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Highlights

There has been significant activity as a result of the Farm Workers’ Inter-Agency Committee's work over the past number of months.

The committee meets on a regular basis to exchange information, discuss enforcement results, coordinate activities, and to develop and implement compliance strategies. In addition, enforcement staff hold meetings at the local level.

During April and May of 2008 there were eight days of voluntary vehicle checks. Farm labour contractors were invited to bring their vehicles in for safety and compliance assessments prior to the start of the harvest season. Sixty-eight vehicles were checked. In addition to the voluntary sessions, government enforcement staff conducted random inspections between March and June 2008. Between the voluntary and enforcement inspections more than 200 vehicles have been inspected.

The number of vehicles not passing inspection has been reduced significantly and the number of instances of vehicles not registered with Employment Standards has also decreased. Whereas approximately 29% of vehicles inspected in 2007 failed the inspection, the percentage failing in 2008 dropped to less than 10%.

The pre-season vehicle inspection enables the farm labour contractors to be informed about regulatory changes and also to have their vehicles proactively inspected.

WorkSafeBC and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement are also creating a standardized inspection trip sheet. The one-page work sheet will allow the driver of the vehicle to perform an inspection for obvious violations before taking the vehicle on the road, and will help ensure compliance with regulations.

The committee continues to remain focused on increased compliance through education and enforcement activities.

In addition to the interagency activities the Employment Standards Branch continues to undertake site visits, conduct audits, and investigate farm workers’ complaints concerning failure to pay wages appropriately. So far in 2008 the branch has delivered six farm worker education sessions through the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society. Recent legislative changes also came into effect in order to further ensure the protection of farms workers. [News release]

In Feb. 2008, the Inter-Agency Committee organized a cross-training day for member agencies. Forty trainees represented WorkSafeBC, Employment Standards Branch, Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement, RCMP, Delta Police and Abbotsford Police.

The representatives learned about the most important offences from the different organizations. While each agency continues to enforce their own regulations, they learned to recognize other agency's violations, and how to alert member agencies to violations of their regulations.

The training creates more eyes and ears to enforce regulations across the board.

updated: July 31, 2008