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The court said in the decision that the plan would seriously breach workers' rights.

The Alberta Federation of Labour calls the decision a big victory, saying that random testing doesn't always improve safety.

There is no information on whether or not Suncor will try to go the Supreme Court to appeal the ruling.

CTV News Calgary, Nov 29 2012

EDMONTON - Labour group not convinced change on the way for Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Alberta Federation of Labour thinks the same people they say messed up the Temporary Foreign Worker program, can't be trusted to fix it.

Last week, the Harper government announced a review of the program. This after critics called foul on a BC mining firm for bringing in 200 Chinese workers to do jobs Canadians were qualified for.

AFL President Gil McGowan says the Harper Government "created a monster" when it relaxed requirements for companies to prove foreign workers were needed.

"They no longer have to keep records of Canadians that have applied." he says. "They no longer have to explain why the Canadians were not picked. All they have to do is post an on-line ad, and they don't have to demonstrate that Canadians have actually applied or not."

McGowan adds that the program has expanded to cover menial labour and other jobs.

And, he says, because workers are sent home after four years, the program has created an exploited, disposable workforce. (ms)

iNews NOW, Sunday, November 11, 2012
Byline: Brenton Driedger

Alberta Federation of Labour skeptical of TFW program review
Tories created this monster, can’t be trusted to tame it

Edmonton - Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program is broken and despite their promise of a review the Federal Conservatives are unlikely to fix it, says the Alberta Federation of Labour.

On Thursday, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley announced that the program would be reviewed, due to criticism over the decision to grant permits to more than 200 Chinese nationals to work in a northeast B.C. coal project.

“If they want to find the source of the problems with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Harper Conservatives just need to look in the mirror,” AFL president Gil McGowan said. “They created this monster by removing any checks and balances from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and by rubberstamping every application.”

Fuelled by exaggerated labour shortage claims, Alberta employers have made more aggressive use of the TFW program than employers in any other province. There are currently more than 60,000 Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta, giving the province the biggest TFW population in Canada as a proportion of the labour force. More than 50,000 additional TFW applications from Alberta employers were approved in 2011.

In a letter to the Human Resources Minister, McGowan expressed skepticism about how the federal government intends to re-examine the TFW program. The last time the Tories held hearings about the program, the hearings were held behind closed doors and had no public consultation.

“Another set of secretive meetings with business leaders will not be sufficient. This review cannot be conducted in the same manner,” McGowan said. “They have spent the last five years creating this problem by whittling away at safeguards. I have no confidence in their ability to fix it.”

After the last set of hearings in April, the federal government removed safeguards that had been designed to prevent abuse of the TFW program. Under the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion (ALMO) process, which was introduced earlier this year, employers can bring in workers under the TFW program and pay them 15 per cent less than the prevailing wage rates in the region.

“Previously, employers would have needed to show that they had made an effort to recruit workers from within Canada. Not anymore,” McGowan said, noting that the changes had been made behind closed doors, with no input from the public or real labour unions. “We have a system where it’s cheap and easy for an employer to exploit this program. Is it any surprise there are problems?”

Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan will be available to media to speak about this issue outside of MP Laurie Hawn’s office at 1:30 p.m. today, Friday, Nov. 9.

-30-

MEDIA AVAILABILITY:  

Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour President
at 780-218-9888 (cell) or 780-483-3021 (office)
Friday, November 9, 2012 at 1:30 p.m.
Outside the constituency office of Laurie Hawn, MP (11156 – 142nd Street, Edmonton)

For Backgrounder click here.

CALGARY — A Redford government plan to target employers who repeatedly defy the province's safety laws with new penalties of up to $10,000 is being opposed by an industry group representing 2,000 construction firms.

The Alberta Construction Association says the government's new laws to implement administrative penalties next year are too vague, complicated and there's no proof that they'll be effective in making work sites safer.

"There's a presumption that employers are the bad guys, and we'll just ramp up the fines and we'll fix those bad guys," Ken Gibson, executive director of the association, said Wednesday.

