According to the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada, an astounding 348,747 lost time claims were made in 2022, the last year for which complete data is available.

Shockingly, this number doesn’t even count those who decline – or are illegally persuaded by their employers not – to report their injuries.

On Day of Mourning, Canada’s unions issued a demand for “Safe work now!”, a call to action for employers and governments to make work and workplaces truly safe for all workers.

“Every workplace injury is preventable, says Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. ” These injuries – be they physical or psychological – should never be seen as “part of the job”. Employers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that workers aren’t hurt or maimed.”

To ensure that every worker returns home whole from the job at the end of every work day, Canada’s unions demand from every level of government:

• Holding criminally negligent employers accountable through proactive enforcement of the Westray Law – not just for fatalities, but injuries as well;
• Substantive action to ensure workers know about the hazards in their work and workplace, regardless of the type of products they use;
• Development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to remove toxic substances from the workplace;
• That every workplace be free from violence and harassment; and
• Increased proactive workplace health and safety investigations and stronger enforcement of health and safety laws.

“Workers compensation systems must also provide workers with the compensation they deserve in a fair and transparent manner,” says Bruske. “Easy access to the rehabilitation and vocational services they need is also essential.”

Workers demand that governments have their backs, so they can get back on track: “Any shirking responsibility for injured workers by employers and governments is simply unacceptable: it’s time for safe work, now.” 

The post On Injured Workers Day, Canada’s unions say: safe work now! appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA––Canada’s unions welcome today’s announcement by the federal government that they will finally live up to their commitment to ratify the International Labour Organization Convention no. 190 (C-190) on Violence and Harassment.

“We are happy to see Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan’s long-awaited announcement that the federal government and all provinces are now on board with ratification of this vital international agreement to better protect workers from violence and harassment. Work shouldn’t hurt,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Canada’s unions have been fighting to ratify this for years. Now we must build on this momentum and swiftly implement this agreement.”

C-190 is a ground-breaking international agreement that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, makes governments accountable for preventing and addressing this violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for achieving this.

“We saw frontline health workers subject to harassment and violence as they cared for us. We saw increased domestic violence with more people working at home. We saw growing incidents of violent discrimination,” continued Bruske. “The fact is, women workers are disproportionately hurt by harassment and violence at work, while women, gender-diverse people, and other workers facing harassment and discrimination face additional barriers to reporting incidents. We must do better.”

Bruske pointed to a survey the Canadian Labour Congress released earlier this year that revealed widespread evidence of harassment and violence at work in Canada. Some sectors and jobs expose workers to an even higher risk of violence, including from third parties, as we saw against health workers during the pandemic.

“Too often, workers in Canada today are not protected by existing legislation, leaving them vulnerable and threatening their safety at work. C-190 is a comprehensive and inclusive agreement that, once implemented, will help make all workers safer,” concluded Bruske. “Canada’s unions are ready to get to work with governments and employers on a plan to swiftly implement these new protections. Together, we can build a world of work free of violence and harassment, in all its forms.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Progress towards a world of work free of violence and harassment appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – On the eve of federal, provincial and territorial labour minister meetings, chaired by Minister Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s unions are urging Canada’s leaders to protect our communities from COVID-19 and other future viruses by making sure workers have access to 10 paid sick days in every jurisdiction across Canada.

“Public health and worker protection go hand in hand. Throughout the pandemic, we saw that when workers can’t stay home, our communities pay the price with more outbreaks and worse health outcomes,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The reality is, we know paid sick leave saves lives. We urge the Minister of Labour to work with the provinces and territories to make sure all Canadian workers can stay home when sick by having access to 10 days of paid sick leave.”

While Canada’s unions welcomed the passage of federal legislation, they are urging the government to accelerate the law’s implementation.

“We thank parliamentarians and the government for passing the federal law so swiftly, and unanimously. But the pandemic is not over and new variants are swirling,” said Bruske. “It is critical that the government now brings this law into force immediately, so federally-regulated workers can begin accessing these sick days as soon as possible.”

Bruske added that the right to access sick leave must be accompanied by changes to workplace culture, so workers feel free to use their sick days. She pointed to how some of the existing provincial programs were underused, especially for non-unionized staff, because of pressure from employers. This particularly impacted care workers, from health care to child care to long-term care.

“Many unionized workers have already won hard-fought access to paid sick leave,” said Bruske. “Now we need to make sure new sick leave programs are designed to be used – and employees are no longer pressured to come to work when sick or fear losing their job.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Every worker deserves ten days paid sick leave appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

I think almost everyone can agree 2021 was a rough year. The pandemic we hoped was ending now rolls on with new variants and new disruptions.

But in 2021 we also saw some hopeful signs of what’s possible when people work together in common cause. Workers with newfound confidence demanding better. People seeking out jobs that offered regular schedules, better wages, and less precarity. Increased unionization rates in the middle of a pandemic.

That’s the energy Canada’s unions are bringing into 2022. So as everyone gets going on their New Year’s resolutions, we’ve got a few of our own. And we intend to keep them.

This is our time to build and our time to demand better. By lunchtime on January 4, Canada’s highest paid CEOs had already made the same pay that an average worker will take home for the year. Which is why Canada’s unions have resolved that 2022 is the year that the country’s top earners will pay their fair share.

Enough of these $10 million pay days for high-ranking executives. Enough of tax loopholes and bailout programs that support millionaires and billionaires. Frontline workers have been the ones to keep us all afloat through the last 22 months. It’s unconscionable that they’ve struggled to make ends meet while Canada’s top earners had one of their most profitable years ever in 2020.

In 2022 we must also resolve to permanently fix Employment Insurance and stop letting so many workers and their families fall through the cracks in hard times. As Omicron is teaching us, we can’t keep lurching from wave to wave; we must instead get ready for the next crisis. Supports for people thrown out of work were inadequate before the pandemic and the federal government’s new Lockdown Benefit is falling far short of the mark.

Our public health care has struggled under the strain of the pandemic and chronic staffing shortages. Health care workers are overextended and underpaid, and burnout rates among health care workers are at an all-time high. We must resolve to strengthen public health care, starting with investments in more nurses and health professionals. And we can save lives and improve living conditions by taking profits out of long-term care.

With so many drowning under the rising costs of essentials, we must resolve to make life more affordable in 2022. We can save families thousands through investments in affordable housing, making child care available and accessible to every parent, and actually implementing pharmacare.

Positive change is within our grasp – if we in the labour movement can work together with governments, civil society, and business. But we must learn the right lessons from the past 22 months of pandemic and make the right investments – so our communities are ready when the next crisis hits.

2021 showed us the road may be hard at times. We must resolve, together, to respond with resilience, determination, and real ambition to do better in 2022.

Bea Bruske is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow her on Twitter @PresidentCLC

The post Resilience, Determination and Ambition in 2022 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Here in Canada, we’ve made progress on recognizing gender-based harassment and violence as an issue in the world of work,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “But there is more work to be done. Our previous groundbreaking survey on domestic violence at work helped shape important change for survivors. We’ve once again partnered on a national survey, this time to study harassment and violence in the workplace.”

32 years after the École Polytechnique attack, gender-based harassment and violence remains a daily reality for too many workers. Today, in Canada:

• Homicide is the #1 killer of women in the workplace.
• 1 in 3 workers experience domestic violence, and over half report experiencing this violence at or near their workplace.
• 90% of transgender workers report feeling unsafe at work due to their gender identity or expression.
• 1 in 3 migrant care workers reported having their movement restricted by their employer during the pandemic.
• Gender-based violence and harassment from patients, co-workers, and the public “is endemic within the healthcare sector.”
• 70% of education workers experienced physical violence on the job, and women and gender-diverse workers experience this violence at a higher prevalence than men.
• Racialized women face higher levels of harassment and violence than non-racialized women and experience barriers to reporting, support and access to justice.
• Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of violence and six times more likely to be killed than non-Indigenous women.
• Over 60% of women and girls with disabilities experience gender-based violence.

The CLC’s national survey on domestic violence at work helped governments, employers and unions understand that domestic violence has significant impacts on workers and workplaces, putting jobs and safety at risk. It led to new policies and supports, including legislation that recognizes domestic violence as a hazard and gives workers access to paid leave so they don’t have to choose between their job and a paycheque.

Last year, the CLC partnered with the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women to conduct the first ever National Study on Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplace. The results will be revealed in January 2022, and will help determine the actions we need to take together, in order to reduce risk and prevent violence and harassment, to respond appropriately, and to support survivors.

“For too long, women and gender-diverse workers have been subject to unrelenting workplace harassment and violence. It’s unacceptable,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Canada’s unions have an important role to play, starting with urging the federal government to finally ratify and implement ILO Convention C-190. Everyone deserves safe homes, safe communities, and safety in the world of work. Together, we can build a safer world.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Canada’s unions: We all have an important role to play in ending gender-based violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are welcoming today’s announcement of new legislation making 10 days of paid sick leave available for all workers in federally-regulated workplaces as a positive step forward for public health and worker protection.

“Paid sick leave saves lives. We thank the federal government for taking this important step forward to better protect workers and create safer workplaces,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We have seen throughout the pandemic that if workers can’t stay home when sick, our communities pay a price with more COVID outbreaks and worse public health outcomes. We call on all parties to work together to quickly pass this bill.”

Bruske added that protecting workers must also include protecting their right to access sick leave when they need it, pointing to how some of the provincial programs have been underutilized, especially for non-unionized staff, because of pressure from employers. This has been particularly true for the people tasked with caring for others, including health care workers, child care workers and long-term care workers.

“Many unionized workers have already won hard-fought access to paid sick leave,” said Bruske. “Now we need to make sure this new sick leave program is designed to be used – and employees are no longer pressured to come to work when sick or fear losing their job.”

Bruske also said Canada’s unions welcome new measures to protect health care workers from harassment but cautioned that the right to strike and organize must be explicitly protected in any new law.

“The Charter of Rights protects workers’ rights to organize, unionize and, when necessary, go out on picket lines,” said Bruske. “Through unions, workers have achieved so much – from the 5-day work week to things like paid sick leave. It is vital that any new law protects the rights of workers.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Canada’s unions welcome federal legislation on paid sick leave and protecting health care workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

November 25 marks the beginning of the internationally commemorated 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Gender-based violence and harassment infiltrates every aspect of Canadian society, from our homes, to our community spaces, to the world of work. Violence and harassment is a daily reality for far too many workers in Canada, heightened even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “The argument that harassment and violence is inevitable in certain workplaces is unacceptable. All workers deserve to feel safe at work,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We want concrete action from the government to prevent and end gender-based violence and harassment at work. That starts with ratifying C-190.

C-190 is the first international standard of its kind that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for ending it. Once ratified, governments are accountable for preventing and addressing all forms of violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, and it gives unions the tools they need to make work safer for everyone.

Jobs and sectors dominated by women workers are disproportionately impacted by workplace harassment and violence. Women and gender diverse workers who also face discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, race, disability, Indigeneity, immigration or migration status or other social identity are also more likely to experience workplace harassment and violence, and face additional barriers to reporting. Too often, workers are not protected by existing legislation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and threatening their safety at work.

“Now is the time for action. The pandemic has increased incidents of harassment and violence against health care and other frontline workers,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “And incidents of domestic violence for those working from home have also increased over the past 20 months. C-190 is comprehensive and inclusive. It gives us the tools we need to prevent and address gender-based violence at work, and work toward ending it.”

Join us in marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by asking the new Minister of Labour to ratify C-190 to protect all workers in Canada.

On December 7^th we invite everyone to join the CLC’s virtual webinar on gender-based violence at work and learn how ILO C-190 will impact workers in Canada.

The post Canada’s unions call on federal government to ratify and implement C-190 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Hospital staff across Canada have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic, providing essential care and helping to keep our communities safe. Protesting vaccine mandates in front of hospitals where workers are providing life-saving care and some patients are fighting for their lives is not only thoughtless and ignorant, it could also be considered harassment,” said CLC President Bea Bruske.

As the Delta variant gains momentum in communities across Canada, health care workers and public health experts have raised the alarm about the potential strain the fourth wave could place on our hospital system. The COVID-19 crisis is not over and Canada’s unions strongly support vaccination against COVID-19 for every Canadian who can be vaccinated.

“Healthcare workers have been through enough over the last 18 months. Between the physical, mental and emotional toll of the pandemic, equipment and staffing shortages and rising rates of violence and harassment at work, they deserve our respect and support for the incredible work they continue to do. We stand with healthcare workers across Canada,” said Bruske.

The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and provincial nurses’ unions across Canada are holding a National Day of Action on September 17 to demand that governments fix the country’s nursing crisis. Learn more about the day of action here.

The post Canada’s unions stand with hospital workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

COVID-19 is not the seasonal flu. It is much more deadly and has inflicted far greater damage on our health system, our economy, our livelihoods and the individual health of Canadians.

Canada’s unions strongly support vaccination against COVID-19 for every Canadian that can be vaccinated.

Science has demonstrated that vaccinations – alongside other measures like enhanced indoor ventilation, masking and physical distancing – are the most effective ways to fight COVID-19 and keep each other safe. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and maximizing vaccination rates is essential to defeating the virus.

Governments, unions, employers and the CLC have successfully collaborated in the “Faster, Together” campaign to promote awareness and increase vaccination rates. Labour strongly urges continued support and prioritization for these efforts.

Canada’s unions are concerned with the potential of mandatory vaccination policies to hand employers overreaching powers, with workers bearing the consequences. The following principles and priorities are therefore fundamental to the labour movement:

Any decision to impose mandatory vaccination policies must be based on scientific evidence and be made by public health officials, not employers or unions. Rules must be clear, consistent and based on the determination of public health experts, rooted in scientific evidence. It cannot be left to employers or unions, or be made for politically motivated reasons. Where the science supports a vaccination disclosure/testing policy for high risk settings or other workplaces, unions will comply.

Unions must be consulted in the development and implementation of any mandatory vaccination policies. The implementation details and legal framework for mandatory vaccination policies are critically important. Exemptions, accommodations for disability and other needs and human rights and privacy protections are essential. Some workers cannot be vaccinated for health reasons and other legitimate and protected reasons; these workers must be accommodated.

Government and employers have an obligation to take steps to maximize access and minimize barriers to vaccination. Some workers face legitimate barriers to getting vaccinated. Vaccine access is a challenge for workers in remote and rural areas. Some workers face challenges in getting time away from work and caregiving obligations. There are also systemic barriers facing low-income workers and those from racialized and equity-seeking groups. Some are hesitant and need education, information and support. Governments and employers have a responsibility to make vaccination as easy and straightforward as possible, including providing workplace and community vaccination clinics, paid vaccination leave and paid sick leave to deal with side effects resulting from vaccinations.

Canada’s unions are clear: we all have a collective responsibility to halt the transmission of the coronavirus that is sickening and killing people in Canada and worldwide. Our personal health, but also our jobs and economic livelihoods depend on minimizing the need for further lockdown measures.

Unions reject threats of discipline or termination as an approach to increasing vaccination rates. Unions will defend workers’ interests and insist employers respect the terms and conditions of the collective agreement and human rights codes. There are feasible and practical ways to respond to workers who are hesitant or opposed to vaccination. Regular testing, PPE, remote work, leave without pay and proven health and safety protocols are often feasible alternatives to discipline and termination.

