Since the onset of COVID-19, much attention and recognition has been given to a large group of individuals who until now, were probably not perceived as being essential. However, this pandemic has shown us just how vital these workers are to our communities.
Of course, I am referring to the group of unsung heroes that work in our service and retail industry; those who risked their own health and safety in the midst of a global pandemic to provide us with the goods and services we required to function as a society.
And as we offer them our sincere appreciation for their collective efforts, we also come to recognize a harsh truth. The fact is that most of these workers perform these essential duties for very low wages, less than ideal working conditions, and are often given part-time hours to avoid the requirement for their employer to provide them with the benefits they deserve.
This narrative has come to the forefront over the past couple of months as we hear from employees who have been on the picket lines outside Dominion stores across our province. And of course, while their employer is currently in the public crosshairs, this employer is but just one of many examples of how business is conducted in our retail sector.
Talk is cheap. It doesn’t put food on these essential workers’ tables, clothes on their children or keep a roof over their families’ heads.
I’ve heard from many retail workers from various companies across our province who have been subjected to low wages, insufficient working hours, split shifts, being called in for a shift and then being sent home early (without pay) because “it was slow” or being forced to extend their shift because “it got busy” with zero regard for the employee’s child care and/or transportation needs. I’ve also heard from employees being pressured to work overtime at a rate of less than time and a half their regular hourly pay.
And while this would seem unfair to most, the truth of the matter is that most employers who operate this way are technically doing nothing wrong as these and other scenarios are actually permitted under our province’s current labour legislation.
Speaking of unfair, what about the flawed federal corporate insolvency legislation that allows banks and other creditors to stand in line to collect from failing corporations ahead of the employees who are owed pensions and other benefits?
So, I say to our government and to the other political party leaders who profess to be “standing with Dominion workers,” besides proclaiming your support, what are you actually prepared to do to support all workers in this province? Are you willing to amend our labour legislation to provide workers with decent wages, benefits and fair working conditions? Are you willing to close the loopholes that allow employers to manipulate working hours, and end the practice of sending employees home early, forcing overtime and implementing split shifts? Are you willing to strengthen legislation to shorten the duration of labour disputes? Are you willing to legislate overtime pay at time and a half the regular hourly rate of pay versus the current time and a half the minimum wage? Are you willing to lobby Ottawa to ensure that when corporations cease to operate, that employees are first in line to collect what they are owed?
Talk is cheap. It doesn’t put food on these essential workers’ tables, clothes on their children or keep a roof over their families’ heads. Our essential workers need action from their leaders. They have been there for us when we needed them most. Time for us to take a stand in support of them.
Paul Lane, Independent MHA
District of Mount Pearl-Southlands
