The Alberta Federation of Labour is asking why Human Resources Minister Clint Dunford is holding back approval of the new working alone regulation and handbook, when it has been complete for over a month. The working alone regulation was promised after the murder of Tara MacDonald in a Calgary Subway store earlier this year.

“Four months ago, the Minister was promising fast action to the serious problem of working alone,” says AFL Secretary-Treasurer Les Steel. “Today he seems content to let it languish in bureaucratic limbo. We know the minister has been getting a lot of bad publicity lately because of his reaction to the death of a 14-year-old construction worker a couple weeks ago. But that’s no reason to stop dealing with other important work safety issues. And it’s no reason to go back on a promise.”

In April the Minister appointed a committee to prepare a handbook on the hazards of working alone. He also instructed a second committee too fast-track the drafting of new regulations governing working alone. Both committees were to have completed their work by June. In a press release dated April 3, the Minister promised the handbook, which builds on the regulation, would “be made available to workplace stakeholders by June 30, 2000.”

“The regulation is now almost a month overdue,” says Steel. “Mr. Dunford has a responsibility to workers who have to work alone to get the regulation implemented.” Currently in Alberta, there are no regulations governing the practice of working alone.

Steel predicts the release of the regulation will spark more controversy for Dunford. As reported by various media outlets, the proposed regulation will not place a ban on working alone. Steel suggests many Albertans will see the regulation as not doing enough to protect workers.

“July has been a hot month for Dunford,” says Steel. “But he is compounding his problems by holding back protection for workers who work alone. He needs to lay aside his media concerns and put the interests of workers up front.” Steel called on Dunford to release the regulation immediately, so that workers know what their protections are.

For more information call:

Les Steel, AFL Secretary Treasurer @ 483-3021(work) or 499-4135 (cell)