May 27, 2009

Human Resources

Ontario’s skilled labour mobility raises concerns

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Provincial legislation to allow full labour mobility of skilled workers into Ontario is well intentioned, but acceptable qualification standards are still an area of concern for some construction stakeholders.

Under the proposed provincial legislation, workers certified in any Canadian province or territory would be eligible for the same certification in Ontario without additional training or testing. Earlier this year, all these jurisdictions agreed to eliminate barriers that prevent certified workers from moving between jurisdictions to work. Some exceptions to full labour mobility may be necessary to protect things such as health and safety and the public.

About 80 regulatory authorities and 300 occupations in Ontario would benefit from labour mobility legislation. The province considers the Red Seal Program a model for labour mobility and common inter-provincial standards.

The Ontario Electrical League said the Red Seal program, as it stands now, is the highest standard in the province and it wants the province to ensure that holds true even with increased mobility.

“We want to make sure that Red Seal does not get compromised in this, so we are not working to the lowest standard but the highest standard,” explained Mary Ingram-Haigh, OEL president.

“At the end of the day, it is about safety. What we do not want to have happen here is a movement to a lower standard just because we are in a tough spot now — that is not the right thing to do.”

The Council of Ontario Construction Associations (COCA) said that ensuring equivalency and continuity within the trades, especially for those that are not Red Seal, is important.

The province said that for non-Red Seal trades; these certified workers are matched across other provincial jurisdictions and entitled to certification in the same trade in a new jurisdiction.

Matches were determined by industry advisory committees where acceptable.

Pat Dillon, business manager for the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, said Red Seal may not be perfect but it is an accepted and recognized standard right across the country. Dillon fears the province might be trying to move away from it in trying to accommodate labour mobility.

“There is no doubt in my mind, with that what they have put in place, it allows for the lowering of standards, no matter how it is cut,” said Dillon.

“The real sad part of that is that it hurts health and safety and long-term injuries and deaths will increase in construction.”

COCA agrees with the legislation’s intention to drive the economy through as much free movement of labour as possible. However, it pointed to a labour mobility agreement struck between Ontario and Quebec, which has not necessarily resulted in an equal flow of workers and business between the two provinces.

“From what we have heard from our members there is quite the flow of skilled workers into Ontario from Quebec, but it is very different the other way,” noted David Zurawel, vice-president, policy and government relations for COCA.

Merit Open Shop Contractors Association of Ontario (MOCAO) said the principle of the legislation is good but “just like the Liberals’ previous settlement deal on mobility with Quebec” there is nothing to indicate that it will do anything but create mobility for unionized workers across jurisdictions.

“That being said, it is a positive initiative for the country and the devil will be in the details if the province fails to protect the interests of Open Shop workers as they did in their Quebec agreement,” said Dave McDonald, chairman of MOCAO.

The legislation may reduce mobility barriers, but incentives for workers to move across the country are still needed to achieve free ranging mobility, he added.

“Things like cash relief for labour mobility expenses will help,” he said.

“With labour mobility, whether it is the Quebec or the national agreement, there is no substantial difference whether you are union or non-union for travelling. In fact, for non-union workers in Ontario going to Quebec, if there is work there, they have to join a union, which then gives them an increase in pay, how can that be seen as a detriment?”

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