The BC Liberal government should not be considering discarding any laws that protect working people, the Canadian Union of Public Employees has told the government committee which is reviewing employment standards.
Employment standards legislation is the only thing that protects many working British Columbians from ruthless exploitation, noted Barry ONeill, president of CUPE BC.
These rights and regulations have been written with the blood of thousands of working people, who have paid with their lives and health over the years, as they struggled to achieve safe and equitable working conditions, ONeill said.
Working people should not be forced to rely on the good will and paternalism of employers to ensure they have fair wages, job security, safe workplaces, a reasonable work week and vacation time.
This government must put people before profits and resist the business lobbys demand for a return to the master-servant relationships of earlier, less-civilized centuries.
Government should, in fact, strengthen employment standard provisions in the best interest of workers, businesses, our families and our communities, ONeill concluded.
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Contact:
Barry ONeill, CUPE BC President (604) 291-9119
Teresa Marshall, Communications (604) 291-1940