In 2011, Aaron Nagy began work on what would become "Jimmy's Law." Spurred on by the murder of his friend Jimmy Wiebe, who was killed in a late-night robbery at a local Shell station, Nagy worked to gain support for legislation that would make it safer for workers who work nights in the province. That effort has resulted in a private member's bill by Saskatoon-Centre MLA David Forbes, and a renewed push for the legislation has begun, with a new petition to show support.
Nagy says it was something he had to do, in order to prevent similar events in the future.
"I decided I wanted to protect overnight workers because I didn't want it to happen to anyone else," Nagy says.
If the bill becomes law, the Occupational Health and Safety Act will be amended to require employers to either schedule two workers for shifts between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., or provide a secure barrier or locked door between the worker and the public.
Forbes explains that this petition was necessary because it pertains to the private member's bill introduced last session. He says that the support for Nagy's initial efforts, which included an endorsement from the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, was strong, and he says that this will continue that effort.
"We hope that many of the people of Saskatchewan join us in our mission to protect worker safety and prevent violence before it happens," Forbes says.
While it is a private member's bill, Forbes says he believes that the provisions are something both parties find common ground on. He says that he expects that the provisions recommended will be accepted, though potentially rolled into another bill.
"We know that there is a track record in the legislature for the government and the opposition to work together, especially when it comes to worker safety," Forbes says.
Forbes says that the work right now is consulting stakeholders and working people. Combined with more formal consultations, Nagy and Forbes will be going to businesses which are open late to see what security is in place at the moment and speak with people who work late night shifts.
"We're taking a proactive approach to get out and talk to those working men and women," Forbes says.
The visits to businesses started in Yorkton, at various businesses that are open all night. Forbes says that many businesses had already implemented some of the requirements outlined in the bill, including working in pairs or having employees behind a barrier. He notes that the regulations are necessary to ensure all businesses follow the same rules.
"Many felt safe, but it was a topic that they and their employer had talked about. They know they are working in a vulnerable situation and that it's different in working the day shift," Forbes says.
"It was amazing to see how some of them felt safe working because some of those safety precautions were in place. We were at one place where he was behind a locked door, and he said 'this makes me feel safe...' You have to feel safe at work," Nagy adds.
In the trips to local businesses, Nagy says that the most difficult visit of the night was going to that same Shell station where Wiebe died, but he says that the improvements implemented in that workplace are proof that the proposed legislation will work. The business, which has changed owners since the incident, has many of the precautions in the bill already in place, such as locked doors on the night shift.
"It's a mixed blessing. It's nice to see that they have the safety precautions in place, if something were to happen to the person who was there they would be looked after. But then you wonder why it wasn't done before, and maybe we wouldn't be here talking about Jimmy's death," Nagy says.