"It's not evidence-based. There's no suggestion we can see that it actually is going to work."

Gibson said the association is in favour of a separate government plan that will allow provincial health and safety officers to hand out on-the-spot tickets to everyone on a job site, including owners and workers. The ticket system will help discourage more straightforward safety infractions on job sites, such as an employee who refuses to wear a helmet, he said.

Despite the concerns, the Redford government is pushing forward in the legislature with the two sets of new workplace penalties.

Administrative penalties — spelled out in Bill 6, the Protections and Compliance Statutes Amendment Act — will apply mostly to employers who break the law, and will allow for penalties of up to $10,000.

"There've been discussions with various employers' groups on this," Human Services Minister Dave Hancock said Wednesday, adding it's "normal" to have some opposition to new penalties.

The government's second move on workplace safety fines will be through a ticketing system, to be brought into force through regulations next year. It will allow for both workers and owners to be ticketed to the tune of hundreds of dollars, he explained.

"They're basically something that will sting a little if it goes to a worker, but it's not devastating," Hancock said.

But the ticketing plan is being panned by groups representing workers, who call it a "blame-the-victim" approach.

"At the end of the day, workplace safety is primarily the responsibility of employers and government, as regulator," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

McGowan noted that, in court, companies can be hit with a fine as high as $500,000 for a first offence. He's concerned the administrative penalties, which top out at $10,000, will replace full legal prosecutions against companies that break the law.

Not all businesses are opposed to the new administrative penalties.

"Right now there are employers in the province of Alberta who are not taking safety seriously," said Dave Fennell, senior safety adviser for Imperial Oil Resources, noting there was one week last month when five Alberta workers died on separate job sites.

"Just like any other law in the province, you need to be held accountable," Fennell said. "If the administrative fines are a way of making these employers accountable, then we are supportive of that."

The Wildrose party wants the proceeds of such workplace fines to be put into a dedicated safety fund, instead of flowing into general government revenues.

The NDP and Alberta Liberals say although they generally support the government's push for tougher penalties, one issue that remains outstanding is the lack of coverage for paid farm workers under the province's Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workers' Compensation Act.

Under questioning from the opposition, the Tory government said Wednesday it's still working on a response to a report completed last February from the Farm Safety Advisory council, a government-appointed group that's made recommendations on improving the industry's safety record.

Calgary Herald, Thurs Nov 1 2012
Byline: Kelly Cryderman

BROOKS, Alta. — Alberta's labour movement wants a public inquiry into what went wrong at XL Foods' beef plant in Brooks.

It was closed after E. coli contamination was found in meat processed more than a month ago.

"Confidence in the Alberta beef brand has been shaken, confidence in our industry has been shaken, our customers, especially in our largest market in the United States, wonder if they can trust our product," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"That has profound long-term implications for the health of this industry and all the jobs it creates," he said at an Oct. 18 news conference in Brooks.

AFI and the United Food and Commercial Workers said food inspection should be transferred from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to Health Canada because it is a public health matter.

The inquiry should also determine if the agency can do its job properly as the federal government further cuts its budget by more than $50 million.

JBS USA has agreed to manage the plant, and the union is confident it can work with the new company.

"We are hopeful JBS will come in here with an open mind and do what is best for the workers and the industry," said local 401 UFCW president Doug O'Halloran, who represents 2,200 employees at the XL plant in Brooks.

"They've got to make a dollar. We know that, but it can't be at the risk of food safety," he said in an interview.

"XL has not done a good job. Nilsson brothers, I believe, didn't know 50 percent of what was going on in that plant or else they couldn't allow these things to happen," he said in reference to company owners Brian and Lee Nilsson.

He claims upper management dismissed concerns from food inspectors, and O'Halloran said those people should be removed once JBS is installed.

Food safety training and upgrades on hazard analysis critical control points was done, but skills need to be upgraded regularly, he added.

"There is never enough training and never enough food safety training in these plants. The priority is production, the priority is getting as many cattle processed as you can, it is not on quality," O'Halloran said.

The CFIA said a change in management or ownership would not influence its decision to reopen the plant.

"This development will not affect our assessment. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's top priority is consumer safety so this facility's operating licence will not be renewed until we are completely satisfied that this plant can produce safe food," said Paul Mayers, associate vice-president for CFIA programs.

The union expressed doubt about the competency of CFIA inspectors, but Mayers said XL staff should have come forward if they had solid evidence. No one did, he added.

"I would like to assure all Canadians our inspectors are professional and do their job diligently. Our job is food safety," said Mayers.

"We remain open to working with any staff to improve food safety. This is why we have reached out to the union several times," he said.

Officials from JBS USA met with XL staff Oct. 22, and industrial relations staff met with the union Oct. 23.

JBS said it would honour the current labour contract, which expires at the end of 2013.

About 2,200 people received layoff notices last week, but JBS indicated they would all be called back to work.

The Western Producer, Oct 26 2012
Byline; Barbara Duckworth

BROOKS, Alta. — Alberta's labour movement wants a public inquiry into what went wrong at XL Foods' beef plant in Brooks.

It was closed after E. coli contamination was found in meat processed more than a month ago.

"Confidence in the Alberta beef brand has been shaken, confidence in our industry has been shaken, our customers, especially in our largest market in the United States, wonder if they can trust our product," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"That has profound long-term implications for the health of this industry and all the jobs it creates," he said at an Oct. 18 news conference in Brooks.

AFI and the United Food and Commercial Workers said food inspection should be transferred from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to Health Canada because it is a public health matter.

The inquiry should also determine if the agency can do its job properly as the federal government further cuts its budget by more than $50 million.

JBS USA has agreed to manage the plant, and the union is confident it can work with the new company.

"We are hopeful JBS will come in here with an open mind and do what is best for the workers and the industry," said local 401 UFCW president Doug O'Halloran, who represents 2,200 employees at the XL plant in Brooks.

"They've got to make a dollar. We know that, but it can't be at the risk of food safety," he said in an interview.

"XL has not done a good job. Nilsson brothers, I believe, didn't know 50 percent of what was going on in that plant or else they couldn't allow these things to happen," he said in reference to company owners Brian and Lee Nilsson.

He claims upper management dismissed concerns from food inspectors, and O'Halloran said those people should be removed once JBS is installed.

Food safety training and upgrades on hazard analysis critical control points was done, but skills need to be upgraded regularly, he added.

"There is never enough training and never enough food safety training in these plants. The priority is production, the priority is getting as many cattle processed as you can, it is not on quality," O'Halloran said.

The CFIA said a change in management or ownership would not influence its decision to reopen the plant.

"This development will not affect our assessment. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's top priority is consumer safety so this facility's operating licence will not be renewed until we are completely satisfied that this plant can produce safe food," said Paul Mayers, associate vice-president for CFIA programs.

The union expressed doubt about the competency of CFIA inspectors, but Mayers said XL staff should have come forward if they had solid evidence. No one did, he added.

"I would like to assure all Canadians our inspectors are professional and do their job diligently. Our job is food safety," said Mayers.

"We remain open to working with any staff to improve food safety. This is why we have reached out to the union several times," he said.

Officials from JBS USA met with XL staff Oct. 22, and industrial relations staff met with the union Oct. 23.

JBS said it would honour the current labour contract, which expires at the end of 2013.

About 2,200 people received layoff notices last week, but JBS indicated they would all be called back to work.

Western Producer, Friday Oct 26 2012
Byline: Barbara Duckworth

CALGARY — The Wildrose lost the popular vote in last spring's hard-fought provincial election but won the money contest against the ruling Progressive Conservative dynasty, new financial disclosure documents show.

In what is believed to be a first in the Tories' four-decade rule, the Conservatives spent $4.6 million but were beat handily when it came to election fundraising.

