CTV’S W-FIVE AND MIKE’S MOVING

We’ve all seen the articles and television programs on Mike’s Moving from Kelowna, BC. The company has appeared in articles in the Kelowna Courier and the Ottawa Citizen. It’s just the usual stuff we hear about rogue movers – overcharging, damage, failure to deliver, improper loading and storage, and, of course, no response to consumer inquiries.

CTV will air “W-FIVE Unloads On Canada’s Worst Movers,” on Saturday, February 12 (at 7 pm Eastern time – check your local listings) and on Sunday, as well.

A short report about Mike’s will appear on the CTV national news at 11 pm on Friday, February 11.

After the program has been broadcast, a web version of the story will be posted to CTV’s website (www.ctv.ca). It will include links to CAM, our consumer page, Industry Canada and the Better Business Bureau.

24 HOURS FIND-A-RENTAL

We have placed six articles in 24 hours Find-a-Rental since early December and will reuse them on about a ten-week cycle. Generally, the articles have been about how to avoid movers like Mike’s and how to find good movers like you.

We could use a bit of help in generating articles. We do need some ideas for articles that would be interesting to people who are about to move. Let us know.

24 hours Find-a-Rental presents an opportunity for members who wish to advertise in Canada’s major metropolitan areas. The magazine’s circulation will be extended to other metropolitan areas across Canada in the next months. The magazine has become a source of referrals for members throughout the Toronto area. CAM has obtained special positioning for CAM members in the magazine. Contact CAM if you wish to participate.

ONTARIO’S EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AMENDMENT ACT
(HOURS OF WORK AND OTHER MATTERS)

The Employment Standards Amendment Act (Hours of Work and Other Matters), 2004 (Bill 63) has been enacted by the Ontario Legislature. The new law will come into effect on March 1, 2005. The bill amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA 2000) to set out rules employers must follow if they want their employees to work more than 48 hours a week. New rules have also been established for employers who wish to average an employee’s work hours in order to determine overtime pay entitlements.

As of March 1, 2005, if an employer wants an employee to work more than 48 hours in a week, the employer must:

1. Give non-unionized employees a Ministry of Labour-produced information sheet regarding hours of work and overtime pay.
2. Obtain written agreement from the employee or, if the employee is represented by a union, the employee’s union.
3. Obtain approval from the Director of Employment Standards. (If certain conditions are met, limited excess weekly hours may be worked 30 days after an application has been made.)

The first two requirements also apply if an employer wants an employee to work excess daily hours.

The complete email that CAM received from Ontario’s Ministry of Labour has been posted (pdf) to our website.

VISA & MASTERCARD

CAM’s Visa and MasterCard program has been moving ahead with enthusiastic response from members. If you are not already getting a 2% discount rate from your credit-card supplier, contact CAM and we’ll put you in touch with one of Canada’s largest credit-card service companies.

BENEFIT PROGRAMS

CAM is working with our supplier members to provide members and their employees with benefit programs, including life, accidental death, short- and long-term disability, dental and drug. Contact CAM for details and contact information.

Also, for members who need to obtain additional cargo liability insurance to become Certified Canadian Movers, our supplier members are offering the upgrades at very reasonable rates. Phone CAM for contact information.