MFL Brief Presented to Employment Standards Review

Manitoba Federation of Labour President Darlene Dziewit (right) presented a Manitoba Federation of Labour Brief on December 12 as part of a government review of the Employment Standards Code (ESC). The ESC is the body of law that governs conditions in the workplace including hours of work, minimum wage, overtime pay and maternal and parental leave.

The MFL brief concentrated on areas that are overlooked in the review discussion paper put forward by the government. The brief urges the provincial government to implement pay equity, benefits and rights for part-time workers with complete recognition and protection. It recommends that the appropriate minimum wage should be 60 per cent of the average weekly wage for Manitoba workers - and that the government amend the Employment Standards Code to provide for an automatic adjustment every January 1 so that the minimum wage remains at 60 per cent of the average weekly wage.

Other recommendations in the MFL brief include increasing the minimum vacation time to three weeks after one year, four weeks after five years, five weeks after ten years and six weeks after twenty years of service. It is also recommended that the essence of the Pay Equity Act that currently applies to the public sector be amended to include the private sector and included in the Employment Standards Code.

Manitoba's Employment Standards laws and regulations have not had a detailed review since the 1970s - 30 years ago. Manitoba's workplaces and the processes used in them have transformed dramatically in that time. In fact, one observer noted that thirty years ago, the Government of Manitoba had only one fax machine at its disposal.

Hearings took place in December in Winnipeg, Thompson and Brandon. One more public hearing is scheduled for Winnipeg on Thursday, January 12, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, 375 York Avenue

Manitoba residents can also submit written submissions by January 16, 2006 to:
Employment Standards Code Review
614 - 401 York Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0P8
Fax: 204-948-2085
e-mail: esreview@gov.mb.ca

The full MFL brief can be downloaded from this site in PDF format (84 kb).

The ESC Review Discussion Paper can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/.

Click here for a copy of the government's Employment Standards Guide. (PDF - 661 kb)