Education, advocacy and working with farmers will improve farm safety, not legislation, according to Richard Truscott, the Alberta Director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
Truscoss added that he believes even one work related death on the farm is one too many and that something needs to be done to ensure farms are as safe as possible for their employees, however that goal will not be reached by adding reams of red tape through legislation to a farmer’s tasks.
The CFIB was recently singled out by Eric Musekamp, the president of the Farm Workers Union of Alberta, an illegal entity since farm workers are not allowed to unionize in Alberta. He made several comments about the CFIB’s stance on the issue of forcing farmer’s to carry Operational Health and Safety for their employees, and Truscott wanted to clarify the organization’s position.
Musekamp has long lobbied the government asking that legislation be created and enforced on Alberta’s farms, arguing that is the one sure method to improve safety on the farm.
Truscott said that although he agrees that farm safety is important, he disagrees with Musekamp on the methods that need to be taken to reach the goal of a safer working environment for farm workers.
“We believe government legislation is like taking a blunt instrument to a delicate issue,” he said. “Farms are unique places. Many run day and night for a large portion of the year. They are mixed residential and commercial opperations.”Truscott pointed out that government legislation often takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach which does not take into account the unique nature of each farming operation.
“We want to create a safer business and working environment without adversely affecting the livelihood of these individuals,” he said.He added he feels the events surrounding the death of farm worker Kevan Chandler are tragic and believes the justice who came up with the recommendations at the inquiry following that incident had good intentions, but he does not agree with the finding stating OH&S standards should be applied to farm workers.
“This is a very complex area of policy. I don’t think it is the most effective way to proceed.”Instead he suggested that better education is the best solution adding that farmers, more than any other group, want that education so they can create safer working environments.
“Farmers more than anybody else have a very strong vested interest in making their farms a safe work place.”He said his group fears that if OH&S is legislated it will be only a matter of time before WCB and employee standards follow and then farmers will wind up being burdened with as many regulations as other businesses. He added that though each program offers something of value, the red tape that comes part and parcel with those programs are increasingly difficult for businesses to deal with. His group does not support more of the same, believing there is already excessive regulation.
“That is a very blunt way of improving safety or increasing accountability. It is far better to cooperate with the farmers, to improve advocacy and education. Farmers are in the best position to improve the health and safety standards on their farms,” he said.
He added that though the government has recently allocated funds to improve education making for a safer farm environment, more needs to be done.
“I would like to see more consultation with farmers so we it can be determined where the gaps are in the industry. Then they can focus on those areas. Keeping the farmers involved in developing policy is a good thing.”Finally, Truscott clarified that although there is no current meeting scheduled between the CFIB and Musekamp, he would be willing to talk to him as long as it is so they can work positively together towards a solution.
“If he wants to meet on mutually agreeable terms, looking for solutions instead of calling each other names, we could do that. So far he has come across as very aggressive and confrontational. We are more interested in finding solutions to these issues. We are very clear about who we are and who we represent,” Truscott said adding the CFIB has 10,000 members in Alberta, 800 of which are agribusinesses.
“We don’t know who he represents, what their views are or why he has a platform, but we are willing to work together.”However, he said after surveying the wants and needs of its members he knows legislation is not a path the CFIB is willing to pursue.