Alberta Government Intensifies Attacks on Workers' Rights

Join Mobilizations Which Defend the Rights of All!

In the middle of summer in the midst of a global pandemic, the Alberta government launched a major assault on working people through the review of two major pieces of labour legislation, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) and the Workers' Compensation Act. The review was launched only a few days after the same government introduced Bill 32, Restoring Balance in Alberta's Workplaces Act, 2020, which passed on July 29.[1]

Workers' Forum is providing information about the review of both the OHS Act and Workers' Compensation legislation. Everything in the government review is to attack workers' rights, dignity and voice, and to serve the narrow private interests of the rich employers who constantly complain of red tape and administrative burdens when it comes to health and safety at the workplace.

Close attention has to be paid to the process and methods through which the government is abdicating the responsibility of the state to care for the health and safety of all. The process systematically concentrates power in the hands of the executive to dictate a course of action which is partisan to narrow private interests. To finagle the passage of its anti-worker legislation, in both these cases, as well as for the passing of Bill 32, the government posted online surveys and guides for written submissions all of which are processed behind closed doors. It calls this process "consulting" with the people.

The OHS Act introduction to the survey says, "Your feedback will help us determine what changes may be needed in the OHS Act to improve processes for employers and workers."

The form of the survey is a set of questions for respondents to answer. Written submissions were also accepted. Neither the results of the surveys nor the written submissions are to be made public but rather become the private property of the Ministry of Labour and Immigration.

The questions the review asked are manipulative, suggesting that any recognition of rights and any protection of the workers must be eliminated as a block to economic recovery and employers who are called "job creators."

The OHS Act survey closed on August 12 and has since disappeared. No one who responded has been able to look at their own responses or change or complete the survey after that date. Instead they received a terse email: "This survey is closed. Thank you for your interest." Workers consulted by Workers' Forum say they expect that now manipulated responses will suddenly appear and be cited to reinforce any anti-worker changes contained within the legislation.

The times call for public discussion, formal consultations and presentations. These are not mere formalities but comprise a prelude to governments introducing legislation or amendments to legislation which can be perceived as being legitimate and fair. The process the government is using is self-serving and perceived to constitute outright attacks on the rights of working people in the name of expediency in reopening the economy.

It is becoming increasingly evident that narrow private interests are dictating the removal of any limitations on the rich becoming richer. They dictate that no former institution, organization, tradition or way of proceeding with government work must be allowed to stand in the way of serving their private interests.

This creates a most dangerous situation for workers' working and living conditions and their right to a say over issues that affect their lives. In fact, the seizure of the government executive by powerful private interests threatens the society as a whole and the people's capability to identify problems and present their views and pro-social solutions and to claim what is theirs by right. The private interests that have seized control of the government executive want to sweep away any hindrance to becoming richer and more powerful at the expense of the people including their health and safety.

Alberta workers are mobilizing against this attempt to silence them and trample on their rights. Workers' Forum is calling upon all Canadian workers to join these mobilizations to fight for the rights of all and hold the Kenney and similar governments to account for their anti-worker and anti-social activities.

Through mass mobilization, working people can defend their dignity, defeat these attacks on their rights and open up a path for their voice and needs to become decisive in the affairs of society.

Note

For more information on Bill 32, read Workers' Forum July 30, 2020.

This article was published in

Number 55 - August 20, 2020

Article Link:
Alberta Government Intensifies Attacks on Workers' Rights: Join Mobilizations Which Defend the Rights of All!

    

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