Manitoba Federation of Labour statement regarding the Pallister government’s changes to apprenticeship ratios

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

General Health & Safety

Statement by Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck regarding the Pallister government's changes to apprenticeship ratios:

The Pallister government has decided to make workplaces less safe for thousands of apprentices in our province.

This government's recent regulatory change to the minimum journeyperson to apprenticeship ratio from 1:1 to 2:1 effectively means that apprentices will receive far less on the job supervision as they learn under experienced tradespersons. This could lead to more injuries and accidents at workplaces throughout our province.

Manitobans that work in the trades are essential to our economy, and they often work with potentially dangerous equipment and in situations where risks are heightened.

The longstanding 1:1 ratio meant safer workplaces for Manitobans as they learned their trade from those with experience. It also ensured a higher quality of education.

This watering down of workplace safety rules moves our province in the wrong direction.

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A strong MFL is more important now than ever before. Premier Brian Pallister has already passed a law that makes it more difficult to join a union; undermined the collective bargaining process; and made cuts to public services – like healthcare and education – and laid-off workers. All this despite promising to protect public services and the people who provide them. We are fighting back and you can too. Learn more about why unions matter and get involved in your union or unionize your workplace.

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