Canadian Labour Reporter

CANADIAN LABOUR REPORTER 7 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2014 Continued from page 1 Mike Sturk (Reuters) Albertan labour groups have advocated for the inclusion of the agricultural sector under standardized employment conditions. The government's review of the current Employment Standards Code could be a path towards that end. Dire consequences for small business: CFIB which took place back in 2005 — when no significant changes were made. That months-long process included discussions and meetings that will be missed this time around. "It's a ridiculously short amount of time to review something as important as the Employment Standards Code," he said. "There are no face-to-face meetings with the minister, you fill out an online survey and write submissions, but there is no op- portunity to present them." That said, the AFL will make submissions before the six- week consultation period closes. On the docket is the inclusion of the agricultural industry under standardized employment conditions. "We're the only province in the country that excludes farm workers from all basic workplace protections," McGowan said, pointing to Brooks, Alta., a town where a rather paradoxical situ- ation has arisen. On one side of the highway that runs through the town, there is a meatpacking plant, and on the other sits the feedlot which supplies the cattle. While both are owned by the same company, McGowan said feedlot workers qualify as agricultural staff and are therefore not able to join a union, for instance, whereas their peers across the street enjoy basic employment rights. In management circles, the move is a bolt from the blue. "It really begs the question: Why now?" said Richard Truscott, the Canadian Federation of Business's director of provincial af- fairs for Alberta, who added that the current state of employment standards are fairly balanced. Should the consultations prompt changes to the code, how- ever, Truscott fears businesses will get the short end of the stick. "Change could have a big impact, a practical impact on employers. What may be well and good for a big oil and gas company or pipeline company to comply with and implement well — for a small company, you make some changes to these standards and it can cause real issues in terms of providing a flexible work environment, in terms of providing a positive work environment." And in what is perhaps a rare occurrence, employers and unions are on the same page when it comes to the timing and intentions of such a review. "It makes us wonder what the governments agenda is," Trus- cott added, even going as far as to say the consultations could be a means to appease labour groups after quite the combative year. Truscott cited sweeping reforms to public sector pensions and controversial legislation, such as Bills 45 and 46, which changed binding arbitration provisions and spawned a legal challenge. "They've certainly been playing defense in this province over a number of contentious issues," he said. "It leads some people to believe this is a way to smooth some ruffled feathers with organized labour." For Lukaszuk's part, it is premature to formulate conclusions before the consultations have wrapped up. "It's silly to be complaining about the referee before the puck even drops. If you want to complain about the referee, wait until the game is over," he said. Albertans will have until April 11 to submit recommendations.

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