Canada: government launches consultation on protections for ‘Gig Workers’ and on a ‘Right to Disconnect’ for federally regulated workers

Adapting labour rights to ensure that they are consistent with ‘the new realities of Canadian workers.’ Thus the government’s objective announced on 18 March with the launch of an online consultation on ‘gig work’ and ‘the right to disconnect.’ The government’s Labour Minister Filomena Tassi has explained that this collaboration with employers, unions and organizations will focus on the federally regulated business sectors (air transportation, banking, agri-food, postal services, telecommunications, ports and shipping, etc.), while other business sectors come under the scope of standards that are set by the various provinces. All Canadians will also be able to contribute opinions and testimonies to the online consultation, which will remain open until 30 April. The government has justified the launch of this initiative in particular because of the Covid-19 crisis, which has exacerbated the ‘vulnerability’ of platform workers and the population’s dependence on their services as well as blurring the line between home and work life.” “We’ve already taken significant steps toward modernizing the Canada Labour Code to ensure that federal labour standards reflect today’s workplace realities. However, there is more work to be done to ensure that the standards keep up with the rapid pace of change driven by digital communications technology,” the Federal Labour Minister stated before continuing, “It is important for me to hear the views of employers, unions and the public on the challenges they are facing so that we can make informed decisions on how to make sure that both workers and employers are treated fairly in this new world of work.” Currently, no provinces or territories in Canada has a law on the ‘right to disconnect’. The Labour Minister has the mandate to co-develop a policy with employers and labour groups, which would give federally regulated workers this right, and to this end a Right to Disconnect Advisory Committee, comprising representatives from federally regulated employers, unions and other organizations, commenced a series of meetings in October 2020.