 |
CFA Meets with Special Advisors for the Ontario
Changing Workplaces Review
On December 16, 2015, CFA met with the Special Advisors to the Ontario Changing Workplaces Review. CFA took this opportunity to reinforce our concerns about certain aspects of the Changing Workplaces Review and what it could mean for your business. The greatest concern is the damage to franchising if joint-employer status is deemed to exist because of the contractual franchisor-franchisee relationship.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour's Changing Workplaces Review is important to you and your franchisees as it specifically looks at potential changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA) and may include reform to areas such as minimum wage, certification of unions, the collective bargaining process, etc.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision regarding joint-employer status in the United States (U.S.) has cast a shadow of concern about the implications of operating in the U.S. as well as what it could eventually mean to legislation and rulings in Canada. The joint employer issue is the number one advocacy priority for CFA and could have a detrimental impact on your business if we do not work together to prevent any scope creep in Canada.
As was previously reported, CFA made a submission to the Ontario Ministry of Labour's Changing Workplaces Review in September 2015 to highlight the important contribution franchising makes to Ontario's local economies and the employment of Ontarians. We stressed the importance of changing the ESA to include the distinction of the franchisor-franchisee relationship and why maintaining the true contractual nature of this dynamic is important on a wider economic level. CFA's submission is available for CFA members in the CFA Advocacy Headquarters.
Over the past number of months, we have been working with a task force of key volunteers to ensure that CFA is representing franchising as effectively and strongly as it can throughout this consultation period. We thank our volunteers who have been working (and will continue to be working) with us on this issue. CFA's work on the Ontario Changing Workplaces Review is ongoing and a top priority for the protection of the franchise business model.
The Special Advisors will be releasing an interim report in February. CFA will continue to update members as we continue this critical work together.
If you have any questions about the Changing Workplaces Review or the joint-employer issue, please feel welcome to contact Erica Kelsey, Director of Government Relations at ekelsey@cfa.ca.
|
|
|
|
|
|
