitation, neglect and unfair treatment," says Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan. "We have to act and help protect people who come in good faith to work in this province."

The AFL is contracting with labour lawyer Yessy Byl to create the Advocate's Office to assist foreign workers when they encounter unfair treatment.

"We asked the provincial government to act on this. They have done too little so far and the number of problems has just ballooned," McGowan says. "We felt it our duty to act to help protect these working people."

McGowan says the lack of clear rules and aggressive policing has opened the door for unscrupulous employers and employment brokers to take advantage of workers coming to Alberta from other countries.

"The problems are as simple as getting employers to actually pay what they promised, right up to complex visa issues," McGowan says. "Many of these people don't speak English well, they don't know the country and they can't really defend themselves."

Byl, an award-winning Edmonton lawyer with more than 20 years experience helping union and non-union workers, has already been assisting a number of foreign temporary workers on her own time - mostly notably a group of Romanian welders and machinists.

"I've already seen disturbing examples of employers and brokers behaving badly - and governments looking the other way," Byl says. "Canada has a well-deserved good reputation around the world. But that reputation will be put at risk if we continue to allow workers coming here from other parts of the world to be treated in these ways."

In her role as Advocate, Byl will help temporary foreign workers file employment standards complaints and complaints about workplace health and safety. She will also help foreign workers understand their rights, deal with immigration issues, and navigate the provincial and federal bureaucracies.

McGowan says the AFL has enough money to keep the Advocate Office running as a pilot project for at least six months and possibly a year. After that, he says it will be time to reassess.

"This is work that government should be doing - but we'll do it in hopes that people like Iris Evans and Monte Solberg will eventually come around," says McGowan. "Our goals are twofold. First to help address the immediate needs of temporary foreign workers who are being treated unfairly and, second, to gather enough evidence to convince the federal and provincial governments to step in and reform the system."

McGowan reiterated the labour movement's position that the real solution to Alberta's tight labour market lies with better training for domestic workers; reform to the mainline immigration system and measures to better control the pace of oil sands development.

"By allowing the Temporary Foreign Worker program to grow exponentially without any of the necessary safeguards, our governments are essentially creating an underclass of workers who don't have the same rights and protections in the workplace as Canadian workers," he says.

"We feel strongly that if these people are good enough to build our oil sands projects, take care of our children or serve our coffee, then they're good enough to stay as citizens. That's the Canadian way. Stringing people along for years in precarious situations thousands of miles away from their families - that's not the Canadian way."

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For More Information contact:

Gil McGowan, President at 780.218-9888 (cell)

Labour Economic Monitor (May 2007)

In fact, the 2007 Budget demonstrates clearly that the government has no idea of how to proceed. The basic economic strategy remains unchanged: sell off as many of the province's resources as you can as fast as you can, and use the cash you receive to lower taxes. In the long run this will leave the province with depleted resources, underfunded public services, and an inadequate tax base, but that's a long way down the road. In the mean time let's all have another drink, and put some Beach Boys songs on the karaoke.

On the eve of the 12th International Day of Mourning, which will be commemorated around the world on Saturday April 28, the Alberta Federation of Labour called on government, employers and workers to do more to prevent the scourge of workplace death.

"Alberta has little to boast about in the area of workplace safety," says AFL President Gil McGowan. "Workplace accidents are on the rise, despite - or maybe because of - the boom."

Communities and workplaces around the province will be taking time on Saturday to remember workers killed and injured due to work, through minutes of silence, ceremonies and other gatherings. The official Edmonton ceremony will be at City Hall at noon. Calgary's event will also be at noon at Edward's Place Park.

"Alberta workplaces kill 21/2 workers each week. Is that the price of prosperity?" McGowan asks. "If so, it is too high for me."

In 2006, 124 workers were killed due to work, and an additional 20 farmworker fatalities, who are not included in official figures. "There were over 181,000 reported accidents last year in Alberta," observes McGowan. "An increase of 7.4% in one year."

"Why do so many workers die, year after year, with apparently little progress? The answer I come up with is because none of us make occupational health and safety the priority it needs to be."

"The government is in denial, and employers are too interested in their growing profit margins to take safety seriously," notes McGowan. "To hear government spin doctors talk, you would think we have the safest workplaces in the world. However, their rhetoric is made up of misleading statistics and hollow promises."

McGowan argues accidents are on the rise because workplaces are too busy and corners are being cut on safety. "Employers have the money right now to ensure safety equipment and procedures are in place. By not doing it, they are failing in their legal and moral responsibility."

Workers are not bystanders in the problem, McGowan notes. "Only once in a generation do workers have the economic leverage to insist on safer workplaces. Workers in Alberta need to take advantage of this boom to stand up for our rights - we need to demand more action on safety."

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For More Information

Gil McGowan at 780.483-3021 (Wk) or 780.218-9888 (Cell)
Jason Foster at 780.483-3021 (Wk)