UPDATED January
18, 2008
Press
Release in Response to
the Chambers of Commerce’s Opposition to Recommendations to Improve the
Employment Standards Act.
PEI
Federation of Labour Expresses Its Disappointment in the Chambers of
Commerce’s Opposition to Recommendations to Improve the Employment
Standards Act.
"We are extremely
disappointed by the recent opposition from the Charlottetown and
Summerside Chambers of Commerce to the very modest improvements being
recommended to the Island’s Employment Standards Act." stated Carl
Pursey, President of the PEI Federation of Labour
"At a
time when you cannot go a day without hearing about impending
labour shortages and Islanders leaving this province for more lucrative
employment in other provinces, it is incomprehensible to me that the
Chambers of Commerce cannot understand that their members’ futures
depend upon PEI’s ability to attract and more importantly retain
workers. This cannot be done when the Legislation that provides the
minimum floor of labour rights and standards for workers on PEI. is so
out of touch with the rest of the country." continues Mr. Pursey
PEI
currently has the worst Employment Standards Legislation in Canada.
Thanks to this, workers covered under this Act have to work the longest
number of hours before they receive overtime, have the lowest number of
statutory holidays, the lowest duration of vacation time, and if the
Ghiz government does not act very shortly the lowest minimum wage in
all of Canada. Also in regards to overtime, despite having the longest
hours required for the payment of overtime in the country, many Island
businesses in certain industries are given an extra exemption to this
rule and are allowed to require workers to work up to 75 hours/week
before they are paid overtime.
Even with the enactment
of all of the positive recommendations made by the Employment Standards
Review Committee, Island workers will still make very little headway in
comparison with the rest of Canada. And this is not to say that all the
Review Committee’s recommendations are positive, as one of their
recommendations provides for the possibility of a two-tiered minimum
wage rate (which the PEI Federation of Labour vehemently opposes and
hopes the government ignores) but at least for the most part the
committee’s recommendations are a small step in the right direction.
The
Provincial government and Island businesses need to realize that if PEI
wishes to remain competitive in this ultra tight labour market, they
need to do everything they can to ensure working Islanders have jobs
that provide them with not only a fair and competitive income but also
allows them time for a social/family life.
“Enacting
the positive Employment Standards recommendations is just a small step
in what is needed to improve things for Island workers. It is however
an important step and I urge the Ghiz government to ignore the
objections of the Chambers of Commerce and start to make the changes to
our Employment Standards Act needed to bring this important piece of
legislation in line with the rest of Canada. Contrary to what the
Chambers of Commerce say in their press statements, the balance has
been for so long and so far in the favour of business here on PEI that
it is long overdue that the balance needs to start, in this small way,
shifting in the favour of Island employees ” concludes Carl Pursey,
President of the PEI Federation of Labour.
Background Information:
PEI
Federation of Labour’s Response to the Employment Standards Review
Panel’s Recommendations
PEI Federation of
Labour's Submission
to the Employment Standards Review
Employment
Standards Review Panel's report (released September 2006)
Press
Release Main
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