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AFL reveals hundreds of unlawful TFW permits issued by Minister Kenney

EDMONTON – Problems with the Temporary Foreign Worker program are not limited to the food service industry.

At a press conference at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 25, the Alberta Federation of Labour will unveil research showing that hundreds of Labour Market Opinions – which are required for employers to bring in Temporary Foreign Workers – have been issued in direct contravention of the rules of the program.

"There is a clear pattern to this government's handling of the Temporary Foreign Worker program," Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said. "They're bending, breaking, circumventing and ignoring the rules they set up to prevent abuse. And because of that, employers in all kinds of sectors are using the program to drive down wages across the country and throughout the economy."

What:  New research shows problems with TFW program pervasive across many sectors of the economy

When:  11:00 a.m., Friday, April 25, 2014

Where: Alberta Federation of Labour offices, #300, 10408-124 Street

Who:    Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell)
or via e-mail [email protected]

EDMONTON – Despite months of protests, and despite all opposition parties uniting against the proposals, the Government is moving forward on controversial public‐sector pension legislation today.

The union leaders representing the vast majority of the workers who will be affected by the legislation will be on hand at the Legislature Rotunda today at 3:00 p.m. to show their opposition to the legislation that is being debated. The legislative session is expected to go late into the evening as opposition MLAs try to impede the legislation.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

The Government is gutting the pension you paid for.

Updated Information as of February 24, 2014

Updated Leaflet - Alberta Labour Coalition on Pensions

Take action at http://www.truthaboutalbertapensions.ca/

Tories turning their backs on 120 years of social progress

Edmonton – Likely Progressive Conservatives (PC) leadership candidate Thomas Lukaszuk is positioning himself as the proponent of businesses putting 12-year-olds to work.

Expanding the scope of duties 12-year-olds can take on is the first item on the agenda in the discussion guide for the current review of the Alberta Employment Standards Code which is being led by Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk.

“We know the Tories are always looking backwards, but feeling nostalgia for 1890s-style child labour is extreme even by their standards,” AFL president Gil McGowan said. “Last time the government expanded child labour in Alberta, the public cried foul. This just shows that they aren’t listening to Albertans.”

The discussion guide, which was published under Lukaszuk’s supervision, suggests that among the tasks that 12-year-olds could take on include janitorial work. Many janitors and custodians are required to handle toxic cleaning products as part of their duties.

“In the mid-1980s, Employment Standards did not allow 12- 14-year-old children to work in mainstream workplaces. But in 2005, the PC’s changed opened the door to child labour in Alberta,” McGowan said. “There were rules in place about how many hours children are allowed to work – but in the majority of cases, those rules aren’t being followed. Now Thomas Lukaszuk wants to weaken those rules even further.”

In 2009, a survey found 26,000 adolescent workers aged 12-14 were employed. More than 21 per cent of these 12- to 14-year-olds worked in prohibited occupations (janitorial services, sports teams, working on a golf course). Of those employed, 49.7 per cent of adolescents and 59.0 per cent of young persons reported at least one work-related injury in the previous year. This study also identifies widespread non-reporting of workplace injuries and seemingly ineffective hazard identification and safety training.

“Each time the issue of expanding child labour comes up in Alberta, there’s one guy who has put it on the agenda,” McGowan said.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Jobs Minister floats suggestion to increase scope of jobs that 12-year-olds can be hired into

Edmonton – Alberta's largest worker organization is asking the province to take the expansion of child labour off the table.

Today is the deadline for submissions to the review of the Employment Standards Code launched in March by Jobs Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. The first question that the government asks in its discussion guide for the review has to do with expanding the variety of jobs that 12-14 year olds are permitted to do.

In their written submission to the review, the Alberta Federation of Labour expressed strong opposition to any such expansion.

"Albertans don't want 12-year-olds working in restaurant kitchens. They don't want 13-year-olds working as janitors and handling hazardous cleaning materials," Alberta Federation of Labour president McGowan said. "The fact that this is the first item on Mr. Lukaszuk's Employment Standards agenda shows that he did not hear Albertans the last time his PC government expanded child labour. Albertans rejected it then, and they reject it now."

McGowan added that this "is a very odd way for Lukaszuk to launch a bid for the PC leadership."

"Instead of distancing himself from the bad policy that has characterized the government over the past few years, the Minister seems to be determined to make even more bad policy before he resigns to pursue his leadership aspirations. I guess we'll have to start referring to him as the 'child labour' candidate."

The AFL recommendations on Employment Standards are contained in a detailed analysis of provincial work standards. The Executive Summary is here and the full report is here. The recommendations fall in eight categories:

1) End special permits issued by the Director of Employment Standards. There should be one set of rules for every employer, not exceptions for friends and insiders.

2) End the discrimination against workers with disabilities, farm workers, and domestic workers, and include them in basic Employment Standards protections.

3) Get tough on employers who abuse Temporary Foreign Workers, and make sure employers aren't using the TFW Program to drive down wages and working conditions and displace Albertans from jobs

4) Enforce the rules and get tough on employers that try to cheat the system. Recommendations here are tougher fines, more prosecutions, and on-the-spot administrative penalties (ticketing) for employers who break the rules.

5) Fairness for people who work in the restaurant, retail, and hospitality industries by ending illegal deductions, having a clear law on tips, and ending the two-tier minimum wage.

6) Ending the confusion around stat pay and overtime – clean up the language in the legislation and make our laws consistent with the rest of the country.

7) End – don't expand – child labour in Alberta.

8) Recognize we are all juggling work and family by bringing our parental and maternity leave standards up to the standards in the rest of Canada and expanding the number of leaves employees can take without losing job protection.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell)
or via e-mail [email protected]

Executive Summary:http://www.afl.orghttps://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/afl/pages/995/attachments/original/1397234852/2014%20Executive%20Summary_AFL%20Submission%20on%20Employment%20Standards.pdf?1397234852

AFL Submission: http://www.afl.orghttps://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/afl/pages/995/attachments/original/1397234147/2014%20AFL%20Submission%20on%20Employment%20Standards_FINAL.pdf?1397234147