Canada Labour Code changes / Halifax port workers pen new deal
Canada Labour Code changes
OTTAWA — Amendments to the Canada Labour Code (CLC) aim to regulate complaints and wage claims.
Introduced under Division 10 of the Jobs and Growth Act 2012, the changes implement a new process for making complaints to an Employment and Social Development Canada-Labour Program inspector as well as expand the powers of inspectors to facilitate settlements, suspend investigations and reject complaints.
Inspectors can reject a complaint based on a reason listed in the CLC or suspend it if the inspector feels the parties would benefit by pursuing another avenue.
Much of Division 10 focused on deadlines. A time limit for employers to provide workers with vacation pay was introduced while restrictions were put on employees applying for payment of wages or other such monies.
The amendments require wage and payment recovery complaints be made within six months and that the "look-back" period for payment orders be limited to the period starting one year prior to the date of complaint or date of termination.
An effort to provide structure to the complaints and claims processes, the reforms are intended to bring the CLC into line with provincial employment and labour standards.
Halifax port workers pen new deal
HALIFAX — More than 400 workers at the Halifax port have ratified a new collective agreement.
Signed at the beginning of April, the deal covers about 300 longshoremen, foremen and walking bosses, as well as about 70 checkers and 70 gear repair men working at the Port of Halifax, who had been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2013.
Both the federal labour ministry, the Halifax Employers Association and the Halifax Longshoremen’s Association ratified the contract with the help of the federal mediation and conciliation service, which provides dispute resolution and dispute prevention assistance to trade unions and employers.
The Halifax Freight and Steamship Checkers Union and the Halifax Gear Repair and Maintenance Men were also involved.
According to Employment and Social Development Canada, 94 per cent of collective bargaining negotiations in the federal labour force were resolved without a work stoppage when the mediation service was involved.
The Halifax port serves as a gateway for trade to and from North America and handles a wide range of cargo to and fro 150 countries worldwide.
