The B.C. government香蕉视频直播檚 latest review of WorkSafeBC policies and payouts has taken a left turn toward recommendations made by organized labour a decade ago, B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 large business organizations say.
Employer groups including the Business Council of B.C., the B.C. Construction Association and the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association wrote to retired labour lawyer Janet Patterson, the head of the B.C. government香蕉视频直播檚 review Wednesday. They said the 香蕉视频直播渟elected issues香蕉视频直播� chosen by Patterson for review exceed the mandate they were expecting and match closely with her report 10 years ago commissioned by the B.C. Federation of Labour.
香蕉视频直播淭he employer community is quite taken aback and dismayed with the extremely broad and far-reaching scope of these 香蕉视频直播榮elected issues,香蕉视频直播� and after giving the matter due consideration and consulting with various representatives of the employer community, we have determined that we have no choice but to cease all participation in the review香蕉视频直播檚 process, effective immediately,香蕉视频直播� wrote Doug Alley of the Employers香蕉视频直播� Forum, representing the 46 business groups.
After the review was announced this spring, Labour Minister Harry Bains assured the Council of Construction Associations in June that it was narrow and focused on improving worker navigation of injury claims and improve performance, 香蕉视频直播渘ot to make wholesale changes to the workers香蕉视频直播� compensation system香蕉视频直播� that employers fund, the letter states.
But a memo to employers last week listing the 香蕉视频直播渟elected issues香蕉视频直播� shows that they were contained in a 2009 report co-authored by Patterson entitled 香蕉视频直播淎dding Insult to Injury.香蕉视频直播� The B.C. Federation of Labour香蕉视频直播檚 submission to the current review in July called for the 2009 report to be considered.
RELATED:
RELATED:
香蕉视频直播淲e were willing to participate in a balanced an impartial process to review the system,香蕉视频直播� Richard Truscott, B.C. and Alberta vice president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said in a statement Wednesday. 香蕉视频直播淗owever, the writing has been on the wall from the very beginning that the review lacked objectivity.香蕉视频直播�
The 46 employer organizations made their own initial submission to Patterson in July, questioning terms such as 香蕉视频直播済ender-based analysis香蕉视频直播� and moving to a 香蕉视频直播渨orker-centric delivery model香蕉视频直播� that were not clearly defined.
WorkSafeBC is responsible for 45,000 sick or injured workers and more than 4,000 spouses and children who depend on pension payments. It administers an insurance system paid into by 238,000 B.C. employers, where workers give up their right to sue employers for negligence in exchange for no-fault compensation that is independently administered.
Reviewing WorkSafeBC was one of the terms of the B.C. Green Party agreement to support the minority NDP government in 2017.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
