For immediate release: Tuesday, June 15, 2004

CALGARY — If the province does not implement a workplace smoking ban across Alberta, the Alberta Workers Compensation Board should drastically increase premiums for employers that allow second-hand smoke in the workplace, says the president of the province’s largest union.

AUPE President Dan MacLennan hopes to raise the issue when he attends the Alberta WCB’s annual meeting in Edmonton tomorrow.

“As in other jurisdictions, Alberta needs to put in place a complete ban on workplace smoking,” MacLennan said today. “If they will not do so, the Workers Compensation Board should reward employers who have smoke-free workplaces because second-hand smoke is a known carcinogen that is making people sick.”

Additional funds from higher WCB premiums for employers that allow workplace smoking could go to a fund to offset the millions of dollars that will inevitably be required to pay compensation to non-smoking workers who are made sick by smoke in their workplaces, MacLennan stated.

“We’d like to see the WCB, employers and workers increase their lobbying efforts to have a provincial workplace smoking ban put in place,” MacLennan said, noting that Workers Compensation Boards in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavit have all supported the development of legislation requiring smoke-free workplaces.

“There is absolutely no question that second-hand smoke in the workplace is a serious health hazard,’ MacLennan said. “Employers — both private and public, as well as taxpayers — will have to spend millions of dollars compensating people who get sick in their workplaces if they do not take the steps necessary now to outlaw workplace smoking.”

AUPE, which will continue to work with other groups to fight for a ban on workplace smoking, represents more than 58,000 members throughout Alberta.

For related clippings
Edmonton Journal, June 17, 2004
Calgary Sun, June 17,2004

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)