Governments and employers have an obligation to ensure our workplaces are safe for workers. Unions insist that employers continue to fulfill their obligations to ensure workers’ health and safety in the workplace, including personal protective equipment, enhanced ventilation, workplace hygiene, masking and distancing requirements, as long as health professionals, including experts in occupational health and safety, advise these should remain in place. Vaccinations must not be an excuse to drop these protections or to download their health and safety responsibilities onto workers’ shoulders.

Privacy protections for workers and restrictions on employers’ access to confidential health information are a must. Unions are concerned about the confidentiality of workers’ vaccination information and the restrictions on employers’ ability to access and share this information. Labour also opposes employers being able to ask for this information prior to employment or to make employment decisions based on vaccination status.

Canada’s unions support public health measures to increase vaccination rates as an essential means of protecting Canadians’ health and safety and defeating the COVID 19 pandemic. This must be accomplished in a fair, reasonable, transparent, equitable fashion with full consultation and negotiation with unions.

The post Statement on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Access to paid sick days reduces the spread of COVID and helps workers who keep our economy going stay safe,” said Bruske. “Workers have now suffered through four waves of this pandemic. It’s long past time political parties support paid sick leave for all workers.”

Alongside vaccination against COVID-19, enhanced indoor ventilation, physical distancing, mask requirements, and personal protective equipment, paid sick leave is essential to containing and defeating the virus.

“Workers without paid leave protections have sometimes faced a terrible choice: go to work while ill, at the risk of infecting others, or stay home and lose pay or even their job. In a pandemic, no one should have ever been faced with this dilemma,” said Bruske. Workers must be confident that they won’t suffer reprisal if they’re too ill to come to work. And that requires legislating paid sick days as a universal right.”

Ten paid sick days would place the federal jurisdiction ahead of all provincial and territorial standards in Canada. Canada’s unions are calling on all political parties to commit to this basic labour right and are urging all jurisdictions across the country to follow suit.

The post Canadian workers to political leaders: it’s high time for paid sick leave appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

A few short weeks ago, I was truly honoured to be elected to serve the working people of Canada as president of the Canadian Labour Congress. My fellow officers and I do not take this responsibility lightly – and it is not a job anyone can do alone. We are counting on you for your support … and your action.

Lily Chang, Siobhán Vipond, Larry Rousseau and I have already hit the ground running because we know that Canadians may very well be headed towards a federal election in the middle of a pandemic – making it one of the most important elections in a generation.

My first experience in the labour movement was as a young worker fighting for fair wages, benefits and protections at a corner grocery store in Winnipeg. My spirits were lifted by the incredible support we received from other workers and community members.

That memory has continued to inspire me to stand up for other people, speak out against injustice, and to always – always – try to make the world a better place.

But that memory also stands out because of how relevant that lesson is today.

When the global pandemic plunged our economy into uncertainty, it was front line workers in every sector who kept our families safe and healthy, and our communities running.

After being celebrated as heroes for the first few months, most of those workers lost their wage premiums, despite their continued dedication and exposure to risk. Meanwhile, many of the corporate CEOs clawing back their benefits continue making record profits.

I am sure that every worker in Canada has a unique story about the impact of the pandemic.

The upcoming federal election will be our opportunity to define Canada’s priorities.

It is our opportunity to fight for decent wages, standards, and equity to ensure no one is left behind, and we know that workers’ rights are human rights.

It is our opportunity to fight for paid sick leave and social programs – like universal pharmacare, affordable childcare, better healthcare and a stronger social safety net – to put an end to precarity and insecurity.

And it is our opportunity to protect the planet for future generations, by demanding bold climate action and a sustainable recovery.

That’s why I am asking you, and every worker in Canada, to sign up to be a part of this fight.

Click here to join our Action Team to help amplify worker issues and priorities in the upcoming federal election. We will call on you to share messages, send letters, and press local candidates and national parties to support worker issues.

I also invite you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter to be a part of my team too.

After all, I know that we are much stronger when we work together.

In Solidarity,

Bea Bruske
President

The post Open Letter to the Working People of Canada appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The first known criminal probe into a COVID-19 workplace outbreak occurred this past January when the RCMP initiated a criminal investigation into the May 10, 2020 death of Benito Quesada, a worker at the Cargill meat packing plant in High River, Alberta. The investigation commenced after a family member filed a complaint that the company was negligent in protecting its workers from COVID-19.

Charges have not been laid to date, but this is an important milestone in ensuring that when a worker is seriously injured or killed as a result of employer negligence it is treated as a crime, not an accident.

“We know that COVID-19 has spread in workplaces over the past year, and in some cases, workers weren’t properly protected,” said Hassan Yussuff, president of the CLC. “In the event of a worker’s serious injury or death, it is imperative that a full and thorough investigation be conducted to ensure that there was no negligence on the part of the employer.”

In May 1992, an early morning underground methane explosion killed all 26 miners working in the Westray coal mine in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

Following the explosion, Justice K. Peter Richard, who led the public inquiry into the disaster, uncovered “a complex mosaic of actions, omissions, mistakes, incompetence, apathy, cynicism, stupidity, and neglect.” No one was ultimately held responsible for the miners’ deaths.

The United Steelworkers lobbied and won changes to the Criminal Code of Canada so that employers could be convicted of criminal negligence. Since the Westray Law was enacted in 2004, it has led to only a handful of criminal charges and only one prison sentence, despite thousands of workplace deaths and serious injuries every year.

In 2017, the CLC called on the federal government to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster by ensuring better enforcement of the Westray sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. That same year, the federal Ministers of Justice and Employment, Workforce Development and Labour issued a statement committing to “…working with the CLC and its members, employers and with our provincial and territorial partners to help ensure that the Westray provision is applied effectively.”

“Today, we remember those lost in the Westray mine disaster 29 years ago,” said Yussuff. “We honour their memory by continuing to fight for workers’ health and safety rights. We have worked, and we will continue to work with government representatives and other stakeholders to ensure that the Westray law is upheld and effectively enforced. Every worker deserves to go home safely at the end of each day.”

The post Canada’s unions mark Westray anniversary with call to hold negligent employers accountable appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Now, with more contagious and deadly variants surging in most regions of the country, this third wave threatens to be the most-deadly phase of the pandemic that we have endured to date.

Without key measures to facilitate the most at-risk people getting the vaccine, including paid leave to get the vaccine, this pandemic will get much worse before it gets better.

Canada is in a race to get enough vaccines into arms to reach herd immunity. This is not an easy task.

CLC President Hassan Yussuff co-chairs a broad task group working to promote vaccine acceptance under the banner “Faster. Together”.

Earlier this month, as part of the work of that task force, Abacus Data published public opinion research on vaccine hesitancy in Canada.

Today, 64 percent of Canadian adults have either received their shot or would take one as soon as one is available to them. Eight percent have said they will never take a vaccine for COVID-19. That leaves 28 percent who currently say they would “prefer to wait a bit to see how the vaccine works out as others take it” or “would prefer not to take one but could be persuaded to”.

Of those vaccine-hesitant Canadians, most cite reasons like not knowing the long-term impacts of the vaccines or fear of blood clots – unsurprising, given some of the public challenges with certain vaccines – as reasons to hold off on getting their shot. Carefully crafted public health approaches will be key to resolving those concerns.

A significant number of those who are hesitant about getting the vaccine cite reasons that can be connected to the workplace. Including both major and minor reasons for being hesitant, 37 percent indicate that they are worried about missing work due to potential side effects. Twenty-three percent indicate they can’t afford to take time off to get a shot. An additional 27 percent indicate that getting vaccinated seems too complicated. This no doubt includes people who have concerns about how to get the vaccine while juggling work and family responsibilities. These work-connected reasons for hesitancy could be relatively easily addressed with smart public policy.

We know the virus is spreading at work, both in health care and care settings but also in factories, farm work and food processing, warehouses, schools, offices, transportation among others. We must do everything possible to remove the barriers to those most at risk, having access to these life-saving vaccines. That includes paid leave and prioritizing those essential workers who cannot stay home to get their shot.

Saskatchewan has updated its Occupational Health and Safety Regulations to ensure a minimum of three consecutive hours of paid leave for workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. British Columbia also introduced job-protected, paid leave for workers to get the vaccine, so their jobs and paycheque are protected. Alberta also updated its employment standards code to provide three hours of job-protected leave for workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Public health officials and others in the medical community have been clear that with more contagious and deadly variants surging, the vaccine rollout alone will not be enough to stem this wave of the pandemic. Fifty-eight percent of Canadian workers have no access to paid sick days. That number jumps to 70 percent for low-wage workers. This is forcing workers to choose between going to work sick or not putting food on their own table. This failure is putting us all at risk and is prolonging and deepening the impacts of the pandemic.

There is no silver bullet to beating this virus. Addressing the ways in which the workplace is contributing to the pandemic is critical.

Prioritizing essential workers who cannot stay home to get the shot, along with paid leave to do so, while making sure workers have adequate paid sick leave to stem workplace transmission are critical steps that will help us come back together healthy, faster.

The post We need smart public policy to address vaccine hesitancy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The International Trans Day of Visibility is celebrated around the world on March 31^st as an opportunity to highlight the contributions of trans and non-binary community members.

“It’s challenging to celebrate a day like today when many trans and non-binary community members continue to fear for their safety and well-being. Trans people face disproportionately high levels of violence and harassment, both in the workplace and in the community,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “Furthermore, transphobic violence has worsened during the pandemic. The federal government must take action to make workplaces safer by immediately ratifying ILO convention C-190. Everyone has a right to enjoy a workplace free from harassment and violence.”

Convention C-190 was adopted by the ILO in 2019 and is the first-ever global treaty on violence and harassment in the world of work. It sets out clear, gender-responsive policies for governments and employers to implement in order to work towards the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at work.

The numbers paint a stark picture. According to research by Égale Canada, 30 percent of Canadian LGBTQ2SI workers report experiencing discrimination in the workplace. For trans workers, the economic impacts of this kind of discrimination are particularly dire. Forty-nine percent of trans people are turned down or suspect they are turned down from a potential job opportunity because they are trans.

Racialized trans and non-binary people experience harassment at even higher rates. A recent report from Trans PULSE Canada on the health and wellbeing of racialized trans and non-binary people during the pandemic found that 72 percent had experienced verbal harassment in the past five years and almost half of respondents had been harassed at work or school. The majority also worried about being stopped or harassed by police or security because of who they are.

Download your copy of Workers in Transition today to learn how to be a workplace advocate for trans workers

The post Canada’s unions urge federal government to help end transphobic harassment in the workplace appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We were very glad to see sick leave specifically mentioned in this agreement,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Canada’s unions have been fighting for paid sick leave for all workers. This ensures that every worker can take time off when they are sick and need to self-isolate. Workers should not be penalized for taking care of themselves and safeguarding public health.”

It should be noted that BC Premier John Horgan acted as the champion of sick leave during these negotiations.

Unions are also welcoming other important measures in the new agreement including funding directed at municipalities and investments in child care and long-term care.

“Communities across the country are in financial crisis after months of unanticipated costs and collapsing revenues,” said Yussuff. “Municipalities are not only major employers, they are major economic drivers. This deal will have a significant impact, though we still have a long way ahead towards full recovery.”

The CLC is calling for reforms to the Employment Insurance system to support workers who will no longer be covered by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit in September.

“There is no quick way out of this crisis; funding must be directed towards social supports that will help workers get back on their feet,” said Yussuff. “Millions of Canadians are still facing uncertainty and governments will need to continue to step up.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post ‘Safe Restart’ agreement helps pave the path forward appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“As we face the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of the public sector has never been more evident,” said Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Hassan Yussuff. “Public sector workers have kept our communities running day-to-day, ensuring that Canadians can rely on the services they need. It is critical that governments safeguard these services against bids towards privatization.”

The CLC Task Force on New Forms of Privatization report, For the Public Good: The growing threat of privatization and workers’ proposals to protect our future, calls on governments to:

• Strengthen and expand public services and infrastructure for all;
• Expand public revenue;
• Expand and enhance public services;
• End the financialization of and the facilitation of privatization globally; and
• Expand public control over infrastructure development.

“As important as public services have been during this pandemic, they will be even more important as we re-open and re-build our economy,” said Yussuff.

The report’s recommendations on strengthening and expanding public services and infrastructure are especially relevant in the post-COVID-19 era. The report contains immediate actions to address threats and provides a long-term vision to build a sustainable and equitable public sector.

Read the Summary Statement here.

Read the Full Report here.

For more information:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“This is very good news for the millions of Canadians who still don’t have a job they can go back to and were growing concerned about paying their bills,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff. “The extension will allow families to continue paying their rent or mortgage and buying groceries.”

The CERB was originally scheduled to end within the next few weeks, leaving many Canadians who lost work due to COVID-19 without work or income support. The new extension to the end of August will allow these workers some peace of mind while waiting for the economy to further re-open.

“We look forward to hearing more details about this extension, as we continue with a safe and steady recovery,” said Yussuff. “We will continue checking in with workers across the country who want to be working but can’t yet. We will continue to advocate on their behalf at the federal level to ensure support stays in place as long as necessary.”

Many businesses are closing or evolving because of the COVID-19 crisis, meaning a lot still hangs in the balance in terms of rebuilding the economy and increasing employment levels. Canada’s unions will continue to be a voice for all workers as we survey the new landscape and pave the way forward.

For more information:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“This pandemic has laid bare the consequences of decades of funding cuts and privatization in the long-term care sector,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The tragedy we’re seeing is a direct result of the move to a for-profit model. Long-term care must be offered as a public service.”

As of mid-April, the number of people who have died of COVID-19 in Canada’s long-term care homes account for four out of every five pandemic-related deaths in the country.

For years Long-term care workers, unions and advocates for health care and seniors have been demanding systemic change.

“The current system is broken,” said Yussuff. “We need to see funding cuts reversed, and an end to the dangerous profiteering in the sector. What we have seen during this crisis was preventable.”

Canada’s unions are calling on the government to immediately address the failings COVID-19 exposed in long-term care by:

• Bringing long-term care into the public system and regulating it under the Canada Health Act;
• Removing private, for-profit businesses from the sector;
• Requiring proper staffing and health and safety protections for workers; and
• Permanently raising wages and benefits for long-term care workers to match the value of the work.

The full recommendations can be found here.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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We need to advocate for better mental health resources and supports for workers. This can help prevent mental illnesses from occurring in the first place. That’s why the Canadian Labour Congress offers a Mental Health At Work online portal.

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This is a monumental challenge in the era of COVID-19, but it is a challenge that we must meet. There are numerous Canadian and international examples of inadequate workplace health and safety protections leading to worker exposures and deaths and in some cases widespread community transmission of the virus. Workers are on the frontlines of this pandemic, and yet references to worker health and safety in public health guidance are rare and often insufficient.

As Canadian jurisdictions begin to re-start sectors of the economy, governments and employers must take steps to protect workers’ health and safety from COVID-19 exposure.

Before opening, employers must have in place a safety plan that keeps workers healthy and safe and ensures that workplaces don’t contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Specifically, employers must have an infection prevention and control plan, developed with the participation of workplace health and safety committees, or worker health and safety representatives. This plan must be in place before an employer is allowed to re-open. This plan must include a detailed health and safety response in the event of a workplace COVID-19 outbreak. Governments must have the capacity and commitment to enforcing occupational health and safety laws. If we are to avoid a dangerous second wave of COVID-19 infections, governments must also ramp up research and staffing capacity for rapid, effective COVID-19 testing and contact tracing to stem the spread of infections.

Health and Safety Rights at Work:

Canadian health and safety law is based on three basic rights at work, including:

1. The right to know about the dangers in their workplace;
2. The right to participate in decisions that affect their health and safety; and
3. The right to refuse unsafe work.

Employers have a duty to remove workplace hazards that put the health and the lives of workers at risk.

These health and safety rights at work are enshrined in law in every jurisdiction in this country. Canada’s unions are clear: we will not relinquish those rights, risking workers’ lives as governments and employers make decisions to re-open sectors of the economy. We will not accept employers or our governments prioritising profits over people, putting workers in harm’s way without the appropriate safeguards and protective equipment. Employers must fulfill their duty to ensure a safe workplace, even in the face of this pandemic. Governments must protect a workers’ right to refuse unsafe work, and not ask workers to put their lives on the line without ensuring that every possible step is taken to allow them to do their jobs safely.

When a worker invokes their right to refuse unsafe work, they are deploying the last tool available to them to protect themselves from grave danger. It is not a step that anyone takes lightly. Accounts of government regulators ruling against all but a handful of refusals are extremely troubling. Reports indicating that there have been over 200 work refusals in Ontario with not a single one being upheld after the provincial government quietly set-up an internal committee to oversee the inspectors’ enforcement efforts, and inspectors reporting a chill on their ability to do their jobs is unacceptable to workers. Unions having to file complaints with the provincial labour relations board for employers to fulfill their health and safety obligations and the government to enforce the law is unacceptable. Workers deserve better than this. Ensuring that workers can exercise their basic health and safety right to safe work is non-negotiable.

Paid Sick Leave and Job Protection:

Although certain provinces have instituted COVID-19-specific measures to allow for quarantine or self-isolation, many of those sanctioned sick days are unpaid. No jurisdiction in Canada provides adequate, job-protected paid sick leave, leaving workers in the impossible situation of having to choose between paying the bills and protecting their health and that of their coworkers and community. Further, access to the protections that do exist often depends on where a person lives and what job they do. This is a recipe for a public health catastrophe.

Governments must ensure that every worker has access to at minimum, 14 paid, job-protected sick days so that they can take time off work when they are sick and need to quarantine or self-isolate.

Key to preventing a second, more severe wave of COVID-19 infections is ensuring that every worker in the country has access to sufficient paid, job-protected sick leave, regardless of where they live in Canada.

Worker Engagement:

Before re-opening, employers must make a COVID-19 safety plan that demonstrates how they will operate safely. This safety planning is key to ensuring that the workplace is effectively implementing COVID-19 controls and that the health and safety of workers and others aren’t put at risk as a result of their work arrangement.

It is important that employers consult with workers, their unions and their health and safety representatives about how to make sure these safety plans and COVID-19 controls will work. Engaging joint health and safety committees early on, and in an ongoing way is crucial to ensuring safe workplaces. Engaging workers, through their health and safety committees to participate in assessing COVID-19 related hazards and developing responses is an important part of good health and safety practice and must be included in workplace COVID-19 safety planning.

It is also the law. Canadian law and international labour conventions to which Canada is party require employers to involve workers in decisions that affect workplace health and safety. Employers cannot ignore workers’ concerns, making decisions unilaterally. Governments must commit to robust enforcement of these statutes.

Hazard Prevention and Control:

Hazard prevention planning and the hierarchy of controls are common workplace health and safety prevention tools. While there will be COVID-19 related hazards in the workplace for the foreseeable future, certainly until an effective vaccine is widely available, those hazards must be controlled to protect worker safety. Employers can play a role in preventing COVID-19 being transmitted to workers and the wider community by putting in controls to minimize the risk of infection, including:

• Supporting people with flu-like symptoms to self-isolate;
• Ensuring separation distances in the workplace;
• Disinfecting surfaces;
• Maintaining good hygiene, particularly good hand hygiene and cough/sneeze protocols.

Other controls to minimize exposure:

The workplace hazard prevention/control program and the hierarchy of controls must be deployed to reduce the likelihood of exposure. This includes:

• Eliminating hazards and Substituting higher risk procedures with lower risk activities, including allowing ongoing increased flexible working from home/telework arrangements to facilitate greater physical distancing within workplaces;
• Implementing engineering controls, including workplace design, equipment and ventilation system changes to reduce exposure;
• Using administrative controls such as staggered scheduling, controlling or restricting access to common spaces, more frequent cleaning/disinfecting of the workplace, preparing and training for emergency situations, as well as training and communication on COVID-related health and safety procedures and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Assessing work schedules and the potential need for additional health breaks to accommodate for fatigue related to the use of PPE, or increased workload related to COVID-19 protocols.
• Ensuring that workers have access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when the hazard cannot be eliminated through substitution, engineering or administrative controls. As it will be impossible to completely eliminate COVID-19 hazards in some workplace contexts through the use of substitution, engineering and administrative controls, an adequate supply of appropriate PPE will be critical to any strategy to re-open the economy. Workers will also require training and opportunities to practice in order to use PPE effectively. PPE must be provided at no cost to the worker.

The Precautionary Principle and Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment

As a new coronavirus, our knowledge of this virus, how it is transmitted and how infection presents with symptoms of COVID-19 is far from settled. As with any new hazard, a health and safety approach requires that we use the precautionary principle when making decisions on how to eliminate or control for this hazard. That means, implementing the higher level of protection, and not waiting for scientific certainty before taking precautions. Otherwise, individual workers are left to bear the burden of new hazards while our knowledge evolves. Just as knowledge about how COVID-19 symptoms presents in different populations is evolving, so is the evidence of how this virus is transmitted. There remains a lack of consensus on potential transmission pathways for COVID-19. Workers at elevated risk of exposure as a result of the populations they work with must be protected from all potential, not only the most common, routes of transmission.

Personal protective equipment is the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls. If it fails, the worker is exposed to the hazard without any protection at all. This is why the precautionary principle is at the core of the labour movement’s argument for providing the higher levels of protection for workers.

Governments and employers would do well to remember the lessons of earlier outbreaks with this observation from the author of the SARS Commission Report:

“Scientific uncertainty and scientific debate can go on forever,” wrote Justice Archie Campbell at the conclusion of a public inquiry he led into Ontario’s handling of the SARS outbreak that killed dozens and sickened hundreds nearly two decades ago.

“What we need to do is to follow the precautionary approach that reasonable steps to reduce risk need not await scientific certainty … There is no longer any excuse for governments and hospitals to be caught off guard and no longer any excuse for health-care workers not to have the maximum level of protection through appropriate equipment and training.”

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is making all of its pandemic planning and mental health resources available at no charge. Those resources can be found here.

CCOHS has also prepared a series of COVID-19 tip sheets for a variety of workplace sectors, which can be found at no cost here.

Worker Safety Data Collection and Transparency:

Some workers are at increased risk for workplace COVID-19 infections. Healthcare workers represent a disproportionately high percentage of those infected in Canada. Workers in food processing, transport, essential retail and all public-facing positions are also at increased risk for infection. To date, there is insufficient tracking and reporting on workplace exposures, illnesses and deaths of workers in these and other sectors. There is also a need for greater tracking and transparency on how this pandemic is affecting populations differently. We see in other countries that the number of exposures, illness and poorer outcomes varies significantly across equity-seeking groups and income levels. Canadian jurisdictions must collect and report on this data. Public health agencies can assist by supporting public exposure and infection registries to collect and report on this data. There is also a need for greater tracking and transparency on the state of supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Fears of shortages without sufficient data lead to decisions that are putting frontline workers in harm’s way.

