E-STRIKES CALLED UNDIPLOMATIC
Ottawa — Foreign service workers came up with a unique form of labour protest last month — e-strikes. With most of the foreign service designated as essential workers, and therefore unable to strike, protesting workers set up virtual picket lines around the world, reports the Ottawa Citizen. Many of the e-mails sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade received automatic replies explaining senders could expect delays and inconvenience because staff were on strike. Management sent out a memo advising employees that disciplinary action would follow if the misuse of systems and resources persisted. The workers countered with a formal complaint the government was violating their rights to free expression.
WAGES LOST WHEN PAYROLL PROVIDER BANKRUPTS
Montreal — The Montreal and Laval Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had to ask the public for help to pay its employees last month after the organization’s payroll administrator Le Paie-Maître PC Inc. went into receivership. The society is at risk of losing about $50,000 in salaries Paie-Maître never distributed to employees. While three other clients of the payroll administrator have filed suits, the society said it can’t afford to pursue legal action.
EMPLOYER OFF THE HOOK, FOR NOW
Toronto — The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned the decision that would have forced an employer to pay $300,000 in damages to a woman who drove home drunk following her office Christmas party. Linda Hunt crashed her car in a snowstorm near Barrie, Ont. in 1994, seriously injuring herself. In the original trial, Justice Claire Marchand found Hunt’s employer, Sutton Group Incentive Realty Inc., partly responsible for the crash on the grounds it should not have had an open and unsupervised bar. A three-judge panel tossed out the award, ruling the trial judge erred in dismissing the jury over concerns it couldn’t understand the complexities of the case.
MORE OPTIONAL UNPAID DAYS OFF
Winnipeg — Provincial employees in Manitoba now have the option of taking 15 days off without pay as part of a voluntary reduced work week program. “Many provincial employees have said they would like the option of taking additional time off, without pay, to attend to family and other matters,” said Greg Selinger, the province’s minister responsible for the civil service commission. Under the program, departments will consider leave requests using the same criteria used in granting vacation requests. Pay deductions will be spread out over 11 pay periods to minimize the financial impact on employees.
SHIFT WORK HURTS
Ottawa — Shift work is hurting the health of workers, particularly men, according to a report from Statistics Canada. In 2000 and 2001, about three out of 10 employed Canadians reported working some type of shift. Many shift workers reported problems ranging from sleep disturbance to difficulties with relationships. Men who worked an evening, rotating or irregular shift had increased odds of being diagnosed with a chronic condition and those who worked an evening shift were more likely to smoke. About 45 per cent of men working the evening shift smoke, compared to 27 per cent of their daytime counterparts.
NOVA SCOTIA WCB DEFICIT UNDER MICROSCOPE
Halifax — Nova Scotia employers pay the second highest workers’ compensation premiums in Canada but workers receive the second lowest benefit payouts and the system still has a $280-million deficit. A review, a new chair and a management plan to fix the problem is in place, but employers and opposition party critics are wary of the WCB’s ability to reinvent itself.
Ottawa — Foreign service workers came up with a unique form of labour protest last month — e-strikes. With most of the foreign service designated as essential workers, and therefore unable to strike, protesting workers set up virtual picket lines around the world, reports the Ottawa Citizen. Many of the e-mails sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade received automatic replies explaining senders could expect delays and inconvenience because staff were on strike. Management sent out a memo advising employees that disciplinary action would follow if the misuse of systems and resources persisted. The workers countered with a formal complaint the government was violating their rights to free expression.
WAGES LOST WHEN PAYROLL PROVIDER BANKRUPTS
Montreal — The Montreal and Laval Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had to ask the public for help to pay its employees last month after the organization’s payroll administrator Le Paie-Maître PC Inc. went into receivership. The society is at risk of losing about $50,000 in salaries Paie-Maître never distributed to employees. While three other clients of the payroll administrator have filed suits, the society said it can’t afford to pursue legal action.
EMPLOYER OFF THE HOOK, FOR NOW
Toronto — The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned the decision that would have forced an employer to pay $300,000 in damages to a woman who drove home drunk following her office Christmas party. Linda Hunt crashed her car in a snowstorm near Barrie, Ont. in 1994, seriously injuring herself. In the original trial, Justice Claire Marchand found Hunt’s employer, Sutton Group Incentive Realty Inc., partly responsible for the crash on the grounds it should not have had an open and unsupervised bar. A three-judge panel tossed out the award, ruling the trial judge erred in dismissing the jury over concerns it couldn’t understand the complexities of the case.
MORE OPTIONAL UNPAID DAYS OFF
Winnipeg — Provincial employees in Manitoba now have the option of taking 15 days off without pay as part of a voluntary reduced work week program. “Many provincial employees have said they would like the option of taking additional time off, without pay, to attend to family and other matters,” said Greg Selinger, the province’s minister responsible for the civil service commission. Under the program, departments will consider leave requests using the same criteria used in granting vacation requests. Pay deductions will be spread out over 11 pay periods to minimize the financial impact on employees.
SHIFT WORK HURTS
Ottawa — Shift work is hurting the health of workers, particularly men, according to a report from Statistics Canada. In 2000 and 2001, about three out of 10 employed Canadians reported working some type of shift. Many shift workers reported problems ranging from sleep disturbance to difficulties with relationships. Men who worked an evening, rotating or irregular shift had increased odds of being diagnosed with a chronic condition and those who worked an evening shift were more likely to smoke. About 45 per cent of men working the evening shift smoke, compared to 27 per cent of their daytime counterparts.
NOVA SCOTIA WCB DEFICIT UNDER MICROSCOPE
Halifax — Nova Scotia employers pay the second highest workers’ compensation premiums in Canada but workers receive the second lowest benefit payouts and the system still has a $280-million deficit. A review, a new chair and a management plan to fix the problem is in place, but employers and opposition party critics are wary of the WCB’s ability to reinvent itself.
