The BC Federation of Labour Young Workers’ Committee are staging an overnight protest on tonight to highlight the safety laws put in place by the BC Liberals.
The Federation calls the laws 'weak' and fails 'to protect convenience store and gas station staff working alone at night.'
Starting at 8 p.m. tonight at Mac’s Convenience at 2601 Commercial Dr in Vancouver, protestors will gather to rally for BC’s current government and the Worker’s Compensation Board to strengthen current laws in order to keep workers safe from incidents of violence and theft.
The event will also honour 24-year-old, Grant De Patie, a gas station attendant who died in 2005.
De Patie was killed in a 'gas-and-dash' incident when he was working late and alone one night.
De Patie's death sparked new safety rules known as Grant’s Law, that initially provided protection for workers.
However, due to pressure from larger corporations, such as Mac’s, the BC Liberal government loosened some of the laws in 2012.
“To understand the extent to which late-night workers face danger, all you have to do is google ‘convenience store gas station robberies BC,’” said Caitlin Davidson-King, chairperson of the BCFED’s Young Workers’ Committee
She says returning to the previous regulations would keep workers safe.
Previous regulations included requiring two workers to be on shift together and having a barrier in place to protect workers during late night shifts.
Tonight's sit-in protest runs from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday, Apr. 15.