Protect Workers from Reprisals:

Just as the burden of the pandemic is not being experienced equally, neither will workers’ ability to return to the workplace as jurisdictions begin to re-open sectors of their economy. Workers with responsibilities to care for children or vulnerable adults, or who are at elevated risk for poor outcomes if they are exposed to the virus must be protected from reprisals if they cannot return to work when their workplace re-opens.

Employers must also accommodate, or implement specific controls to protect workers with elevated individual risk factors such as chronic medical conditions, pregnancy or older age when they return to the workplace.

Workers’ Compensation Systems:

Our first priority must be preventing worker exposures, illness and deaths from COVID-19. However, workers need to know that their workers’ compensation system will provide the benefits and supports that they need if they become ill as a result of their work. This is especially true in this pandemic. That means, broadening coverage to include all workers – including those in workplaces currently exempt from mandatory compensation coverage, as well as precarious and gig economy workers. It also means ensuring coverage for workers who must be quarantined or self-isolate as a result of a workplace exposure but may not yet have symptoms of COVID-19. It means streamlining adjudication processes for workers and protecting injured workers’ right to appeal decisions. It also means removing systemic financial incentives for employer claims suppression related to COVID-19 infections.

Finally, it also means moving to presumptive coverage for COVID-19 related illness, so that workers are not denied access to supports, waiting for their claim to be accepted. Certain international jurisdictions have implemented presumptive compensation coverage for some frontline workers, recognizing that streamlining the process for accessing supports will result in better health outcomes and safer return to work pathways for workers at higher risk of COVID-19 infection. We are encouraged to see that WorkSafe BC has begun the process to include COVID-19 for presumptive compensation coverage. Other jurisdictions must move in the same direction, to ensure that workers have the supports and compensation they need when their work makes them sick.

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“There are 4.9 million workers across the country who have been deemed essential, and many of them have been struggling to make a decent living for years,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The current pandemic has shown that these workers are the backbone of our society. Yet, society has failed to value them adequately, which is reflected through inadequate wages, the lack of supports and the precarious nature of temporary, part-time employment. That must end now.”

Since the start of the public health crisis, Canada’s unions have brought attention to the issues workers have been facing, including a lack of paid sick leave, the low wages of many frontline workers, and the lack of proper protective equipment and inadequate safety measures across the country.

The campaign is titled; “Heroes Deserve Better” and it will put a spotlight on the struggles frontline workers are facing, while at the same time giving Canadians a way to show gratitude for the critical services these workers provide.

“Heroes deserve paid sick leave and heroes deserve a living wage. They deserve jobs with benefits and proper health and safety measures,” said Yussuff. “Canada’s unions will ensure that they are not forgotten in the recovery.”

The online campaign launches today, May Day. Frontline workers are invited to share their experiences and to express what they hope happens as the crisis goes on, and once it is over.

Canadians across the country are also invited to share stories of a frontline worker they know and would want to see profiled in this special series. Share a story here.

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Migrant workers, undocumented people, people living on low-incomes, international students, racialized workers and refugees are particularly vulnerable to the health fallout of the current pandemic, as well as the economic impacts of the crisis.

“It is critical that the strategies around containing the virus and supporting workers includes these vulnerable populations,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This includes upholding the human rights of asylum seekers who present at irregular crossings along Canada’s border. No one should be turned away but screened for the virus while being provided with the support guaranteed under our international obligations to refugees and migrants.”

The CLC echoes the Migrant Rights Network call for immediate government action to ensure:

• healthcare for all, including those without status;
• comprehensive worker protections, including paid emergency leave;
• a stop on detentions and deportations;
• increased funding for community supports, including food banks; and
• emergency shelters.

Furthermore, the CLC is calling on everyone to be vigilant against anti-Asian racism due to the unfair linkages being made with Chinese communities and the virus.

“We know there will be those who take advantage of a global crisis to unfairly scapegoat certain groups. This is absolutely unacceptable. Racism, xenophobia, and expressions of hate have no place in our communities. Canada’s unions will continue to promote inclusive communities.

“This global pandemic must bring about the best in all of us. Together, we will get through the immense challenges we are now facing,” said Rousseau.

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Vulnerable workers are at the front lines of the current crisis, in our hospitals, grocery stores and pharmacies, making sure Canadians have access to the food and medications they need to get through COVID-19 closures.

At the same time, in the days and weeks ahead, thousands of Canadians may be told their place of employment is shutting down and they no longer have an income. This financial aid package will help deliver money directly to the workers who need it most.

“The only way out of this crisis is through solidarity and support for each other, it’s what we do best,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We look forward to working with the government in the coming days and weeks to ensure no one gets left behind.”

Canada’s unions have called for direct income supports for those not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI), like the Emergency Support Benefit and Emergency Care Benefit announced today.

The Prime Minister has indicated that these actions are part of the first phase of government intervention that will be needed to ensure Canadians get the support they need throughout this crisis.

“We are very glad to hear both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance say that our government is prepared to do more,” continued Yussuff. “This signals that they are ready to be more ambitious, and we believe they will have to be very soon, to continue to adequately respond to this crisis.”

It is good to see Canada’s banks announcing steps to allow flexibility for mortgage payments, which will be a huge relief for many families, and Canada’s unions are calling for flexibility across the board for rent, utilities and bill payments.

You can learn more about direct actions the CLC has asked the government and employers to consider here.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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Income support will be critical to minimizing the economic impact of COVID-19.

In addition, the Canadian Labour Congress is calling on all governments and employers to take every step necessary to protect the health and well-being of workers, including health care workers who are on the frontlines of this public health emergency. These measures include:

1. Permitting flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, video and teleconferencing, ending non-essential travel, and postponing unnecessary meetings and events.
2. Providing paid sick leave under short-term disability and sick leave plans while maintaining drug coverage.
3. Providing 14 days paid sick leave for workers under prevailing federal, provincial and territorial labour standards to cover the quarantine period. 
4. Waiving any requirement for a doctor’s note to permit sick leave.
5. Prohibiting coronavirus testing as a condition of continued employment.
6. Working with Service Canada to take full advantage of the improved EI Work-Sharing Program to minimize layoffs.
7. Working closely with health and safety committees and unions to provide accurate and timely information to employees about accessing benefits and support.
8. Providing compassionate care and bereavement leave support to employees, as well as mental health counselling and support.
   

   Specific to health care workers, employers should, among other things:

    

9.  Provide an adequate supply of appropriate N95 respirators on hand as well as PAPR (for aerosol-generating procedures, e.g. intubation) and other personal protective equipment.
10. Conduct a risk assessment to determine all points of potential entry (and how to restrict them) and other points of potential exposure for workers (e.g. screening, triage, isolation rooms).

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“We continue to share our recommendations with the federal government as this situation progresses. While there has been an important move in easing measures around Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, the government will need to go much further to protect the most vulnerable,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

After decades of cuts, Canada’s unemployment safety net is wholly inadequate and paid sick leave policies across the country are insufficient.

In 2018, only 33 per cent of unemployed women and 38 per cent of unemployed men received EI benefits. Seasonal workers, those with precarious employment and the self-employed are most vulnerable and will require urgent support.

“While we acknowledge the important measures all levels of governments are taking to ease the burden on the business community to help save jobs in the private sector, more must be done to assist front-line workers in health care fields who are vital in the fight against COVID-19,” said Yussuff.

Further, CLC urges the federal government to:

• Reduce the entry requirement for EI regular and sickness benefits;
• Immediately increase the current benefit rate from 55 per cent to 60 per cent;
• Establish an emergency benefit with a low minimum contribution requirement to support otherwise ineligible workers;
• Implement regulations to waive the requirement that claimants obtain a doctor’s note if they require quarantine;
• Make additional government funds available to provide special income relief for health sector workers who may be subject to quarantine or who become sick;
• Instruct utilities, banks, landlords, credit card companies and financial institutions to extend and relax mortgage, rent and bill payment requirements, loan servicing obligations, and other responsibilities facing consumers and households;
• Work with First Ministers to declare that no one be fired for self-quarantining or recovering from infection, and that if a worker loses their job for these reasons, they will be reinstated;
• Double the GST/HST credit to provide income support to low-income Canadians; and
• Increase the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) paid to low- and modest-income families.