According to party documents submitted to Elections Alberta, Wildrose reported total election-time revenues of $3.1 million — nearly double the $1.6 million raised by the PCs.

Speaking to reporters in Edmonton, Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said her party — which elected 17 MLAS compared with 61 Tories — raised more than the PCs because a lot of Albertans wanted to see the government challenged.

Wildrose was also the only party in the legislature to fully finance its election push with money raised during the campaign fundraising period, which went from March into June.

"We look at the party finances as being an indication to the public of how we would run government," Smith said.

"That will just indicate to Albertans who the true fiscally conservative party is."

But PC president Bill Smith said Tory donors were already exhausted from the party's gruelling leadership race in 2011, when more than $6.3 million was spent during the eight-month contest.

He said the party spent exactly what it had budgeted for during the election campaign, even if it dipped into its savings to the tune of $3 million to pay for the difference.

And Smith said there's still money in the bank.

"You always have to keep your eye to the competition, for sure," he said Wednesday. "My guys will be looking at how they were successful."

The documents show Premier Alison Redford's party spent $4.6 million, including $2.7 million on "communications" such as TV and radio ads, en route to winning the April 23 election.

It points to a changing dynamic in Alberta that should worry Redford's party, said Grant MacEwan University political scientist Chaldeans Mensah.

He noted that while Wildrose got thousands of Albertans to open their wallets, the PCs survived mainly on the strength of large, corporate donations.

"The Tories' loss of support from individual donors poses a serious risk for the party in terms of stable, long-term support required to maintain power," Mensah said.

"It's a warning that the party has a lot of work to do to maintain its relevance to its membership and strong linkage to the wider voting public."

The Wildrose party ran a less expensive campaign, spending just over $3 million and running a $29,000 surplus. The party didn't disclose a detailed list of where dollars went, but party officials say more information will come out during the party's annual general meeting next month.

The Wildrose also got a significant proportion of its money from individual donors who gave less than $375 — more than $1 million total, compared with $64,000 for the PCs — which they say shows "the true grassroots nature of the Wildrose."

"It means that our party isn't beholden to these types of special interests or backroom deals," party executive director Jonathon Wescott said.

But the two largest parties received significant contributions from the province's business giants. For instance, Cenovus Energy gave $25,000 to both the Wildrose and Conservatives, Prairie Merchant Corp. gave $30,000 to the Wildrose, and Northwest Upgrading Inc. gave $10,000 to the Tories.

The Redford Tories received a total of $150,000 from billionaire and Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, his family members and his company.

"Alberta has the most lax campaign finance rules in Canada," said Public Interest Alberta executive director Bill Moore-Kilgannon.

He said major corporations and wealthy individuals provided most of the money for last April's election — meaning they set the political direction in a province that already has low energy royalty rates and a flat provincial tax.

"It's nothing against any individual or any individual companies," said Moore-Kilgannon. "But federally, corporations and unions are not even allowed to contribute to a political party."

In Alberta, donations from individuals, companies or unions are limited to $30,000 in an election year.

Smith's and Redford's parties left all other contenders in the dust, financially.

The Liberals, who won five seats, took in $112,427 in revenue — their largest donation was $10,000, also from Cenovus — and spent $150,667. But party president Todd Van Vliet said the party plans to have all its campaign bills paid by the end of the year.

The NDP, winner of four seats, raked in $517,165 and had $654,241 in expenses. The party doesn't take donations from corporations, but received its largest contributions from the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, at $15,000 each.

Brian Stokes, the NDP's provincial secretary, said the party debt now sits at about $360,000, but the party plans to pay it off within a couple of years, and then begin building for the next provincial election in 2016.

"We're very happy with the results and where we're sitting," Stokes said.

Edmonton Journal, Wedn Oct 25 2012
Byline: Kelly Cryderman

With files from Darcy Henton, Calgary Herald, and Keith Gerein, Edmonton [email protected]

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald