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“BILL 148 TAKES IMPORTANT STEPS TO ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT
CHARACTERIZE SO MUCH OF TODAY’S WORKPLACE, BUT THE
LEGISLATION NEEDS TO GO FURTHER TO PROTECT ONTARIO WORKERS.”
to a grim reality of precarious work and
inequality,” said Unifor Ontario regional
director, Naureen Rizvi. “Bill 148 takes
important steps to address the gaps that
characterize so much of today’s workplace,
but the legislation needs to go further to
protect Ontario workers.”
On behalf of its more than 160,000
Ontario members, Unifor also organized
members to speak at hearings around
the province in Thunder Bay, North Bay,
Ottawa, Kingston, Windsor, London and
Niagara. The union submitted its written
recommendations on Bill 148 to the
Standing Committee of Finance and
Economic Affairs urging the government
to adopt some meaningful improvements
to the legislation to fully achieve fairness.
Unifor’s key recommendations:
■■ Extending card-based certification to all
sectors: the example of retail
■■ Extending successorship rights to all
contracted services: the example of
school bus services
■■ Extending broader based collective
bargaining structures
■■ Establishing a designated paid leave for
survivors of domestic and/or sexual
violence
■■ Protecting injured workers from
unintended consequences of higher
minimum wages
Read Unifor’s full submission to the
Standing Committee of Finance and Econ-
omic Affairs at www.unifor.org/bill148.
“Unifor is calling on the government to
ensure that the Fair Workplace, Better Jobs
Act truly raises the floor for all Ontario
workers and creates lasting conditions
for decent work and that starts with the implementation
of a $15 minimum wage,” said
Rizvi. “Let this be an important moment in
Ontario’s history.”
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private
sector, representing more than 310,000
workers in every major area of the economy.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS ON
THE RISE, AND MANAGERS ARE
LEADING THE WAY
Workers’ ability to juggle the demands
of the office and home is on the upswing,
with those in charge greatly aiding the
cause, new research suggests. In a Robert
Half Management Resources survey,
more than one-third of Canadian professionals
(37 per cent) said their work-life
balance has improved from three years
ago. Nearly nine in 10 respondents reported
their manager is somewhat or very
supportive of their efforts to achieve this
balance, and 64 per cent said their boss
sets a good or even excellent example.
“Professional environments that reap
the benefits of work-life balance are the
ones that consider evolving worker preferences
and trends, while actively promoting
these opportunities to attract potential
employees and keep current teams motivated,”
said David King. “To underscore
how valuable work-life balance is to the
company, managers must personally
demonstrate their commitment.”
Robert Half Management Resources
provides five tips for managers to help
their teams achieve work-life balance:
■■ Understand employees’ needs. Talk to
your staff about their objectives and
what you can do to help. Where one
employee may benefit from working
remotely a couple days a week, another
may seek starting and ending his or
her day 30 minutes earlier. Remain
flexible and open-minded as you assist
your team.
■■ Show them the way. Are you sending
emails at all times of the day and night,
or are most of your communications
delivered during work hours? Do you
use your weekends to pursue personal
goals or demand updated financial
reports? Whichever options you
choose, your staff are taking note –
and figuring they must do the same.
■■ Work with interim professionals.
If to-do lists are expanding and
the team is falling behind, bring in
a consultant who can alleviate the
burden and contribute specialized
expertise. Project professionals can
step in immediately to support your
organization.
■■ Spread the word. Employers
commonly highlight their work-life
balance offerings to job candidates, but
you’ll need to continue selling your
company’s program to current staff.
Regularly and broadly communicate
options available to workers.
■■ Stay ahead of the pack. Views on
work-life balance change, and what is
in vogue today may not have the same
appeal six months or a year from now.
Stay on top of emerging trends to keep
your program fresh and ensure you
provide in-demand benefits. n
– NAUREEN RIZVI
14 ❚ AUGUST 2017 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