“Single and vulnerable parents living paycheck to paycheck are going to struggle to pay rent and utilities if they have to scale back hours and turn down shifts to deal with the child care crisis. We know that these measures will disproportionately affect women.

“All across Canada, working people have been listening to public health authorities and doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19—it is now time for Canada to support them.”

Read more: Supporting workers in a time of crisis — Key steps for governments and employers.

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“The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the CLC are uniting our response efforts to ensure all appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 for Canada’s employers and employees.

“Canada’s economy, and the workers who support it, are set to face an unprecedented test. These challenges must be met with teamwork and coordination among Canadian workers and their families, businesses and governments. We were pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the challenges facing business and labour with Prime Minister Trudeau and look forward to hearing about the government’s response.

“The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the CLC will be united in our efforts to ensure that every sector of the economy receives all necessary stabilizing support. Furthermore, we will develop complimentary policy options to help governments implement timely and meaningful programs to support Canadians through this period.

“At every turn, we will be looking to work collaboratively and assist all levels of government to ensure response programs reach those who need support in a timely and effective manner.”

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Because Business Matters

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce helps build the businesses that support our families, our communities and our country. We do this by influencing government policy, by providing essential business services and by connecting businesses to information they can use, to opportunities for growth and to a network of local chambers, businesses, decision-makers and peers from across the country, in every sector of the economy and at all levels of government, as well as internationally. We are unapologetic in our support for business and the vital role it plays in building and sustaining our great nation.

About the Canadian Labour Congress

The CLC is the largest labour organization in Canada, bringing together dozens of national and international unions, provincial and territorial federations of labour and community-based labour councils to represent more than 3 million workers across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Phil Taylor
ptavlor@chamber.ca

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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Every year since, communities across the country have mourned those, and innumerable others, lost to gender-based violence with a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.  

While recent federal initiatives have progressed the drive to end institutionalized violence and harassment, the solutions are a patchwork and not enough to address the systemic current crisis. That’s why Canada’s unions mark this important anniversary with a demand for our newly elected federal government: commit to action to end violence and harassment, hold perpetrators accountable and make Canada’s workplaces safe.

“Canada’s unions are calling on our government to commit to a national action plan that includes ratifying C-190—a new global Convention on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It’s time for federal leadership that will set a standard for provinces and municipalities across the country.”

Earlier this year, the international community came together at the Centenary Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to adopt a new convention on violence and harassment in the workplace. C-190 is a historic convention that Canada’s government played an instrumental role in negotiating.

“Canada has an opportunity to be amongst the first countries in the world to ratify this convention,” said Clarke Walker, who served as Worker Vice-Chair, leading the negotiations on C-190 on behalf of the global trade union movement. “We mark today by remembering those lost to gender-based violence and by recommitting ourselves to the elimination of institutionalized violence and harassment. With leadership and action, we can end sexual harassment and violence in workplaces.”

For more information about the École Polytechnique Massacre and National Day of Remembrance, click here. And to stand in solidarity with communities across the country, find a December 6^th vigil near you.

Write to Prime Minister Trudeau today and urge him to make workplaces safe for everyone by ratifying C-190. 

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Convention C-190 was adopted at the Centenary Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) earlier this year. The ILO is the UN system’s only tripartite agency, bringing together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and create programs promoting decent work for all.

The ILO Convention is legally binding once it is ratified by a country. 

Convention C-190 and its supplementing Recommendation set out clear policies grounded in social dialogue and requiring an integrated, gender-responsive approach to the prevention and elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.

“Over half of women in Canada will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime,” said CLC’s Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “We have made progress in recent years, and ratifying this convention will send a clear message that all workers have the right to a world of work free from violence and harassment.”

Join us in marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by asking our Prime Minister to begin the process of ratifying Convention C-190 before the end of 2020.

Write to him now.

Since 1981, women’s rights advocates have marked November 25^th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. You can learn more about the history of this work here.

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The World Day for Decent Work is a global day of action for trade unions around the world. The theme for 2019, Investing in care for gender equality, recognizes that work in the care sector remains significantly undervalued, despite a growing demand.

The majority of workers who provide care for children, sick or elderly adults or people with disabilities are women. Many care workers are racialized, new to Canada, or working here temporarily.

Canada’s low investment in care, with the expectation that women will care for loved ones, unpaid, is a huge barrier to increasing women’s workforce participation, to tackling the gender pay gap and to achieving equality between women and men at work and in society.

Care work is characterized by poor pay and bad working conditions. These jobs are often precarious, offer little to no benefits or job security, involve long hours and heavy, challenging workloads.

Workers in the care sector experience astonishingly high rates of violence and harassment, including physical and sexual violence. Many care jobs are informal, leaving workers without the protection of employment or health and safety legislation, access to employment insurance or CPP.

A task force on care work would:

• Examine paid and unpaid care work;
• Develop a federal strategy to meet the increasing demands for care;
• Reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care work by improving access to public care services; and
• Create a labour market strategy for care jobs.

Investing in the care economy by providing universal and affordable access to care services would double down on the benefits to gender equality in Canada – by creating good jobs for women with fair compensation and safe, decent working conditions, and by making it possible for more women to get a decent job and support their families.

Without a significant investment in our already-stretched public care services, women will most likely be left to pick up the slack.

It’s time to build and grow the care sector and promote decent work for care workers.

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After over a year of negotiations with governments, employers, and workers, the Centenary International Labour Conference adopted the new framework at its convention in Geneva.

“It is a historic day,” said CLC’s Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker, who served as Worker Vice-Chair for the negotiations. “We set out to draft a standard that would stand the test of time, that would carry us forward into the next century of the ILO, and would meet the challenges of the future world of work.”

The ILO is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social justice and promote decent work by setting international labour standards.

The ILO Convention and Recommendation set out clear policies, grounded in social dialogue and requiring an integrated, gender-responsive approach to the prevention and elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work. The Convention is legally binding, while the Recommendation provides advice.

“I truly believe what you have before you today are texts that we can all be proud of – instruments that are both ground-breaking and visionary, but also practical and actionable,” said Clarke Walker in a speech to delegates at the conference.

“Having a global minimum standard to prevent and address violence and harassment in the world of work will bring hope to millions of workers – hope that a world of work free from violence and harassment is possible,” she added.

Canada’s unions congratulate Clarke Walker and all of the participants in the standard-setting process.

“This is a great achievement,” said Hassan Yussuff, CLC President. “Now that we have secured this ground-breaking convention, we urge Canada to be among the first countries to ratify. We stand ready to ensure its effective implementation, so everyone can fully enjoy the right to work free from violence and harassment.”

Read the full text of the new Convention and Recommendation here.

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“Collective bargaining allows working people to take part in fundamental decisions affecting their lives and, through collective action, improve conditions and prospects for their families, instead of forcing a race to the bottom,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “All workers should be able to exercise the fundamental right to a collective voice in their workplace.”

Collective bargaining allows working people to come together through labour unions to have a say on wages and working conditions, providing a counterbalance to corporate power. Through collective bargaining, working people in unions have negotiated higher wages, better benefits and safer workplaces. It is also the best means for raising wages and conditions for all workers in Canada.

The freedom to form and join a union is core to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights and is an “enabling” right—a fundamental right that ensures the ability to protect other rights. Canada ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise in 1972, and in 2017, Canada ratified ILO Convention 98 recognizing the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining.

