Do they have to pay you for mandatory safety meetings? What about training?

I was told by my employer I wasn't, getting paid for 2 days of orientation. Now I have a safety meeting in the morning, which they said we would be fired for not showing. Talking to a couple guys who worked here for a while, they said they don't get paid to attend these meetings? This seems wrong to me. Anyone else have this happen? Hauling fluid in a tanker northern Alberta...

 

It depends on the company. Some pay for orientation and others don't.

 

Ya our own time and gas, no other reason for going.

 

If the job pays more than 50k a year take home, that's a good reason to bite the bullet for a few days. If it's under 40k, don't waste your time. Those jobs are a dime a dozen.

 

Wouldn't it be ironic if someone fell and was injured while attending a 'mandatory' company safety meeting while off the clock? Wonder how they'd handle compensation for the injury? Just sayin'.

Just found this

Doesn't say that truckers are exempt from minimum wage requirements in AB, and that if you're called in to work, you must be paid for at least 3 hours. But I'm no expert, and I'm not Canadian sooo..

 

Yes, they have to pay you for orientation. And safety meetings. And for every moment you are in the truck. And for every moment you are on the yard. Or when you're even thinking about the truck. Or even thinking about work. Or you are on your way to work. Or you pass another one of your companies trucks when you're off work.

It's the law.....

 

Isn't thinking about the truck paid as double time?

 

My company is pretty good about things. Except our safety meeting once a year, without pay. They do it by laying us off every Winter and then "rehiring" us in the Spring. It is treated as re-employment or re-hire interview with drug testing. Eight hours of mind numbing, back aching boredom all in their interest.

 

Last company I worked for paid us hourly anyway, so we would be paid an hourly wage for safety meetings.
The company I work for now pays $50 for attending the quarterly safety meetings.