Windsor-West MPP Lisa Gretzky is calling a move to exempt auto-workers from changes in the Employment Standards Act a, "secretive, backdoor decision."
Bill 148 took effect on Jan. 1, under the act workers are entitled to 10 emergency days each year, two of those days are to be paid.
There is an exemption for auto-workers in assembly plants and parts suppliers who are entitled to a minimum of seven days of emergency leave.
Gretzky challenged the Liberals to immediately repeal the exemption at Queens Park after receiving more than 1,500 signatures from her constituents and thousands more from Unifor members.
"When challenged at a town hall in Windsor last week the Premier said 'this was about fair workplaces' and told workers 'not to worry because the vast majority of auto-workers are unionized,' but madam speaker she knows that is not always the case," says Gretzky.
In response to Gretzky, Ontario Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn reiterated the strides Bill-148 has made in the work place.
"All Ontarians are covered for personal emergency leave and for sick-time in the province of Ontario," he says. "Prior to that speaker, it only applied to companies greater than 50."
Flynn addds that the exemption is only a pilot project."That wasn't the case before speaker, companies under 50 were excluded from this," says Flynn. "This has a pilot project status the advisor asked us to put it in place to see how is worked to get feedback for consultation."
In a statement from December 2017, Flynn said the exemption is in place because the auto-motive industry is "a particularly competitive global sector" and its operation is imperative to Canada's economy.