CALGARY - The stabbing of a Petro-Canada employee show that Alberta’s “Working Alone” legislation isn’t sufficient to protect workers in dangerous situations.
CUPE Alberta President D’Arcy Lanovaz says the current rules, which classify anyone with telephone access to police as not working alone, don’t cut it.
“The rules are a joke,” said Lanovaz. “It’s not like someone being held up at knifepoint is able to say ‘hold on a moment, I have to make a phone call.”
Lanovaz said the current legislation was brought into effect after the Tara McDonald murder at a Calgary Subway shop. “At the time, the government objected to stronger legislation and the completely useless rules we have today were brought in as a means to pretend they were doing something.”
“We predicted then that more workers would be hurt, and today that prediction has come true,” said Lanovaz.
The CUPE leader called on the Provincial Government to amend the legislation and ensure that at least two people are on staff at all times.
“A second person won’t stop violence from happening, but it will reduce it substantially,” said Lanovaz. “No one should have to lose their life for $5.90 an hour.”