June 24, 2005

[Sent to All Alberta MLAs]

Dear [MLA],

You may be aware of recent changes to employment standards that now allow restaurants to hire children as young as 12 years of age without a special permit from the government. I am writing on behalf of the Alberta Federation of Labour to ask you to consider reversing this shortsighted decision. The AFL is Alberta's largest labour organization, representing over 115,000 workers and their families.

The change, which took effect on June 3, grants a blanket exemption to the restaurant industry from the minimum age requirements in the Employment Standards code. Before the change, an employer wishing to employ an adolescent between 12 and 14, they needed to apply for a permit from the Director of Employment Standards.

We are concerned about this change for a number of reasons. First, it was made by department officials, without consultation with MLAs or the public. A decision of this importance should require full discussion of our elected MLAs, and the public.

Second, this could put a young person at risk of injury or unfair treatment. A 12-year old will not know their rights and is likely to find it difficult to stand up to an employer making unfair demands. This leaves them vulnerable. Also, restaurants have many hazards, including a fast pace of work, hot grills and fryers, and sharp knives and tools. While the adolescents won't be allowed to use these things, they will still be in their presence. This exposes them to many dangers.

Third, under the old permit system, employment standards officials knew which employers were hiring adolescents, and so could visit the workplace to make sure all permit conditions were being met. Now, the government will have no idea where adolescents might be working, and so can't check up on the conditions. You can't protect these young people if you don't know where they are.

This is a decision that needs to be reversed. I am asking you to demand that the Minister for Human Resources and Employment, the Honourable Mike Cardinal, reverse the decision of his staff, and return to the previous arrangement of requiring permits. While the older system is not perfect, it at least allowed for an element of protection for the children working in those workplaces.

I would be happy to discuss this matter with you in more detail. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at (780)483-3021.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

 

Gil McGowan
President
Alberta Federation of Labour

 

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