REALITY CHECK: PCs AND WILDROSE VOTE AGAINST BILL BEFORE READING IT

EDMONTON – In an unusual move, the Wildrose and PCs voted against a piece of legislation before they even read it, demonstrating how reckless and ideological the two parties have become under their current leaders.

 Today, the NDP government introduced new legislation that would amend Alberta’s Employment Standards Code and Alberta’s Labour Relations Code.  The amendments, if passed, would support family-friendly workplaces and bring Alberta’s standards into alignment with the rest of Canada.

 Before even reading the legislation, the Wildrose and PCs voted “No” on the legislation’s first reading, a procedural move virtually unheard of in Alberta’s Legislative Assembly.

 Here are just some of the things the Wildrose and PCs voted “no” to before they even read them:

• Workplace leave for parents looking after kids with long-term illness, like cancer.
• Leave for women suffering from domestic violence.
• Striking a provision that allowed persons with disabilities to be paid less than minimum wage.
• Unpaid bereavement leave for the loss of an immediate family member.
• Requiring a break for Albertans every five hours of consecutive work.

The Wildrose and PCs think that Albertans don't deserve the same rights as other Canadians to be treated fairly at their work. These proposed changes strike a fair and balanced approach for employers and employees, and bring the province’s workplace laws into the 21st century.

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