CAALL — Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation
CAALL Bulletin - December 2009
Table of Contents
- Ontario – Living Wage Debate
- Saskatchewan – Cracking Down on Labour Law Violations
- Nova Scotia – Minimum Wage Increase Schedule Maintained
- Ontario - Government Updating Hazardous Chemical Substance Regulations
- Manitoba – Grade 9 Students Learn Workplace Safety
- Quebec and Ontario – Museum employees return to work
- National - CN, Union Seek Arbitration
- National – Michael Ignatieff Proposes Bill to Recognize Pay Equity as Human Right
- Ontario Takes Action To Protect Live-In Caregivers
- Ontario Confronts Violence In The Workplace
- Appointments/Retirements/Announcements
- Parliament/Legislatures/Assemblies
- Upcoming Events
Ontario – Living Wage Debate
Regional councillors in Kitchener-Waterloo voted to defer a staff recommendation to provide for a living-wage policy for its regional employees and contractors.
A living wage is the amount of money a single adult working full-time would need to live above the poverty line. While no Canadian municipality has adopted living-wage policies, more than 140 American cities have some form of the policy.
Saskatchewan – Cracking Down on Labour Law Violations
The government announced that 11 businesses had been prosecuted so far in the 2009-10 fiscal year for violations of the Labour Standards Act, the highest number in 20 years.
"We're paying more attention to this activity. We're having the Ministry of Justice more engaged in helping us out in prosecuting," said Laverne Moskal, executive director of the labour standards branch of the Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Ministry.
Nova Scotia – Minimum Wage Increase Schedule Maintained
Nova Scotia's Minimum Wage Review Committee has advised the province to keep the committee's recommended scheduled minimum-wage increases. In 2008, the committee developed a three-year, minimum-wage increase schedule which would put the rate at $9.20 on April 1, 2010 and $9.65 on Oct. 1.
Ontario - Government Updating Hazardous Chemical Substance Regulations
Ontario is strengthening worker protection by updating occupational exposure limits for 36 hazardous chemical substances such as polyvinyl chloride and ethanol.
Manitoba – Grade 9 Students Learn Workplace Safety
Grade 9 students throughout Manitoba had an opportunity to learn about workplace safety from a parent, relative or sponsor, as part of Take our Kids to Work Day where students shadowed Workers Compensation Board staff.
Quebec and Ontario – Museum employees return to work
After 86 days on the picket lines, the 420 employees of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum return to work.
National - CN, Union Seek Arbitration
Canadian National Railway Co. and the union representing 1,700 locomotive engineers will submit unresolved wage and benefit issues to binding arbitration after talks failed to yield a deal.
National – Michael Ignatieff Proposes Bill to Recognize Pay Equity as Human Right
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says equal pay for work of equal value is a basic human right that should never be put up for grabs at the collective bargaining table. To that end, he introduced a private member's bill aimed at reversing a controversial measure in the 2009 federal budget.
The budget essentially reclassified pay equity as a labour issue to be negotiated in collective agreements, stripping the Canadian Human Rights Commission of its authority to adjudicate pay equity complaints. Ignatieff's proposal would return pay equity to the human rights realm.
Ontario Takes Action To Protect Live-In Caregivers
A ban on recruitment fees is among a series of new protections for live-in caregivers in Ontario.
Under new legislation passed recently, the government is expanding protections for some of the province's most vulnerable workers. For more information, see the government of Ontario website.
Ontario Confronts Violence In The Workplace
New legislation will help further protect workers from violence and harassment in workplaces. For more information, see the government of Ontario website.
Appointments/Retirements/Announcements
Ontario nominated David Marshall as President of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), subject to review by the Standing Committee on Government Agencies.
The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced that Estelle Marie Caines is the newest member of the WSIB’s Board of Directors.
Parliament/Legislatures/Assemblies
| Adjournment date | Resumption date | |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | ||
| British Columbia | February 9, 2010 | |
| House of Commons | March 3, 2010 | |
| Manitoba | ||
| New Brunswick | ||
| Newfoundland-Labrador | ||
| Northwest Territories | January 27, 2010 | |
| Nova Scotia | ||
| Nunavut | March 4, 2010 | |
| Ontario | February 16, 2010 | |
| Prince Edward Island | ||
| Québec | ||
| Saskatchewan | March 8, 2010 | |
| Yukon |
Upcoming Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion Workshop, Aboriginal Human Resource Council | Toronto, Ontario Regina, Saskatchewan Halifax, Nova Scotia |
January 13-14, 2010 February 1-18, 2010 March 30-31, 2010 |
| Safe Work Conference: The New Landscape: Health and Safety for the Body and Mind | Winnipeg, MN | January 20-21, 2010 |
| Freedom of Association: Harmonizing Canadian Norms with International Commitments | University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK | February 25-27, 2010 |
| Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) Forum III | Gatineau, Quebec | March 8-9, 2010 |
| Health & Safety Canada 2010 Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA) Conference and Trade Show | Toronto, Ontario | May 3-5, 2010 |
| International Forum on Disability Management | Los Angeles, California | September 13-16, 2010 |
| 18th Annual National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference & Expo | Chicago, Illinois | November 18-20, 2010 |