Alberta government to review workplace laws

The Alberta Government has announced a review of workplace laws, including those governing the collective bargaining process, with the goal of ensuring “fair and family-friendly workplaces that support a strong economy.”

The process is now under way with a short public input phase drawing to a close on April 18.

At a news conference in the Legislative Building in Edmonton on March 13, Labour Minister Christina Gray said it is “staggering” the province’s labour laws have not been significantly updated since 1988 and that as a result Alberta has fallen behind other provinces. “Alberta is out of step with the rest of Canada in a number of areas.”

Gray said at that time the review would focus on the Alberta Labour Relations Code, which governs working relationships in unionized worksites, and the Employment Standards Code, which sets minimum standards for employment relationships in non-union worksites.

Particular topics of interest were to include hours of work, overtime, general holidays, special leaves and collective bargaining rules. “Alberta has some of the oldest labour laws in the country,” Gray said. “Work life in Alberta has changed a lot over the last 30 years.

“We want to ensure Albertans can go to work and contribute to our economy while still being able to care for themselves and their families,” she added.

Gray provided no time frame for the entire process, and few hints about what would be in the legislative changes brought to the Legislature by the government.

She encouraged members of the public to complete a survey and provide their views through the website set up for this purpose – work.alberta.ca/leg-review.

The government is specifically seeking feedback on:

• Maternity, parental and compassionate leave
• Introducing leave to care for critically ill children
• Leaves related to the federal Employment Insurance program
• Collective bargaining

The review was also to include direct engagement with business and industry associations, trade unions and social agencies, Gray said, noting that high-profile labour lawyer Andrew Sims had been given a mandate to talk to stakeholde