Ontario: Employers Lose Productivity Due to Blackout
(TORONTO)
About one in six small businesses in Ontario asked some or all of their workers to stay home to conserve power after August’s blackout, according to a survey of members of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
Those employees who did go to work immediately after the power outage faced some challenging conditions: 80% of small and medium firms surveyed said they cut down on air conditioning, 78% reduced the use of lighting, and 65% reduced the use of some office equipment to cut back on power consumption as the electricity grid returned to normal.
"It's heartening to see the extent to which the small business community heeded the call for conservation during that precarious period, as did most Ontarians," says CFIB vice-president for Ontario, Judith Andrew.
During the outage itself, 62% of businesses had employees who couldn’t work or get to work, 52% had to interrupt production, and 42% suffered declining customer sales. Nearly half of small businesses said they shut down completely during the blackout and another one-third said they endured a partial shutdown.
Losses from declining employee productivity, inventory spoilage, and falling sales amounted to roughly $400 per employee in mid-sized and larger firms, and $780 per person in micro enterprises (of fewer than five employees), the CFIB says. "These are significant numbers, because when you extrapolate them to the entire Ontario economy, it amounts to between $1 billion and $2 billion in unanticipated costs or reduced sales," Andrew says.
The effects of the blackout could be felt for a long time, as about one-third of respondents thought their losses would be permanent.
The survey of 1,935 members was conducted by CFIB in the last week of August.
B.C.: Relief for Employers Affected by Forest Fires
(OTTAWA)
The federal government is relaxing the employment insurance (EI) rules for British Columbia firms affected by forest fires that want to implement work sharing agreements.
The EI commission has agreed to waive certain criteria required to create work sharing arrangements, where employees work fewer hours and top up their incomes with EI benefits to avoid layoffs.
Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart requested the commission allow employers more flexibility. B.C. employers may not have to meet the criteria for average amount of work retained over the course of an agreement, and the amount of details required in the recovery plan.
"I visited the Thompson-Okanagan region in July," says Stewart. "I was very concerned about the damage the fires have caused. This additional flexibility will allow us to address the problems faced by businesses and workers as they move forward."
Under the EI work sharing program, companies must show that the need for reduced hours is temporary and unavoidable, and is not a seasonal situation. A detailed recovery plan is normally required, outlining how the company will return to normal production schedules and hours of employment when the agreement ends. However, B.C. employers affected by the fires can have some flexibility to get back on their feet. The employers must still demonstrate that the shortage of work is temporary due to the disaster and must outline how the recovery will be achieved.
During work sharing agreements, employees shorten their workweek by one to three days and EI compensates them for their lost working hours. Agreements can be from a minimum of 6 weeks to a maximum of 26 weeks.
The work sharing program has a clause allowing exceptions to be made during disasters. This has applied in such situations as the SARS outbreak in Toronto this summer, the 1998 ice storm in Quebec and Ontario, and the outbreak of E-coli bacteria in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000.
Yukon: Employees Disciplined for Internet Abuse
(WHITEHORSE)
More than 2% of territorial workers in the Yukon have been disciplined for violating the territory’s Internet policy.
The Yukon Public Service Commission has completed its massive investigation into allegations of computer misuse and has disciplined 96 employees, ranging from letters of reprimand, to suspension, to termination. The commission notes that this represents just over 2% of the government’s total workforce of 4,018 employees. Employees have the right to appeal the disciplinary actions, which were decided on by deputy ministers in the departments affected.
Back in March, the commission began investigating some 542 employees identified by an “email trail,” and 153 of them were interviewed over the next few months.
“It has been a long and difficult period in the life of the Yukon public service, but it is important to remember that only a small proportion of employees misused government computers,” Public Service Commissioner Pat Daws says.
“With the end of the investigation, what is important now is for us to look to the future and to continue to make the Yukon government a good place to work,” says Justice Deputy Minister Bill Craik.
