Working Groups selected for farm and ranch consultations
Special to the Post
Agriculture and Forestry will begin the next phase of consultations with the farm and ranch sector on the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act.
Members have been selected for the six working groups that will develop recommendations on how employment standards, occupational health and safety, and labour relations requirements should be applied - given the unique needs of employers and employees in the agriculture sector.
“We know we can make workplaces safer. We’ve seen the rates of farm fatalities and serious injuries go down when laws to protect farm and ranch employees were introduced in other jurisdictions. Legislation works. That’s why we are eager to begin this process to provide input from a broad and diverse range of voices from the farming and ranching sector.”
Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
“Every worker has the right to a safe, fair workplace and to come home safely at the end of the day. I believe employers, workers, labour groups, industry organizations and government all have a responsibility to make that happen. I’m very pleased to see all these voices are represented in the consultations.”
Christina Gray, Minister of Labour
Each working group is chaired by an independent and impartial individual with demonstrated mediation, consensus and board governance experience. Members were selected from a process that included nearly 250 submissions from the agricultural sector, labour groups and technical experts.
The first meetings will be held in mid June.
Producers who are members of agricultural commissions and marketing boards can also provide their input and feedback through their organization. Albertans will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft regulations that come forward as a result of the work done by the technical working groups.
Additional information, including the full list of working groups, members and chairs, is available online on the Farm and Ranch Workplace Legislation website (http://www.alberta.ca/farmand-ranch.cfm).