The Canadian Trucking Alliance is calling on the supply chain to join the trucking industry in pressing for exemptions to three new Labour Code provisions set to take effect September 1, 2019.

The provisions, as they currently stand, would disrupt the entire Canadian goods movement and logistics economy, says CTA.

ESDC initiated scheduled hearings this summer with management and labour stakeholders in various industries to discuss the possibility of exemptions. CTA met with officials on Aug. 1 and requested exemptions to the following new provisions:

• The requirement to provide employees (in writing) a copy of their full schedule at least 96 hours in advance of the start of the work week;
• The requirement to provide at minimum 24 hours written notice of any shift changes;
• The right to refuse overtime for certain personal responsibilities. (This last provision may prove to be less of a concern once ESDC further clarifies their definition of ‘certain personal responsibilities’.

“Under these provisions, it will be difficult for an employer to make any changes to an employee’s ‘schedule’ – including truck drivers – with less than 96 hours’ notice and impossible to make any changes with less than 24 hours written notice,” says CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “This change will have a significant negative impact on the entire Canadian economy as the modern supply chain continuously relies on the flexibility of the trucking industry to be able to adjust to daily changes in production or their customers’ demands.”

CTA met a deadline of June 2019 to submit concerns and make the case for exemptions (insert link to submission) to the Government of Canada. CTA was granted a hearing on Aug. 1 where staff and members carriers explained how the operational realities and economy of the supply chain is at odds with these provisions. Since then, CTA has also sent further correspondence to Minister Hajdu on the need for exemptions.

CTA is now calling on the industry and their customers to let the Government of Canada know it is essential for the supply chain that the trucking industry gets these exemptions. To assist companies in quickly communicating the message, CTA has put together the following documents:

• Draft letter for carriers to send to the Government of Canada: Click here.
• Draft letter for carriers to send to their customers educating them on the impacts of these changes: Click here.
• Memo to Government of Canada highlighting real-life supply chain examples of how these Labour Code changes will disrupt the supply chain: Click here.

CTA is also asking the provincial trucking associations and other members of the supply chain to utilize this material with their membership.

CTA is urging the industry and supply chain to be active in this campaign and send correspondence by August 16.