Pubdate: Fri, 25 Feb 2005
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Page: A7
Copyright: 2005, The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.globeandmail.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: John Cotter / Canadian Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

RANDOM DRUG TESTING URGED

EDMONTON -- Alberta should consider amending its human rights law to allow 
for random drug testing to make worksites safer, a government-appointed 
committee says.

The recommendation is part of a report submitted to the province in July, 
2003, but has not been made public.

The province should consider "legislative solutions" if such testing isn't 
found to be justifiable under the Alberta Human Rights Act, says the 
report, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.

The government's silence on the issue prompted members of the oil and gas 
sector to write a letter this month asking the province to respond to the 
report as they grapple with how to deal with impaired employees.

"Employers are not aided when human rights commissions are making rulings 
that employers cannot test their workers for drug or alcohol use," said 
Patrick Delaney of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada. He helped 
write the report and the letter.

"Our only recourse is to go to the politicians, have them review human 
rights legislation and make some changes."

Other groups that worked on the report include the Construction Owners 
Association of Alberta and the Alberta Building Trades Council.

If government doesn't take a firm position on testing, the issue is 
expected to evolve based on court and tribunal decisions.

Alcohol and drug testing is already a fact of life at some Alberta 
worksites, especially in the energy and construction industries.

Human rights tribunals in Ontario and Alberta have ruled that employers can 
test workers for justifiable reasons -- if they are in safety-sensitive 
positions, for example, or after an accident.

While there are no rules governing testing, the Alberta Human Rights 
Commission says blanket random testing is discriminatory.

Tribunals have also ruled that employees who test positive can't be 
automatically fired. It's been suggested that someone with a substance 
dependency is considered to suffer from a disability and should be offered 
treatment.

Such positions have hamstrung companies as they try to deal with employees 
who show up impaired from alcohol, marijuana and hard drugs such as crystal 
meth, Mr. Delaney said.

"This is equipment that is very unforgiving. One slip and you've got a 
fatality. And in a worse-case scenario, you could have a catastrophic 
event," he said.

"The right of someone for a safe worksite trumps your right to have a drink 
or shoot up or snort something."

Last June, Clint Dunford, then Alberta's minister of human resources, said 
he would like to see mandatory drug testing within five years. Mr. Dunford 
was moved to another department after the November provincial election.

That same month the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission updated its 
position on drug testing, making it clear the agency doesn't favour random 
tests.

"AADAC does not recommend alcohol and drug testing for employees unless 
there is evidence that substance abuse is compromising workplace safety," 
the agency says.

Mike Cardinal, Mr. Dunford's successor, declined interview requests about 
the report and the letter.

"He wants more time. It is being reviewed right now," said department 
spokesman Chris Chodan.

The issue has split Alberta's labour movement.

Mark McCullough, president of the Alberta Building Trades Council, helped 
write the report. He said random tests are justified if they fall within 
the context of a comprehensive employee treatment program.

"My personal opinion is that safety takes precedence over the right to be 
impaired at a worksite," Mr. McCullough said.

Don MacNeil of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union said there 
is no proof random testing is effective.

In 2002, an AADAC survey suggested 11 per cent of employees in Alberta 
reported using alcohol at work, while 1 per cent reported using drugs.

Marie Riddle, director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, said 
employees have filed testing complaints and she expects to see more.

"There is no question that safety in the workplace is important. But so are 
the rights of people with disabilities," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom