COMMISSION APPOINTED TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PART-TIME WORKERS

Labour Minister Deb Higgins today released the results of the consultation process on the draft additional hours regulations section of the Labour Standards Act.

"The issue of providing vulnerable workers with the opportunity to make a decent living from a secure job is a very complex one," Higgins said. "It is about young people, but it is also about women, about aboriginal employment, about immigrants and about the working poor."

As a result, a Commission has been established that will make recommendations to improve access by part-time and vulnerable workers to employment income, employment benefits, and work opportunities in Saskatchewan. V. Lynne Pearson, the Dean of Commerce at the University of Saskatchewan will be chairing the three-member Commission. The other members are Fred Cuddington, consultant and mediator and Deb Thorne, Chief Executive Officer of the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa in Moose Jaw.

Higgins also announced the government's decision to withdraw the draft regulations and repeal the unproclaimed Additional Hours section of The Labour Standards Act.

"During the course of our consultations, we have heard from business leaders and labour leaders, from mayors and students, from part-time workers and small-business operators and from community-based organizations," Higgins said. "We have come to realize that we need a different approach to address the issues raised by these groups."

The commission's mandate will be to:

· Develop a demographic and labour market profile of individuals working in part-time, non-standard and/or low-paid work arrangements. This will include identifying the issues faced by part-time and other employees employed in non-standard working arrangements including but not limited to: the changing nature of work, current working conditions, wages, access to training and availability of social supports.

· Examine existing government policies and programs, including the application and enforcement of employment standards that address these issues and assist workers in making a transition out of non-standard or low-paid work.

· Invite and consider a broad range of perspectives with respect to the issue, including employers (government, public, private and academic sectors), employees, organized labour, community-based organizations and the public.

The commission will submit a report and recommendations to the government by December 15th, 2005.

"We have said over and over that this is about helping Saskatchewan people find employment opportunities that allow them to better support themselves and their families," Higgins said. "I'm looking forward to reviewing the results of the commission's work."

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For More Information, Contact:

Greg Leake Labour Regina Phone: (306) 787-4156 Cell: (306)539-1832