Car dealers’ letter on UCP worrisome

Re: Kenney’s cause to crush NDP wins windfall from car dealers, Opinion, Oct. 23

The leaked letter from Motor Dealers Association (MDA) Chair Andrew Robinson to car dealerships encouraging each MDA member write a $5,000 cheque to support Shaping Alberta’s Future is cause for concern.

Robinson’s letter indicated that a United Conservative Party (UCP) government would address consumer protection act changes. “The

MDA President will be asked to meet with the UCP transition team to provide input on how to rebalance the playing field between consumers and industry.” Returning the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC) to a delegated authority from a government agency is in the best interests of the dealerships, not Albertans.

Such a reversion is analogous to an employer managing the process of harassment complaints. Results from the most recent national survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute bear this out. Sixtyone per cent of the bullying is top down. Seventy-one per cent of employer reactions are harmful to targets and sixty-five per cent of the targets lose their original job in an effort to stop it.

Robinson’s letter goes on to state that UCP leader Jason Kenney promises to cancel all recently legislated changes to the Labour Code, the Workers Compensation Board, and Occupational Health and Safety legislation.

Instead of cancelling the recently legislated changes after the 2019 provincial election, further legislative changes are required. Employers must be prohibited from managing the process of harassment complaints. Furthermore, individuals with divided loyalties in the workplace must be dealt with. By tolerating an employee with supervisory responsibilities to serve as a union shop steward, an employer interferes with the formation, existence or administration of a labour organization.

B.A. Stein, Edmonton