Ont. introduces compassionate care leave legislation • UN scolds Alberta over labour rules • Federal execs failing French • New funding for apprenticeships • Another union swing at Wal-Mart, another miss • P.E.I. WCB recognizes chronic pain • Remembrance Day a Holiday in New Brunswick
Ont. introduces compassionate care leave legislation
Toronto — Ontario workers will get up to eight weeks of job-protected, unpaid time off to take care of gravely ill family members at significant risk of dying within 26 weeks. Legislation has been introduced allowing anyone covered by the province’s Employment Standards Act, including part-time workers, to take this time off work. The legislation allows employees to access new federal Employment Insurance benefits that became available when Ottawa’s compassionate care benefits came into force on Jan. 4, 2004.
UN scolds Alberta over labour rules
Geneva — The United Nations labour agency reproached Alberta for taking the right to strike away from some health-care workers. The Geneva-based International Labour Organization (ILO) also criticized the province for not consulting with labour when it passed Bill 27, designed to restructure health regional labour relations bargaining units. The ILO said that only workers “providing essential services in the strict sense of the term may be deprived of the right to strike.”
Federal execs failing French
Ottawa — A growing number of anglophone government executives are failing language tests required to hold bilingual jobs, according to a Public Service Commission report obtained by the Ottawa Citizen. In 2000-2001, 54 per cent passed the French oral tests, but by 2002-2003, less than 39 per cent passed. Meanwhile, francophones taking English language tests are maintaining a pass rate of 80 per cent.
New funding for apprenticeships
Toronto — Ontario’s apprenticeship training system is getting an $18-million cash infusion from the government. The money will benefit about 28,000 apprentices across Ontario by helping colleges update classrooms and equipment, develop new training materials and provide flexible alternatives such as distance education. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce, however, says $18 million is simply not enough. A study by the chamber shows that 52 per cent of skilled trades workers in Ontario are expected to retire in the next 15 years, with 41 per cent of respondents indicating they will face a skills shortage in their industry within five years.
Another union swing at Wal-Mart, another miss
Jonquiere, Que. — Retail giant Wal-Mart has once again escaped a bid to unionize one of its stores. Of the 139 ballots cast at the Jonquiere, Que., store, 74 voted against and 65 voted for joining the United Food and Commercial Workers. The union vowed to try again in the future and characterized the vote as a deferral and not a rejection. Meanwhile residents in a Los Angeles suburb voted last month to block Wal-Mart from setting up shop in their neighbourhood because it would eliminate better paying jobs at retailers that would be driven out of business.
P.E.I. WCB recognizes chronic pain
Charlottetown — Workers in Prince Edward Island disabled by chronic pain will be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act will be retroactive to April 3, 2004. While the province acknowledges chronic pain, stress is still not recognized. The restriction that no worker may receive a benefit for stress — other than stress that was “an acute reaction to a traumatic event” — is unaffected by this legislation.
Remembrance Day a Holiday in New Brunswick
Fredericton — New Brunswick is changing its Employment Standards Act to make Remembrance Day a public holiday. Employers will be required to give employees a paid holiday on November 11 each year. As with all public holidays, an employee who agrees to it may work on Remembrance Day and receive another day off in lieu; and if the public holiday falls on a non-working day for the employee, the employee must be paid for that day (or by mutual agreement receive time in lieu).
Toronto — Ontario workers will get up to eight weeks of job-protected, unpaid time off to take care of gravely ill family members at significant risk of dying within 26 weeks. Legislation has been introduced allowing anyone covered by the province’s Employment Standards Act, including part-time workers, to take this time off work. The legislation allows employees to access new federal Employment Insurance benefits that became available when Ottawa’s compassionate care benefits came into force on Jan. 4, 2004.
UN scolds Alberta over labour rules
Geneva — The United Nations labour agency reproached Alberta for taking the right to strike away from some health-care workers. The Geneva-based International Labour Organization (ILO) also criticized the province for not consulting with labour when it passed Bill 27, designed to restructure health regional labour relations bargaining units. The ILO said that only workers “providing essential services in the strict sense of the term may be deprived of the right to strike.”
Federal execs failing French
Ottawa — A growing number of anglophone government executives are failing language tests required to hold bilingual jobs, according to a Public Service Commission report obtained by the Ottawa Citizen. In 2000-2001, 54 per cent passed the French oral tests, but by 2002-2003, less than 39 per cent passed. Meanwhile, francophones taking English language tests are maintaining a pass rate of 80 per cent.
New funding for apprenticeships
Toronto — Ontario’s apprenticeship training system is getting an $18-million cash infusion from the government. The money will benefit about 28,000 apprentices across Ontario by helping colleges update classrooms and equipment, develop new training materials and provide flexible alternatives such as distance education. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce, however, says $18 million is simply not enough. A study by the chamber shows that 52 per cent of skilled trades workers in Ontario are expected to retire in the next 15 years, with 41 per cent of respondents indicating they will face a skills shortage in their industry within five years.
Another union swing at Wal-Mart, another miss
Jonquiere, Que. — Retail giant Wal-Mart has once again escaped a bid to unionize one of its stores. Of the 139 ballots cast at the Jonquiere, Que., store, 74 voted against and 65 voted for joining the United Food and Commercial Workers. The union vowed to try again in the future and characterized the vote as a deferral and not a rejection. Meanwhile residents in a Los Angeles suburb voted last month to block Wal-Mart from setting up shop in their neighbourhood because it would eliminate better paying jobs at retailers that would be driven out of business.
P.E.I. WCB recognizes chronic pain
Charlottetown — Workers in Prince Edward Island disabled by chronic pain will be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act will be retroactive to April 3, 2004. While the province acknowledges chronic pain, stress is still not recognized. The restriction that no worker may receive a benefit for stress — other than stress that was “an acute reaction to a traumatic event” — is unaffected by this legislation.
Remembrance Day a Holiday in New Brunswick
Fredericton — New Brunswick is changing its Employment Standards Act to make Remembrance Day a public holiday. Employers will be required to give employees a paid holiday on November 11 each year. As with all public holidays, an employee who agrees to it may work on Remembrance Day and receive another day off in lieu; and if the public holiday falls on a non-working day for the employee, the employee must be paid for that day (or by mutual agreement receive time in lieu).
