Ontario’s labour ministry bolsters protection for vulnerable workers / North Shore Winter Club dispute drags on
TORONTO — Ontario’s labour ministry plans to tighten its wage and safety protections for temporary foreign workers.
Introduced by labour minister Yasir Naqvi on Dec. 4, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act would create strict rules and enforcement measures to protect vulnerable workers — and make both companies and temporary agencies liable for Employment Standards Act violations.
That includes prohibiting employers from charging fees and seizing personal documents (such as passports) from temporary foreign workers by expanding the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act to include all foreign workers entering the province under an immigration or temporary foreign employee program.
As well, the bill would eliminate the $10,000 cap on the recovery of unpaid wages and increase the recovery period from six and 12 months to two years for employees — which would keep disputes out of the courtroom, saving workers and management time and money.
Under the new legislation, temporary help agencies and clients will also be liable for employment standards violations in order to decrease the number of companies hiring individuals solely to work in unsafe conditions.
The number of inspectors and inspections will also get a boost.
"Our government is standing up for workers and increasing fairness for business with this bill," Naqvi said. "It’s about taking action to protect the most vulnerable workers and level the playing field for employers who play by the rules because we know that these are the building blocks of stronger workplaces, a stronger economy and a stronger Ontario."
Since 2008, the number of temporary foreign workers in Ontario has jumped from 91,000 to 120,000 as of 2012.
North Shore Winter Club dispute drags on
VANCOUVER — After seven months walking the picket lines, mediation between CUPE Local 389 and the North Shore Winter Club (NSWC) has failed.
The union said the club has proven it has no desire to end the longest ongoing labour dispute in British Columbia.
Sixteen employees, all members of CUPE Local 389, were locked out of the club on May 3, 2013.
They work as building service workers, maintenance workers, iceman and stationary equipment operators and are responsible for handling dangerous chemicals used at the club, including ammonia and chlorine.
Mediation talks took place at the beginning of December, but the club came to the table with its most insulting offer yet, said John Strohmaier, the union’s national representative.
"The union was cautiously optimistic that we would be able to reach an agreement this week and we are disappointed that the NSWC has decided to continue this senseless lockout," Strohmaier said. "We trimmed our package down considerably and were ready to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement. With the package they presented the NSWC made it clear that they didn’t have those same intentions."
According to the union, the club plans to cut half of unionized employees and contract out their work.
Negotiations concerning hours of work and benefits have also caused conflict between the two parties.
"The North Shore Winter Club is offering less and less to employees who have been locked out for seven months," Strohmaier said, adding that, "We were hopeful that the new board of directors elected in September would seek a resolution to this dispute. Unfortunately this board is just as aggressive and hostile to its employees."
