Trucking anti-harassment training taking shape

by Abdul Latheef

OTTAWA, Ont. – A federal government program aimed at reducing workplace harassment and violence in the trucking sector is taking shape following its launch last spring.

Up to 400 employees will get sector-specific harassment and violence prevention training under the $2.45-million project, which is being handled by Trucking Human Resources Canada.

“We are currently in the research phase of the initiative,” said Angela Splinter, CEO of Trucking HR Canada.

Her organization is looking at what training currently exists in this area, in Canada and internationally, in order to identify best practices in training and assessing the unique needs of the industry.

“Our plan is to pilot the training in up to 10 locations.  The number of people will vary, but we have allowed for up to 400 people to be trained through the pilot phase,” Splinter said in an email to Truck News.

“Additionally, we are looking to develop train the trainer resources.”

Trucking HR Canada is working in partnership with provincial trucking associations, which will, in most instances, be the ones providing the training, she said.

“In our research phase, we are looking to gain a better understanding of the prevalence, types of harassment and violence that may be taking place, so as to ensure that the training resources we develop are relevant to our industry’s specific needs.”

The trucking industry project is part of a larger government initiative called the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund, which will provide funding to organizations to create safer workplaces for federally regulated employees.

Last week the Canadian Women’s Foundation received nearly $2.8 million to promote its Roadmap to Future Workplaces program.

All projects will help workplaces comply with Bill C-65, a new legislation to protect employees from harassment and violence.

Bill C-65 was passed by Parliament last year as an amendment to the Canada Labour Code.

Splinter stressed that the overall focus of the amendment is to ensure a safe and harassment-free work environment for all employees, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, and that Trucking HR Canada is working to ensure that the industry is leading the way in addressing it.

“Trucking and logistics is the largest federally regulated sector, and our employers need to be prepared to comply with Bill C-65,” she said.

The industry is the second-largest employer in Canada after the retail sector.

The project, which will last 3.5 years, will also look at other pending Canada Labour Code changes, and assess what additional resources can assist employers in adapting and responding to these changes from an HR and a business perspective, Splinter said.

 

 

 

 


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  • I remember a day when men were men and you put your big boy pants on and went to work and handled your problems. LOL.