Big Job Ahead for Compensation Committee

Committee met soon after convention to review priorities for next three years.

Shortly after the conclusion of the 2006 MFL Convention, the compensation committee met to review the work that is in front of them for the next three years. First on their priority list is sending a clear message to the government on completing expansion of coverage to workers in the most dangerous sector of our economy, agriculture. Often recording the highest number of workplace deaths and dismemberments, agricultural workers have never had compulsory coverage since the inception of the workers compensation system in Manitoba.

Farm workers in the early days of the last century were employed on small family owned farms with a diverse production of garden, feed grain and livestock. At the time, it was felt that traditional workplace solutions were not needed due to the lack of 'modern' machinery. Most of these farms have evolved into what is known today as agribusiness. While the nature of the production has changed, so too has the size of the operations and the owners of large tracts of farm land. The scale of animal production has also grown to large multi-building operations for livestock.

Many of the workers who assist at harvest time are not classified as permanent employees and often migrate from field to field where hand picking or extra workers are required. It is these workers who are most susceptible to becoming injured in unfamiliar surroundings. Most of the workers who do have full time jobs have as much right to being covered under the workers compensation system as the workers in manufacturing and other employment sectors enjoy.

A second priority for the compensation committee is the pending responsibilities they and all union representatives will have on January 1, 2007 when the new obligation for employers to re-employ an injured worker comes into effect. Workers will then be guaranteed a return to their jobs when they are medically fit and the workplace has become safe for them to return.

Part of the obligation is the Duty to Accommodate that is specifically included in the new legislation puts the onus on both the union and the employer to find the best accommodation or modification that suits the worker and their disability. Finding and applying best practices and putting in place programs that are flexible and responsive to the needs of the worker should be in place prior to the Legislation coming into force.

To that end, the compensation committee has invited the staff of the Workers Compensation Board to go over the new sections of the Act in fine detail. Once they are able to find answers to the issues raised during the consultation phase, they will be concentrating on developing usable and workable programs that individual MFL Affiliates can adapt and adopt to their workplaces and collective agreements.

In January, the new committee will be constituted with representation from the old committee and some new appointees, a process that follows every triennial convention. Locals will be submitting names for approval. At the first meeting following that, they will elect their chair and recording secretary. After that, they will build on the work that has been started by the existing committee on the first two priorities - protection of workers and Inclusive return to work.

The committee will keep everyone updated through this web site and in other ways as progress is made. Questions on the new return to work provision can be directed to the committee by sending an email to Pete Walker, the MFL's Health and Safety Representative. As common concerns are noted and answered, we will provide a frequently asked questions page on this Web site regarding issues in return to work and other workers compensation problems.