The federal government is doing a review of the labour standards that affect workers in federally-regulated sectors, like banking, telecommunications and inter-provincial and international transportation.
We’ve just learned that they’re conducting a consultation with Canadians about how federal labour standards should be updated.
The consultation ends this Wednesday, January 31.
The Government wants to know how you think federal labour standards should be updated, including:
- What makes a good quality job in Canada today?
- How common is precarious work in Canada today? What are the effects of precarious work on you and your family, or your organization?
- What types of labour protections are provided in your workplace?
- What are your experiences with job security or insecurity, and access to benefits?
- Which updates to federal labour standards would have the greatest impact on you?
- Which labour standards help promote good quality jobs?
The gains we have made in strengthening employment standards in Ontario, such as equal pay for equal work, fair scheduling, and a $15 minimum wage unfortunately do not apply to federally regulated workers.
That’s why it’s important we use this review of federal review of labour standards to push for higher employment standards to address the precarious employment that is all too common in federally regulated sectors.
Take Action: What you can do
To help ensure that workers under federal labour legislation see stronger labour standards, you can highlight the importance of:
- The minimum wage
- Equal pay for equal work
- Fair and immediate access to leave provisions
- Robust vacation time
- The need for good benefits
- The need for job security
- Ensuring migrant workers have the same rights and protections as other workers in Canada.
We also ask that you share the information about this consultation with your networks. All workers in Canada can participate in this consultation.
There are three ways to participate:
- The online survey is available here: https://esdc-consultations.canada.ca/modern-labour-standards
- Share your story about experiences at your workplace here: https://esdc-consultations.canada.ca/modern-labour-standards?tool=story_telling_tool#tool_tab
- Email your ideas to: NC-MLS_NTM-GD@labour-travail.gc.ca.
Remember the deadline is Wednesday, January 31, so please take 5 minutes now to have your say.
Resources
- More information about the consultation and the review is here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/employment-standards/federal-standards/consultation-modern-labour-standards.html
- Information about federal labour standards is here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/employment-standards/federal-standards.html
- A press release from the federal labour minister about the consultation is here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2018/01/minister_hajdu_invitescanadianstosharetheirinputonmodernizingfed.html.