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WCB claims for farm workers more than double since Bill 6

Jan 19, 2017 | 4:59 PM

 

 

Medicine Hat, AB — It spurred protests across the province. Now a year after the controversial farm safety legislation went into effect, worker’s compensation claims for farm workers in Alberta have more than doubled.

At the Cypress Centre in December 2015 hundreds gathered to voice their concern over Bill 6, as farmers were concerned their livelihood was at stake, and the future of the family farm was in jeopardy. A year after the bill became law, farm injury claims totaled 793 compared to 339 for the year before. According to Farmworkers Union of Alberta President Eric Musekamp, the jump illustrates why the legislation was necessary.

“It indicates that there was a need and that there is a lot of injuries on farms and ranches,” said Musekamp. “So we’re very pleased to see so many workers and their employers protected by WCB.”

Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray says the NDP government introduced Bill 6, to make sure farm and ranch workers injured on the job were guaranteed proper compensation and medical treatment.

“It’s hard to say if the true number of injuries has changed but what we can say is we’re collecting the data to get a better picture of where and how injuries are occurring, which is the first step to being able to prevent them.” But Musekamp says even though WCB coverage is now mandatory for employers, there’s a large number of injuries that are going unreported.

“A report has just come out from Athabasca University by Dr. Bob Barnetson. He’s the premier expert on labour and legislation with regards to agriculture, and he’s put forward the suggestion that there is about a 40 per cent under reporting of farm injuries.”

The Wildrose party has promised to repeal Bill 6 should they be elected in 2019. Cypress-Medicine Hat Wildrose MLA Drew Barnes says that’s because there’s a lack of choice under the current system.

“What we’re looking at now is for some workers worse coverage. For some land owners and farmers and ranchers higher costs, and the government at the very least owes it some kind of analysis.”

However, that’s a claim Musekamp and the Farmworkers Union of Alberta strongly disagree with.

“It’s a narrow and naive point of view. The fact of the matter is we need to have legislation in place to protect workers, to protect children, to protect the employers, and to protect Alberta’s position in the world marketplace.”

Meanwhile, the NDP says they still continue to consult with those in the farm and ranching industry about how to better the current legislation.

“One of the things we’ve said is that we will take all the time we need to get this right,” said Gray. “Particularly because we want to make sure we’re communicating clearly, we’re bringing together those representatives from the various sectors, and listening to their good advice.”

Though the minister adds there’s no timeline yet, for when that good advice might be implemented.