Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results

For each of its four goals, Labour has identified objectives to be achieved over the next three years. The goals state the overall intended results of the Service Plan, while the objectives translate these goals into more specific desired outputs and outcomes. The strategies describe the key initiatives that will be implemented in order to achieve the objectives.

Linkage to the Five Great Goals

Labour aligns to all of the Five Great Goals because its policies and services affect every citizen and worker in the province, whether unionized or non-unionized. Of greatest relevance to Labour’s mission is the government goal to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

Cross Ministry Initiatives

2006 will be a heavy public sector collective bargaining year for government. The ministry will continue to work towards and facilitate positive relationships in the labour relations community.

The ministry is also working closely with the Ministry of Forests and Range and WorkSafeBC on a forest safety action plan aimed at significantly reducing serious accidents and injuries. The ministry is also assisting the Ministry of Economic Development in its plans to ensure appropriate levels of skilled labour to support the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Performance Plan

Overview

This section presents the goals for Labour and outlines how specific objectives, strategies, performance measures and targets are helping to achieve them. The goals state the overall intended results of the Service Plan for Labour and the objectives over the next three years are identified for each of its four goals. The strategies describe the key activities and initiatives that will be implemented in order to achieve the objectives.

Performance measures are identified for each of the goals. A summary description that explains how the measure links to the relevant goal and what is being measured is provided for each measure. A detailed description of the measures is provided in the Labour 2006–2009 Performance Methodology Report http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/related/pmr_labour.pdf.

The ministry is responsible for three major statutes that have a direct impact on the working lives of all British Columbians: the Employment Standards Act; the Labour Relations Code; and the Workers Compensation Act. As part of this responsibility, the ministry is responsible for the regulatory framework within the employment standards and labour relations areas, and for administration, education and awareness, enforcement and adjudication through the activities of the Employment Standards Branch, the offices of the Workers’ and Employers’ Advisers, and the Executive. Three independent tribunals — the Labour Relations Board, the Employment Standards Tribunal, and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal — also fall within the ministry’s overall responsibility in the administration and enforcement of these statutes.

The premise of this goal is that prevention, early intervention and a service orientation in all of the ministry’s business areas are critical to the achievement of a labour and employment environment that is characterized by productive and mutually beneficial relationships and compliance.

Key strategies include:

• Continuing the dialogue between the ministry and stakeholders in the labour community so that critical labour relations issues are addressed in a timely, effective and mutually beneficial manner.
• Improving availability and access to employment standards and dispute resolution information, and continuing to work with industry and labour communities on education and awareness initiatives.
• Developing new initiatives and continuing with existing initiatives aimed at maintaining and improving accessibility of Labour Relations Board services to all parties and streamlining administrative requirements in order to be more responsive to the needs of employees, unions and employers.
• Continuing with initiatives to provide direct workers’ compensation assistance, guidance and service to workers and employers and to focus on improving the efficiency and responsiveness of the workers’ compensation appeal system.
• Developing new initiatives and continuing existing initiatives to ensure workplace health and safety in British Colombia’s forest sector.

Performance Measures:

Percentage of employers whose employment practices resulted in no complaints being registered with the Employment Standards Branch

This performance measure is an indicator of the level of compliance among British Columbia employers with the Employment Standards Act. The measure is derived from two sources: Employment Standards Branch data which shows the number of employers who are the subject of one or more employment standards complaints over the course of a fiscal year; and BC Stats data on the total number of business establishments with employees over the same period. The expectation is that the percentage of employers whose practices do not result in complaints being registered with the Branch will continue at their current very high levels, and that this will allow the Branch to continue to focus its compliance initiatives and activities on those sectors of the economy where vulnerable workers are most likely to be employed.

Person-days lost due to strike/lockout activity in British Columbia relative to Canada as a whole (Three-year moving average, 2003-2005)

This measure is an indicator of the relative degree of labour peace and labour stability in British Columbia compared to Canada as a whole. The measure shows the number of person-days lost due to strikes and lockouts as a proportion of the British Columbia labour force, and compares this with the number of person-days lost across the entire country as a proportion of the Canadian labour force. A score of 1.0 suggests that the degree of labour stability in British Columbia is on par with Canada as a whole, with a score of less than 1.0 indicating relative labour stability (fewer days lost per capita) compared with the rest of Canada and a score of greater than 1.0 indicating relative labour instability.

Percentage of respondents satisfied or very satisfied with Employers’ Advisers Office or Workers’ Advisers Office services

This measure demonstrates how satisfied clients are with the services provided by the Employers’ Advisers Office and the Workers’ Advisers Office. The measure is based on client satisfaction ratings from two surveys.

The Employment Standards Branch and the ministry’s three administrative tribunals all have an important role to play in supporting government’s commitment to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of public services.

Specifically, all of these areas are involved in managing complaints and issues that have been brought before them. And in all cases, timely and accurate disposition of those complaints or issues is an essential component of a fair and balanced system of labour and employment laws that is readily accessible to all stakeholders including vulnerable workers and small business.

Key strategies include:

• Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Employment Standards Branch decision-making through advanced training for officers, clear policy direction and the sharing of best practices.
• Ensuring systems are in place to track productivity and adherence to timeliness targets for administrative tribunals.
• Continuing with initiatives focused on improving the efficiency and responsiveness of the appeal system.

Performance Measures:

Cases disposed of within prescribed timelines

This performance measure presents timeliness indicators for the Employment Standards Branch (ESB), the Employment Standards Tribunal (EST), the Labour Relations Board (LRB), and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal (WCAT). In the case of the Employment Standards Branch, the Employment Standards Tribunal and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal, the measure is based upon case management statistics provided by each area, and is calculated by dividing the number of cases where a final decision has been issued by the total number of cases.

In the case of the Labour Relations Board, the measure reflects the average number of cases that the Board considers to be in “backlog”. In general, a case is considered to be in backlog if it has been assigned for more than 90 days and no hearing has been held, or where a hearing has been completed and more than 45 days have passed without a decision. The ministry is reviewing timeliness and related issues as they relate to the Labour Relations Board, and it is expected that new timeliness measures and targets will be developed over 2006/07 for use in future years.

Percentage of Employment Standards Branch determinations overturned by the Employment Standards Tribunal

The Employment Standards Tribunal can cancel decisions issued by the Employment Standards Branch in cases involving an error in the application of law or, in some instances, where new information became available after the Employment Standards Branch’s original proceeding.

This measure is calculated by dividing the number of Employment Standards Branch decisions that have been cancelled by the Tribunal by the total number of decisions that have been issued. The expectation is that the percentage of cancellations will decline in future years through continuing improvements in Employment Standards Branch decision-making and through regulation and operational policy changes that will ensure alignment between operational policies and procedures, and the Act and its Regulation.

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ESB: Percentage of cases closed within 180 days of complaint being registered with Employment Standards Branch. EST: Percentage of cases decided within 90 days of date of appeal by the Employment Standards Tribunal. LRB: Average number of backlog cases before the Labour Relations Board. (In general, a case is seen as part of the backlog if it has been assigned for more than 90 days and no hearing has been held, or where a hearing has been completed and more than 45 days have passed without a decision.) The ministry is reviewing timeliness and related issues and it is expected that new measures and targets will be developed in 2006/07 for use in future years. WCAT: Percentage of cases decided by the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal within 180 days of appeal being filed. (Subject to any permissable extensions under s. 253 of the Workers Compensation Act.) (The baseline year for all cases is 2004/05.)

This goal supports the ministry’s overall emphasis on fairness and balance and promoting mutually beneficial relationships by seeking out alternatives to traditional adjudication and dispute resolution, where appropriate.

The premise of this goal is that making use of every available means of resolving complaints or disputes before they escalate into either complex litigation or strikes or lockouts best serves the interests of the parties. Specifically, early intervention and the use of alternative dispute resolution support timely, effective and fair resolution of complaints and disputes, and thus enable and encourage compliance.

Key strategies include:

• Ensuring that sector-specific initiatives undertaken by the Employment Standards Branch foster mutual co-operation between government, industry and employees, particularly as they relate to vulnerable workers.
• Promoting use of early intervention and alternative dispute resolution in support of the complaint resolution model for employment standards (self-help materials and mediation prior to adjudication).
• Encouraging the use of collective bargaining mediation.
• Promoting use of early intervention and early dispute resolution in the workers’ compensation system (including self-help materials and merit assessments).

Performance Measures:

Proportion of Employment Standards Branch cases closed prior to adjudication

This performance measure demonstrates the extent to which early intervention and alternative dispute resolution have been used to resolve complaints without having to resort to formal adjudication. The measure is based upon Employment Standards Branch operational statistics, and is derived by dividing the number of cases resolved at the investigation and mediation stages by the total number of cases.

The expectation is that the Employment Standards Branch will continue its focus on early intervention and alternative dispute resolution where appropriate, in order to ensure that complaints will be resolved in a timely, fair and effective manner.

Percentage of mediation applications settled

This performance measure demonstrates the extent to which mediation appointments made by the Labour Relations Board have resulted in settlements without the parties engaging in strike or lockout activity. The measure is calculated by dividing the number of mediator appointments that were made under the Labour Relations Code and that resulted in settlements without a strike or lockout by the total number of mediator appointments.

The ministry’s labour goals and objectives require a cohesive corporate culture that supports a client-focused, results-oriented, innovative and knowledgeable team.

Key strategies include:

• Ensuring a clear and shared understanding of direction and accountabilities through employee performance planning and division/branch planning processes.
• Ensuring that staff have the knowledge, skills and abilities to deliver ministry goals.
• Continuing to implement the Human Resource Plan and its critical elements (work and wellness; professional development and workforce planning; recognition).

Performance Measures:

Rating of employee satisfaction

Labour will be participating in the annual government-wide survey conducted by the BC Public Service Agency. The intent of the survey is to measure the work environment of the public service. Employee satisfaction is an indication of the progress being made towards ensuring that the ministry’s culture and leadership are supporting high-performance. The survey focuses on a number of categories including employee perceptions of leadership, support of employee development, communication throughout the organization, and support for learning and innovation.

1	Labour is initiating an employee satisfaction survey in 2005/06 and will establish a baseline based on these results.

Changes to Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Performance Measures and Targets

Each year, the three-year Service Plan is extended by one year and is reviewed and revised to align with the current environment. Labour’s goals, objectives, strategies and accompanying measures have all been reviewed as part of the ongoing planning process for this Service Plan. This largely reflects government’s direction to improve the usefulness, applicability and readability of all ministry service plans. A re-evaluation and rethinking of Labour’s goals, strategies and objectives has been undertaken from the perspective of providing an accurate and insightful account of Labour’s role and function. The key change this year is:

• A significant reduction in the number of performance measures, from 30 to 8. The intent is to focus on the few key measures that are of the most strategic importance to the Labour side of the ministry. Additional detail is provided in the Labour 2006–2009 Performance Methodology Report http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/related/pmr_labour.pdf. Most of the measures that have been discontinued for this Service Plan will continue to appear in Branch and Business Unit Plans.

Labour Performance Plan Summary