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Ontario Local’s Website Helps Workers Research Labor Law in Canada
Canadian workers who want to research their country’s labor and employment laws now can turn to an innovative website for help, thanks to the efforts of TNG-CWA Local 248 in Peterborough, Ontario.
The site, labourresearch.com, was created and paid for by the local as a service project, offering Canadians background information, resources and support on issues of labor law.
“We saw a gap that needed to be filled,” said Shelagh Pulo, president of Local 248. “Not only can people find information right on the site, but they can e-mail or call us for additional help. We feel very good about our contribution.”
The local’s executive board, realizing how valuable labor and employment law research had been to its own members, asked business agent Nigel Sones to look into the project last November. It was online by early February and posted 3,000 hits within several weeks.
“I knew we had the expertise and resources to provide a valuable service,” Sones said. “It was just a matter of how to develop the website. We wanted it to be simple and functional. Rather than spend money on having someone else put the site together, I took a crash course in web development.”
By making it easy for workers to research the law, Sones said, they develop a new level of confidence and understanding — and may be able to handle simple matters without a lawyer. “With the information available, you can get a good assessment of grievance-type situations,” he said. “We found we could often be successful in resolving them ourselves.”
The local’s members are pleased at the early popularity of the website, which they consider a work in progress, and they welcome suggestions for further developments or improvements. “We aren’t satisfied resting on our laurels,” Pulo said.
The site, labourresearch.com, was created and paid for by the local as a service project, offering Canadians background information, resources and support on issues of labor law.
“We saw a gap that needed to be filled,” said Shelagh Pulo, president of Local 248. “Not only can people find information right on the site, but they can e-mail or call us for additional help. We feel very good about our contribution.”
The local’s executive board, realizing how valuable labor and employment law research had been to its own members, asked business agent Nigel Sones to look into the project last November. It was online by early February and posted 3,000 hits within several weeks.
“I knew we had the expertise and resources to provide a valuable service,” Sones said. “It was just a matter of how to develop the website. We wanted it to be simple and functional. Rather than spend money on having someone else put the site together, I took a crash course in web development.”
By making it easy for workers to research the law, Sones said, they develop a new level of confidence and understanding — and may be able to handle simple matters without a lawyer. “With the information available, you can get a good assessment of grievance-type situations,” he said. “We found we could often be successful in resolving them ourselves.”
The local’s members are pleased at the early popularity of the website, which they consider a work in progress, and they welcome suggestions for further developments or improvements. “We aren’t satisfied resting on our laurels,” Pulo said.