By Jason Foster, AFL Staff

Faces were smiling in the boardrooms of Alberta employers recently as the WCB announced its 1999 premium rates.

Next year, Alberta employers will be paying an average of $1.05 (for every $100 in payroll) in premiums to WCB. This is a 24% drop from 1998, and over 54% lower since 1994 (when premiums were $2.29).

"It is a blatant and obvious example of WCB’s misplaced priorities," responded AFL President Audrey Cormack. "Work related deaths are at record levels, thousands of injured workers are being denied just compensation and apparently WCB can’t think of anything to do with the money."

Cormack called on WCB to reverse the premium reduction and instead use the funds to replenish injured worker benefits.

In its release, WCB President Mary Cameron crowed that the lower premium rates "provide the ideal opportunity for employers to invest in safety programs, incorporate best practices into their workplace and take advantage of training opportunities".

Cormack has a more realistic assessment. "Employers are going pocket the money and run. It is naïve to think lower premiums will lead to greater concern for health and safety.’

Cormack pointed out that the only way to get health and safety on the agenda in workplaces is through mandatory programs and pro-active initiatives led by WCB.

"It seems only employers get the benefit of the doubt in Alberta. Workers have a thousand hoops to jump through just to get their claim accepted, while employers get blank cheques with no strings attached."

"Even WCB has acknowledged that claims and claim costs are on the rise, despite the massive reductions in benefit rates." Cormack added.

"We need a complete revamping of WCB in Alberta. Time to put ‘worker’ back in Workers Compensation." Cormack concluded.