May Day Message

[Sep 22, 2006 02:28 PM]

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2006

CUPE Saskatchewan calls on the provincial government to reject child labour

REGINA: The Saskatchewan division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees called on the provincial government today, on the occasion of May Day, to reject calls by some business owners to lower the minimum working age.

"Saskatchewan has a proud history of pioneering innovative social policies and progressive labour legislation. Our province should not join Alberta and B.C. in turning back the clock by reducing restrictions on child labour," said Tom Graham, president of CUPE Saskatchewan.

The Alberta and B.C. governments recently amended their labour legislation to allow businesses to employ children as young as 12 years of age. But in its brief to the Minimum Wage Board, which is reviewing Saskatchewan's minimum age of employment, CUPE Saskatchewan urged the province to resist this regressive trend.

Lowering Saskatchewan's minimum working age below 16 years of age would lead to more workplace injuries and fatalities among young workers and increase high school dropout rates, the brief argues. Such a move would also contravene the ILO Minimum Age Convention and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"As a society, we have an obligation to ensure that children have the fullest opportunity to learn, read, play and engage in sports, music, art and other recreational activities," said Graham. "Children need time to be children. They should not be a source of cheap labour for business."

In Saskatchewan, the minimum age for employment applies to hotels, restaurants, educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes, but not the retail industry and several other sectors.

CUPE Saskatchewan is urging the provincial government to make 16 years the minimum age of employment in all sectors, but maintain the minimum working age of 18 years for miners and workers dealing with radiation, asbestos and silica and any activity requiring the use of atmosphere-supplying respirators.

The union is also urging the province to expand the requirement for employers to provide free transportation home to ensure the safety of all workers.

CUPE represents over 26,000 public sector workers in Saskatchewan who work at health care facilities, municipalities, school boards, universities, libraries and community-based organizations.

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For more information contact:
Tom Graham 229-8171