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Bay of Quinte Chambers of Commerce and Ontario Employer Groups Call on Provincial Government to “Keep Ontario Working”

August 03, 2016
by Quinte West
Comments are off
Changing Workplaces Review Interim Report Contains Options that Could Hurt
Employers, Employees, and Contain Rising Costs for Consumers
 

Bay of Quinte , ON. July 29, 2016 - Leading employer groups and the
Belleville and Quinte West Chambers of Commerce are calling on the
Government of Ontario to reject several proposals under consideration in the
Interim Report of the Ontario Government's Changing Workplaces Review.
Following the release of the report today, Ontario's business community is
concerned that many of the policy options under consideration by the Special
Advisors could have a profound impact on the relationship between employees
and employers in every workplace in Ontario, including the Bay of Quinte
Region. 
 

Ontario's Ministry of Labour is currently undertaking a review of the Labour
Relations Act and the Employment Standards Act through its Changing
Workplaces Review. The Review has been tasked with examining key workplace
trends, including the increase in non-standard working relationships such as
temporary jobs, involuntary part-time work, and self-employment. Keep
Ontario Working is an initiative of the leading employer and sector
associations in the province, who are working together to motivate employers
and employees alike to take a more active interest in the Changing
Workplaces Review.
 

"At a time when the costs to consumers and the cost of doing business in
Ontario is rising, government must consider the impact that these changes
will have on Ontario's competitiveness and workers," said Belleville Chamber
CEO, Bill Saunders. "Any changes to labour and employment legislation will
have implications for Ontario's economy, and that's why it's time for all of
Ontarians to identify barriers to growth and recommend changes that will
give businesses and their workers room to grow."
 

The interim report of the Special Advisors is a large document that contains
hundreds of options to the legislation that guides Ontario's workplaces. The
options laid out and that are presently being considered by the Special
Advisors will impact nearly every aspect of the relationship between
employers and employees, as well as the ability of Ontario businesses to
create jobs and grow the economy.

 
"The Bay of Quinte employer community acknowledges that work is changing and
that employees need to be protected," said Suzanne Andrews, General Manager
at the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce. "However, in an effort to solve one
problem, we don't want to impose more issues. One-size-fits-all solutions,
like many outlined in the interim report, could remove the flexibility that
many of Ontario's employers and employees enjoy. We deserve evidence-based
policy and the Government of Ontario should conduct a cost-benefit analysis
to assess the impact on jobs and the economy for any changes to labour and
employment legislation that they accept from the Changing Workplaces
Review."


In particular, Keep Ontario Working will focus on several policy options in
the interim report that the government is considering, including: 

1.    Labour Certification Rules: The requirement for a secret ballot vote
must be maintained. Certification simply by signing a union card diminishes
employees' rights and transparency. 

2.    Scheduling Provisions:  Options that would create rigid and universal
requirements and a one-size-fits-all approach to scheduling fail to
recognize the diverse needs of Ontario's workforce.

3.    Sector Exemptions: The interim report includes options that would
provide for changes to sectoral exemptions. Doing so would ignore the unique
needs of important industries like agriculture and information technology
when it comes to flexible scheduling and compensation.

 

In addition, a critical first step in improving workplaces for Ontarians is
increased education and enforcement of Ontario's existing labour laws. The
Keep Ontario Working initiative is comprised of the province's leading
employer bodies, including:

 

*         Ontario's Chamber and Board of Trade Network

*         Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services, 

*         Canadian Franchise Association 

*         Food & Beverage Ontario

*         National Association of Canadian Consulting Businesses

*         Ontario Forest Industries Association 

*         Ontario Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association

*         Restaurants Canada 

*         Retail Council of Canada 

*         Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

 

For more information on the Keep Ontario Working initiative, visit
www.KeepOntarioWorking.ca <http://www.KeepOntarioWorking.ca> 

 

-ends-

 

 

Media Contact:

 

Suzanne Andrews, General Manager

Quinte West Chamber of Commerce
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