British Columbia labour rules governing hours of work, overtime and statutory holiday pay no longer apply to farm workers in that province.
Agriculture minister John van Dongen said the changes are intended to make the province’s agricultural economy more competitive.
“Ripening crops don’t take weekends off, and employees have told us they want to work when the work is there,” he said.
The changes were made after fruit pickers complained they wanted to work longer hours, but couldn’t because their employers didn’t want to pay higher wages.
Van Dongen and B.C. labour minister Graham Bruce have also announced a new framework agreement to ensure vulnerable farm workers are treated fairly.
Concerns have been raised in the past about some workers not being fully paid. The agreement announced May 15 provides several solutions, including direct deposit to bank accounts for wages paid by farm labour contractors, better education for workers and employers, and continued site visits by employment standards enforcement staff.