The union representing Yukon government employees, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), had not yet reacted to the commission’s announcement on Friday that it had concluded its investigation. This summer, PSAC issued a statement saying that the investigation amounted to an “inquisition” and “witch hunt” that violated employees’ right to privacy and only involved “a handful of employees.” PSAC said it didn’t condone the employees’ behaviour, but felt there were better ways to handle the incidents.
The PSAC said the employee behaviour included downloading pornography on the job, but the commission has not divulged what the incidents involved, saying only that there were violations of its employee Internet policy, which among other things prohibits visiting Web sites that are deemed offensive. Daws said this spring that the commission has published its employee Internet and email policies yearly since 1998 and that employees must sign the documents before getting an account. The policies do not provide for any discipline for violating them, but the deputy ministers of the departments involved decided disciplined was warranted in the case of 96 employees.
The commission says its investigation costs to date total $127,594, including legal fees ($74,712), communications counsel ($30,824), computer support services ($16,400), and administrative costs ($5,658).
Alberta: Employers Don’t Want Tribunal for WCB Appeals
(EDMONTON)
Alberta’s small businesses want the province to abandon the idea of creating a tribunal that would review contentious Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) claims by employees.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), which represents 9,200 small and medium-sized firms in Alberta, has asked the government to give up its proposal to create a tribunal that would allow workers to appeal long-standing contentious claims.
“Small firms have already faced a 77% increase in the average WCB premium rate over the last four years and are expecting yet another increase in 2004 even before any of the costs associated with the tribunal are factored in,” says Dan Kelly, CFIB’s Vice-President for Western Canada.
The CFIB says while its members are certainly concerned about the estimated $45 million cost of such a tribunal (since employers pay 100% of the WCB premiums), they’re more worried about fairness and the government’s role in the WCB. For example, it would not be fair for the tribunal to open files of cases that employers assumed were closed, the CFIB said in a submission to the provincial Standing Policy Committee on Learning and Employment. It’s also possible that for older claims, the company may no longer be in business or have the relevant files, or employ the staff who are familiar with the incident. If a claim is allowed and the WCB reinstates retroactive benefits, the premiums will go up for new businesses, which isn’t fair, the federation says.
Creating a tribunal may result in hundreds of frivolous claims as workers try out the process, the group warns.
The CFIB says the idea for a review tribunal is coming from provincial members of the legislative assembly, who estimate they spend one-quarter of their time with constituents listening to their WCB claim problems. “While it is an MLA’s job to listen carefully to the concerns of his/her constituents, it is unrealistic to expect an MLA to fully understand the legitimacy of a claim after a half-hour discussion with a claimant. We believe a tribunal will only provide short-term relief to MLAs, who will again be revisited by the claimant should benefits not been reinstated,” the federation brief says.
Quebec: Universal Daycare Is Under Threat, Workers Say
(QUEBEC CITY)
Universal daycare for working parents in Quebec is under threat, according to workers in the sector.
The Quebec government has been holding hearings into the possible elimination of universal access to child care, which “is sending shock waves through the child care sector across Canada,” says Gyda Chud, Chair of the national Child Care Human Resources Round Table.
Quebec working parents have been able to get subsidized child care for just $5 a day. "The universal Quebec child care system has been a model for many child care programs across the country over the past several years, affording the recruitment and retention of a well qualified workforce. Significant government funding in Quebec has enabled the improvement of remuneration of the workforce and higher quality child care. The loss of universal access could result in the deterioration of remuneration and working conditions for the (sector’s) workforce and ultimately the quality of services for children," says Chud.
The Quebec government’s own agency, the Council of family and children, is urging the province to maintain the existing child care system. “Childcare services represent a fundamental investment in the workforce, which today includes young parents,” says council president Nicole Boily.
Changes to Quebec’s child care system could discourage many people from entering the field as daycare workers, Chud says. “Caregivers are the single most important factor in ensuring the quality and availability of child care, and good wages and benefits will attract and retain qualified child care providers. Over the past five years, increased wages and the introduction of benefits in Quebec had made child care a much more attractive career choice.”
