Atlantic Employers’ Counsel – Spring 2014
The Editor’s Corner
Clarence Bennett
This edition focuses on employment and labour issues in Construction. From occupational health and safety legislation to what you need to know when the union organizer arrives at your workplace. We also cover off the general labour and employment differences between non-union and union construction sites in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Safety begins with you: what construction employers in Atlantic Canada need to know about occupational health and safety
Rebecca Saturley and Michelle McCann
Workplace injury and death is highest in the construction industry. In 2008, the Federal Government recorded an average of 24.5 injuries annually per 1,000 employees in the construction industry. Given these statistics, it is in a construction employer’s best interest to take all reasonable measures to ensure safety on construction worksites.
Recent construction industry safety violation discipline decisions: due diligence means enforcing rules
Clarence Bennett and Alison Strachan
Effective health and safety programs must meet provincial occupational health and safety standards and employers must always exercise due diligence in taking steps to meet those standards. Ongoing enforcement of a health and safety program is a must. If not, it is arguable that the employer is not meeting its due diligence requirements and may face unnecessary difficulty defending an occupational health and safety prosecution.
Unionization and its impact in the construction industry
Rick Dunlop, Sacha Morisset, Stephen Carpenter and Stephen Penney
Non-union employers in Atlantic Canada’s construction industry should be aware of the relative ease with which they can become unionized and the significant impact that unionization can have on the operation of their businesses.
Unionized and non-unionized management rights in the construction industry: the Newfoundland and Labrador snapshot
Ruth Trask
Has your Newfoundland-based construction company recently been certified by a union, or are you contemplating the use of a union subcontractor on your worksite? There are a number of unique features of the construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. This article will make you aware of just a few of them.
Archive
Harold Smith, QC and Chelsea Drodge Background On September 29, 2020, the government introduced Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day…
Read MoreRichard Jordan The federal election will be held on Monday, September 20, 2021. Under s. 132 of the Canada Elections Act (“Act”), every employee who is an elector (i.e. a Canadian citizen and 18 years…
Read More*Last updated: September 9, 2021 (originally published September 3, 2021) Katharine Mack The Nova Scotia government announced earlier today, September 3, that it would annually recognize September 30 as Truth and Reconciliation Day, beginning in…
Read MoreEmployers are navigating uncharted territory when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, from employee health and safety, to workplace policies, privacy and human rights concerns, a panel of Firm lawyers sit down and explore the complicated…
Read MoreKevin Landry and Annelise Harnanan (summer student) Recently, the Advisory Committee on Open Banking released the Final Report of the Advisory Committee on Open Banking, (“Report”) confirming its intention to implement a broader, more modernized…
Read MoreKathleen Nash In a recent decision, McCallum v Saputo,¹ the Manitoba Court of Appeal confirmed that an employer does not have a “free-standing, actionable duty” to investigate an employee’s conduct prior to dismissal.² The Court of Appeal held…
Read MoreBrendan Sheridan The Government of Canada is undertaking a phased approach to re-opening the international border. While the government has had limited exemptions to the travel prohibitions throughout the pandemic, the loosening of the restrictions…
Read MoreKevin Landry On August 3, 2021 the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) announced plans to combine the Investment Industry Regulation Organization of Canada (“IIROC”) with the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (“MFDA”). This move will…
Read MoreJohn Samms, with the assistance of Olivia Bungay (summer student) In a recent decision, S.D. v Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority, 2021 NLSC 100, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador denied the Plaintiff’s application…
Read MoreRichard Jordan and Folu Adesanya The 2021 Nova Scotia general election will be held on August 17, 2021. With the election looming, many Nova Scotians will be wondering the same question: “Am I entitled to…
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