La Loche Hosts OT Exemption Meeting Tonight

La Loche Hosts OT Exemption Meeting Tonight

Tuesday, August 08, 2006 at 13:34

 

 

The provincial government begins a series of meetings in the North tonight regarding the northern overtime exemption legislation.

 

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour is one of several groups that feel the decades-old law should be scrapped.

 

It essentially allows employers to not pay overtime to workers in northern Saskatchewan, except in and around La Ronge, Uranium City and Creighton.

 

Some northern groups have even suggested this provision in the provincial labour standards legislation is racist — since it applies mainly to northern communities with mostly Aboriginal residents.

 

Regina Northeast MLA Ron Harper will host a public meeting in La Loche this evening to gauge the impact the labour law is having on residents and businesses there.

 

He will hold similar meetings in Buffalo Narrows and Beauval later this week.

 

Harper will forward his recommendations to the provincial cabinet this fall.

 

Tonight’s session in La Loche is scheduled to begin at 7:00 at the community hall.