Working conditions for caregivers in Quebec are the best in the country, she says. “In other parts of Canada where government funding is less, the sector is finding it hard to attract and retain qualified staff. Developments in Quebec could be of grave concern for the country, the child care workforce, and for parents and children needing quality child care."
Manitoba: Department Store Union Drive Fails
(THOMPSON, Man.)
A union has failed in its efforts to organize the first North American Wal-Mart store in Thompson, Man.
Results of the certification vote held among Thompson employees on June 27 found that 47% voted to join the union, just shy of the majority required to establish the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) as the workers’ bargaining agent. UFCW had applied to the Manitoba Labour Board for the vote after more than 40% of the workers had already signed cards authorizing the union to represent them.
The union says it will eventually succeed. “It's not a question of ‘if’ but of ‘when,’” says Michael Fraser, the National Director of UFCW Canada, which is leading a campaign to organize Wal-Mart stores across Canada. "The vote was very close and shows we have a lot of support. We'll continue to campaign and monitor the situation in Thompson. The vote also demonstrated that a democratic process is in place and that in time we will win—in Thompson and at other Wal-Mart locations."
The company called the months-long Thompson campaign “aggressive” and says that under Manitoba law, “Wal-Mart was extremely limited in its communication to its own associates about the issue of unionization throughout the union's lengthy organizing drive in Thompson. In sharp contrast, the union was virtually unrestricted in their communication rights.”
Wal-Mart says it “is committed to being a great employer” and “is fundamentally committed to open communication in the workplace,” according to a company statement. “Despite the severe restrictions on employer communication rights in Manitoba, Wal-Mart associates have chosen, once again, to deal directly with the company instead of opting for third-party representation.”
The union vows to continue its campaigns through the courts to organize Wal-Mart stores in locations in British Columbia, Quebec, and elsewhere.
Under Manitoba's labour laws, UFCW must wait six months before applying for a new vote at the Thompson location.
Ontario: Deal Ends 12-week Strike at Nickel Operations
(SUDBURY and PORT COLBORNE, Ont.)
Nearly 3,500 workers at two Inco Ltd. nickel operations in Ontario have ended their 12-week strike by ratifying an agreement with the company.
Members of the United Steelworkers union at the mining operations in Sudbury and Port Colborne voted 62.3% and 92.5% in favour of the three-year deal.
On June 1, workers walked off the job over pensions, job transfers, and proposed concessions to health care benefits for active and retired employees and their survivors. Two sessions held earlier in August failed to reach a deal.
Members will get a $1,500 signing bonus plus an across-the-board wage increase of 40 cents an hour. They will also receive an expected cost-of-living payout of $1.51 an hour by the end of the contract. As well, the continuation of earnings-based compensation is expected to pay out $10,000 per member over three years.
In all, wages ranging from $21.37 to $28.85 an hour in the contract's first year will rise to a range of $23.03 to $30.51 in the third year.
A pension increase of $150 a month will apply to workers who retire with 30 years of service, for an annual benefit of $37,800.
The union is also helping reduce the cost of health care benefits while preserving benefit levels, and participating in efficiency improvements and cost savings on health care benefits.
"We're pleased with the results of the vote on a contract that we believe balances everyone's interests," says Scott McDonald, General Manager of Inco's Ontario Operations. "The last three months have been difficult for our company, our employees, and our customers, as well as the communities in which we operate."
The union says the road ahead could be difficult. "The company has a lot of bridge-building to do after forcing workers out for 12 weeks," says Wayne Fraser, the Steelworkers' Ontario/Atlantic Director. "We successfully preserved and guaranteed continued health care benefits for our active and retired members. This is key to having a more secure future."
The agreement covers more than 3,300 employees in Sudbury and another 137 in Port Colborne.
