Letter to the editor

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Speak Up

The New Brunswick Federation of Labour has written a letter to Premier Shawn Graham expressing its disappointment with the WHSCC independent review report entitled Strengthening the System.

The federation has many concerns over this review and over the report, which have both been totally bad for workers. From the beginning of this process, we questioned the appointment of the labour representative to the review panel and we questioned the panel's independence. If their report is any indication, we were right to be concern.

The majority of the report's recommendations refer to the commission for their implementation. In our view, this negates these recommendations. We are also concerned over the recommendations on governance, whereby nominations to the WHSCC board of directors will fall into the control of the government.

We are appalled that New Brunswick will still be one of only three jurisdictions in Canada where injured workers will still face a waiting period for worker's compensation benefits and are extremely disappointed that the review panel did nothing to put an end to this gross injustice. We are also concerned about recommendation 54 in the report. We believe that one person determining if an appeal requires an oral hearing or should be heard by a single chair is nothing short of undemocratic.

It is our sincere hope the premier and his government will take our letter seriously. The time has come for him to act on the needs of New Brunswick workers.

Michel Boudreau

NBFL president