The BC Federation of Labour says the provincial government is letting employers kill workers with impunity.
The statement has been made following Sunday's death of construction worker Rolan Huetzelmann at a Saanich construction site. During extreme wind conditions, Huetzelmann suffered fatal injuries after falling from some third storey scaffolding.
BC Federation of Labour president Irene Lanzinger says there are many unanswered questions, like why Huetzelmann wasn't wearing a harness, and whether he should have been working outside in extreme weather.
WorkSafe BC is now investigating the death, but Lanzinger says, historically, penalties have been woefully inadequate.
"There have been cases where employers have been negligent, and the penalties for that negligence are not anywhere of the order that they should be. They should be prosecuted under the criminal code; there should be jail time; and, unfortunately, we haven't seen that in the past."
WorkSafeBC has the power to recommend charges to Crown Counsel if it finds an employer negligent in the death of a worker.
A Saanich police investigation is still underway, as well.