• Français
Find Your Local Union
Subscribe to E-news
 
Login
Scholarships
Contact

UFCW Canada - Union Logo

Canada's Private Sector Union

  • About Our Union
  • Media & News
  • Resources
  • Issues
  • Action Centre
  • Join the Union

Alberta continues to stall on farm safety recommendations

Stelmach government resists acting on judge’s recommendations as “the deadly discrimination against Alberta farm workers continues,” says national leader of UFCW Canada

While deaths and injuries continue on Alberta farms, the Stelmach government continues to resist adopting the inquiry recommendations of Alberta Justice Peter Barley. More than a year ago, Justice Barley called for Alberta farm workers to be included under provincial workplace health and safety legislation.

“Maybe it’s time Premier Stelmach paid a visit to some of the families who lost a loved one last year in a farm accident, to explain to them what the stalling is all about,” says Wayne Hanley, the National President of UFCW Canada. “Explain to them why the deadly discrimination against Alberta farm workers continues.”

Fourteen months ago, Justice Barley delivered his recommendation following his inquiry into the workplace fatality of a High River agriculture worker. Barley recommended that the province's farm workers should be brought under the protection of the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act. He also called for the implementation of a farm place safety training and inspection system. Barley also called to extend the Workers Compensation system to cover agriculture workers.

“Last week we had the Alberta Employment Minister say workers will have to ‘wait and see’ whether his government will follow the Barley recommendations,” says Hanley. “Wait and see for what?  How many more agriculture workers are killed and injured in farm accidents?”

“This stalling on safety has to stop. It is blatant discrimination. A farm worker has just as much right to health and safety protection as any other worker in the province,” says Hanley, the national leader of the union that in 2003 launched a Charter challenge against Ontario's exclusion of agricultural workers from the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). That led to OHSA coverage for Ontario agriculture workers in 2006.

UFCW Canada is Canada's largest private-sector union and, in association with the Agriculture Workers Alliance, operates ten agriculture worker support centres across Canada.
 

  • Join the Union
  • About Our Union
    • About Our Union
      • Find Your Local Union
      • National President
      • National Council
      • Constitution
      • Union History
      • UFCW Canada Annual Report
      • Brand Guidelines
      • Join UFCW Canada
  • Media & News
    • Media & News
      • News
      • Media
      • Subscribe to E-news
  • Resources
    • Resources
      • Stand for Canada, Shop UFCW-made
      • The National Defence Fund
      • Migrant Members
      • Union Training & Scholarships
      • Member Discounts
      • Health & Safety
      • UFCW Canada Equity Grant Program
  • Issues
    • Issues
      • Leukemia Fundraising
      • Political Action
      • Women and Gender Equity
      • Social Justice
      • The Union for Agriculture Workers
      • UFCW Pride – Union Pride!
      • Young Workers
      • Food Justice
      • Global Solidarity
      • Uber Drivers United
      • Conscious Cannabis
  • Action Centre
    • Action Centre
      • Affordability for All
      • Violence is not part of the job: Respect Frontline Workers!
      • Make Truth and Reconciliation a paid day of recognition and remembrance
      • Paid Sick Days Now!
      • Migrant workers deserve permanent residency
      • End the Heritage Inn Lockout Now
  • Join the Union
    • Join the Union
      • Why UFCW Canada
      • Union Advantage
      • Union Facts
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Everything About Unions
      • Industries We Represent
      • Workplaces We Represent
      • How to Join a Union
      • Join Now

Login

FacebookXYoutube2Instagram

Copyright © 2025 UFCW Canada. All Rights Reserved
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Canada's private sector union