Province Announces Dates For OT Exemption Hearings

Province Announces Dates For OT Exemption Hearings

Monday, July 31, 2006 at 14:49

Public hearings on the issue of the northern overtime exemption begin next month in northwest Saskatchewan.

The provincial government has unveiled the list of dates it plans to discuss the issue with northerners.

The first meeting takes place in La Loche on August 8th. The following night, a hearing will be held in Beauval.

From there the hearings will travel to Buffalo Narrows, Creighton, Denare Beach, Sandy Bay and Pelican Narrows before finally wrapping up in Pinehouse on August 31st.

Regina MLA Ron Harper will chair the meetings, which are open to everyone.

Harper was appointed to the task by Premier Lorne Calvert, who promised to look into the contentious issue after it was raised a number of times.

For more than 50 years, northern employees working north of Township 62 have been exempted from the hours of work and overtime provisions of the province’s labour standards legislation. The exemption does not apply to La Ronge, Creighton (and a 10 km radius surrounding each) or Uranium City.