by Morinville News Staff
The government is encouraging Albertans to provide input on how provincial labour laws could apply to farms and ranches.
The Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, passed in December 2015. The government says it brings the protection and compensation of waged, non-family farm and ranch workers in line with similar protections in other sectors and other Canadian provinces.
Six technical working groups began developing recommendations on how employment standards, labour relations, and occupational health and safety requirements could be applied to meet the unique needs of the agriculture industry last May.
Those groups have completed their work, and that work is now online with Albertans having until Apr. 3 to provide feedback to the government.
Christina Gray, Minister of Labour, said she was pleased to share the first set of recommendations from the working groups. “We promised we would seek feedback as we go through this process and I encourage Albertans to look at the recommendations and provide their honest and frank response,” Gray said. “Your views are very important to us as we work together to get this right.”
The Government will begin drafting legislative amendments based on the recommendations and public feedback received.
Recommendations from the four technical working groups reviewing Occupational Health and Safety are expected soon.
Visit https://www.alberta.ca/farm-and-ranch-consultations.aspx to provide input.