Ontario: Not All Teachers Would Recommend Profession
(TORONTO)
Only two-thirds of Ontario teachers surveyed said they would recommend their profession to young people.
A survey of some 1,000 members of the Ontario College of Teachers found that they are committed and confident, but still, just 67% said they could encourage people about to enter university to pursue teaching.
Fully 20% of those surveyed said they would definitely not be teaching in five years and just 45% said they definitely would still be teaching.
Some 81% of teachers said that mentoring or inspiring young people is the best part of their jobs, while only 1% or fewer of respondents preferred the work schedule and holidays, job security, or salary.
When asked to name the most frustrating part of their jobs, 29% of teachers cited an atmosphere of conflict in the education system.
Nearly 90% of respondents said they felt confident in their teaching abilities.
The best source of acquiring teaching skills is on-the-job experience, the greatest number of respondents said, followed by good advice from older teachers or mentors, and “old fashioned common sense.”
The college will use the survey results to make recommendations to the minister of education, including a plan to support newly certified teachers and a review of universities’ bachelor of education programs.
The survey, conducted by Compas Research, is the first in the seven-year history of the Ontario College of Teachers, the licensing and regulatory body for approximately 190,000 educational professionals.
Canada-wide: Provincial Labour Markets Are Poor
(VANCOUVER)
Only three provinces have successful labour markets, according to a Fraser Institute report.
The study uses an index to measure labour market performance in all Canadian provinces and American states, based on total job creation, private sector employment growth, the unemployment rate and duration of joblessness, and productivity growth over the past five years.
Only Alberta, Ontario, and Manitoba received passing grades from the think tank in its report, Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United States, in spite of strong economic performance in the last three decades.
Alberta’s labour market is the strongest in Canada and second overall. Ontario’s is the second-best in Canada but only makes it to 24th place in North America. British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Quebec all rank in the bottom 10 jurisdictions; Newfoundland ranks last overall. (Nevada is the top-ranked jurisdiction on the combined Canada-U.S. list.)
Alberta leads Canada in job creation and that’s one reason why it scored a 7.5 out of 10 for labour market performance. "Albertans are enjoying the benefits of a healthy labour market, namely high rates of job creation, low unemployment, and high productivity. Alberta is the model other provinces should move towards," says Jason Clemens, the institute's director of fiscal studies and co-author of the report. "However, the province can still improve upon its already strong performance by introducing even greater labour market flexibility and worker choice."
But even Alberta and Ontario have too-high levels of unionization and public sector employment, the institute says. Newfoundland has the highest proportion of public sector workers: 22.7% of the workforce, the report says. And all provinces except for Alberta have real minimum wage rates that are too high, “which impedes the efficient functioning of the labour market.”
B.C. ranks last among Canadian provinces in terms of private sector job creation and had an overall labour market score of 3.7 out of 10. "Workers in British Columbia are suffering through one of the worst performing labour markets in North America, which clearly fails to capitalize on the province's economic potential. B.C. needs to create more jobs, reduce unemployment, and improve productivity by introducing more flexibility and worker choice," says Clemens. "B.C. should consider the introduction of worker protection laws that prohibit closed-shop unionism. This would allow greater labour market flexibility and create an economic advantage for the province, since none of the bordering Canadian provinces nor Washington State and Oregon have brought in right-to-work laws.”
Ontario barely squeaked a passing grade, garnering 5.5 out of 10. "Workers in Ontario are living through a superb period of job growth. However, this report shows that we are only reaching half of our potential, with high unemployment rates and rigid labour laws. We need to create more jobs by growing the private sector and giving workers more rights," says Mark Mullins, the institute's Director of Ontario Policy Studies. “We need fewer government employees, more regulatory flexibility, and more rights for workers. Ontario's goal should be to move ahead of others who have been more successful.”
Saskatchewan ranks dead last among the provinces for total employment growth and has a modest unemployment rate only because so many people are leaving the province to look for work, the report says.
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