Posted: Friday, 27 July 2007
Considering that all school-age children are on vacation for two months in the summer, the legal vacation regime in Canada cannot be said to be family-friendly. Except, to a large degree, for workers who enjoy the protection of a collective agreement.
Access or lack of access to paid time off underscores big differences among working Canadians. While less discussed than wage and income inequality, there are huge differences among working people in terms of access to paid time off the job – mostly depending on their province of residence.
Unions make a difference
An important part of the union advantage is paid vacation time. On top of fixed paid holidays (which often add to the list of provincial statutory holidays), the great majority of unionized workers get at least 3 weeks of paid vacation time, and 70% get 4 weeks, usually after ten years of service. One in three unionized workers get 5 weeks of paid vacation, usually after 15 years of service. (Data from the Labour Canada collective agreement database). Similar vacation entitlements exist for non-union workers with larger employers, especially managers and professionals.
For those without a union contract, entitlement to vacation is as provided for under widely varying employment standards legislation. (90% of workers are covered by the legislation of the province in which they live, while a little under 10% of the workforce are in sectors like banking, airlines and trucking which are covered by federal employment standards).
Working People Deserve More Paid Vacation Time