Job Termination
Workin' overtimeThe Ontario government took its first steps last week towards eliminating mandatory retirement at age 65, but labour leaders expressed doubts about whether the move would benefit the province's workers. ROGER WARD |
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 [ 2004-08-25 ] |
Announced public consultations schedule
The province will hold public consultations to determine the best way to eliminate the mandatory retirement age without jeopardizing the rights of older employees, Labour Minister Chris Bentley told a news conference.
"Ending mandatory retirement would protect workers by allowing them to decide when to retire based on their own lifestyles, circumstances and priorities," Bentley said.
"We want to achieve this goal without undermining existing retirement rights -- including entitlements to benefit and pension plans -- and also address any issues raised by business, labour or others."
Wayne Samuelson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, said scrapping mandatory retirement would make it too easy for the province to push back the age at which workers can collect pension benefits.
"This does not give employees the right to choose, it gives employers the right to choose who they are going to keep and who they are going to fire," Samuelson said.
"Rather than funding social services and funding pension plans so workers can afford (to retire), they'll just make it so that everyone just ends up working longer."
Sid Ryan, Ontario president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said the aim of his union is not to encourage its members to work longer, but quite the opposite.
"Our whole objective is to get people out of the workforce as early as possible in life so they can enjoy their retirement, but do it with a decent pension plan and benefits," Ryan said.
Expressed doubts
Ryan said he'd welcome legislation that would protect workers who want to retire early while allowing others to work longer, but expressed doubts such a goal can be achieved.
"That's a balancing act I've yet to see anyone pull off."
NDP house leader Peter Kormos said the government's plan would result in workers being forced to work beyond the age of 65.
"The fundamental aspect of what the Liberal government is proposing is to make it impossible for workers and their trade unions to negotiate contracts which permit retirement at 65 or hopefully even younger," Kormos said.
Provincewide consultations on the issue will be led by parliamentary assistant Kevin Flynn, Bentley said.
The ministry has also issued a consultation paper to promote discussion and gather public input on mandatory retirement.
Consultations get underway Sept. 8 in Toronto, with stops throughout the month in Hamilton, Kingston, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Ottawa, London and Windsor before wrapping up back in Toronto on Sept. 30.
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