However, one of most significant gains came in 2015 when Canada’s highest court fully recognized labour rights in Canada through two judgements that have been broadly interpreted to mean that collective bargaining is constitutionally protected by the Charter guarantee of freedom of association. Through its rulings, the Supreme Court of Canada told Canadians, employers and government not only that the right to collective bargaining belongs among the fundamental freedoms of Canadians, but that the ability to form independent associations for the purposes of free collective bargaining, backed by power of the strike, is a fundamental good in Canadian democracy and society.

Today, the overwhelming majority of Canadian workers have the legal right to collective bargaining.

“Beyond union members, all workers in Canada benefit from gains originally won by unions at the bargaining table, that were later adopted in labour legislation,” said Yussuff. “Minimum wage, holiday pay, maternity leave, and overtime premiums were first negotiated by unions, as were workplace health and safety regulations. From the bargaining table, these became law and now these gains lift the standard for all Canadian workers.”

In recent years, Canada’s unions have continued to win significant victories that improve the livelihoods of all workers, through an historic expansion of the Canada Pension Plan, a national ban on asbestos, paid domestic violence leave, and improvements to employment standards and labour laws across the country. The Canadian Labour Congress’ current campaign for a universal pharmacare plan would deliver prescription medication to everyone in Canada, regardless of their income, age or where they work or live.

“Empowered by the right to collectively bargain, unions continue to fight for the intrinsic rights of working people that restore the balance of economic power in our country,” said Yussuff. “Celebrating Collective Bargaining Day is a way to honour often-overlooked and misunderstood laws that support our core Canadian values of equality, cooperation, and fairness.”

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“One workplace death is already too many. Workers deserve to arrive home safely at the end of their workday. No one should die for their job,” said Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Hassan Yussuff. “Yet, there were almost one thousand reported workplace deaths in Canada in 2017, and recent research shows us that these statistics on workplace injuries, accidents and illnesses are just the tip of the iceberg,” Yussuff continued. Official numbers only take into account approved compensation claims, leaving out illnesses and deaths that go unreported or claims that are denied, or workers not covered by compensation systems at all.

Workers need better enforcement of existing occupational health and safety legislation, and the Westray sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. Employers need to invest in proven prevention tools, including empowered, well-trained health and safety committees.

Unfortunately, provincial governments across the country – like Ontario and Manitoba –have been weakening health and safety provisions when they should be working to strengthen them. Ontario announced a change in its requirement for basic health and safety certification from the current standard three days of instructor-led, in-class training to a one-day on-line course. And Manitoba introduced changes to its Workplace Safety and Health legislation, eliminating the Chief Prevention Officer position and adding a six-month deadline for workers to report complaints. It also provided new authority for a labour director to dismiss complaints without first starting an investigation.

“The previous federal government weakened the definition of danger in the labour code without any consultation. The right to refuse dangerous work is often a worker’s last line of defence,” said Yussuff. “This government must reinstate the previous definition, that was developed in consultation with workers and employers.”

Canada’s unions have also called on the federal government to better protect workers. This means reinstating the pre-2014 definition of danger in the Canada Labour Code Part II to once again include the right to refuse dangerous work, hiring and training more federal health and safety officers, and enforcing the laws we have including legislated occupational health and safety requirements and the Westray Law.

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“Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest garment exporter. Roughly 4 million people work in the country’s four thousand plus factories. Nearly 80 percent of these workers are women,” said the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President, Hassan Yussuff. “Garment sector wages are far below the level of a living wage that meets workers’ basic needs, and workers are repressed when they try to exercise their fundamental rights.”

In January, government and factory owners again attempted to stifle workers’ wage protests with violence and intimidation. Many demonstrators were injured. Dozens of workers were arrested and thousands were dismissed and blacklisted from future factory jobs.

Health and safety in factories has improved under the inspection system pioneered by the Bangladesh Accord on Building and Fire Safety, an agreement between over 200 brands and global unions, introduced after the Rana Plaza disaster. However, the government of Bangladesh is working to eject the accord from the country and assume responsibility for factory inspections. There is global concern from governments, retailers and unions that the regulatory capacity and measures required for this handover have not been met, and an early transition will cost workers their lives.

“Canadian unions continue to stand in solidarity with Bangladesh garment workers and are engaged with leading Canadian retailers to promote labour rights in their supply chains,” said Yussuff.

On this sombre anniversary, we call on the Canadian government to work with their counterparts in Bangladesh to promote fundamental rights, and health and safety at work, and to change the climate of fear and repression that garment workers currently face. The CLC asks that Canada review its system of preferential access to Canadian markets to ensure that access is conditional on respect for labour and human rights.  The federal government must require that all companies importing garments and textiles into Canada publicly disclose factory locations ensuring respect for labour rights in their supply chains. Canada’s unions also call on Canadian retailers and brands to ensure rights are respected throughout their supply chain and to increase the transparency of their practices.

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In January 2018, the federal government publicly committed to creating an independent ombudsperson’s office with the power to order those under investigation to produce documents and testimony under oath.

“Today’s announcement naming an ombudsperson is a welcome step, however this post must hold investigatory powers in order to help ensure that Canadian corporations are compelled to respect their human rights obligations abroad,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

An ombudsperson is needed to investigate complaints of human rights violations and to redress harms when there is verifiable evidence these are linked to Canadian corporate abuse overseas. Canada needs an ombudsperson to help prevent Canadian complicity in corporate abuse and ensure Canadian mining and garment supply chains respect human rights.

“The commissioned legal review to determine the options to provide the advisor with investigatory powers must not be delayed,” said Yussuff. “Without investigatory capacity it is a powerless advisory post. We expect the required powers be assigned before the end of this electoral mandate,” he added.

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“On behalf of the over 3 million CLC members, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, friends and co-workers who are mourning the loss,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “This loss will be felt by rail workers and their families across the country.”

The victims were members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). This latest tragedy means that eight railway workers have now died in Canada since November 2017.

“This is an absolute tragedy. Everyone expects their loved ones to come home at the end of the work day,” said Yussuff. “We will monitor these investigations closely, and call on the government and the rail industry to take the necessary steps to prevent these accidents in the future. Even one workplace death is one too many.

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“Trans people face disproportionately high levels of violence and harassment. Ensuring respect and fair treatment for trans workers is a key priority for Canada’s unions,” said CLC Executive Vice-President, Larry Rousseau. “Our workplaces must lead the way in being inclusive spaces for all workers, no matter their gender identity and expression.”

Studies compiled by Egale Canada show that 90 percent of transgender and gender diverse employees report experiencing workplace harassment and/or violence based on their gender identity and expression. Trans people, and in particular trans women of colour, continue to be disproportionately targeted by sexual harassment and violence.

Canada’s unions have long stood with trans people in Canada. We supported private members’ bills and Bill C-16, which amended human rights legislation and the Criminal Code to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. While almost all provinces and territories have made trans protection explicit in their human rights legislation, more remains to be done.

Unions continue to improve conditions for trans workers through collective bargaining, by securing rights to access to safe washrooms and change rooms and health benefit coverage for medical transition and hormone therapy. Our education programs and resources help build awareness to support a safer environment for workers to transition. The CLC has collaborated with Our Times labour magazine on a new to-do list for trans inclusion in the workplace. We will also be releasing an updated Workers in Transition guide in early 2019.

“We all have a role to play in promoting fairness, equality, and freedom from violence for trans people in our workplaces and in our communities,” said Rousseau.

Visit the official TDOR website to learn more about the origin and history of the campaign here.

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“This is a critical step on the long road to banning asbestos, and will, without a doubt, save lives for generations to come,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff.

The new regulations, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA), prohibit the import, sale and use of asbestos, the manufacture, import, sale and use of products containing asbestos, as well as the export of asbestos and asbestos-containing products, with a limited number of exceptions. Combined, this is a historic step to protect the health of Canadian workers and the public, and to address Canada’s history as an exporter of this deadly substance. With these regulations, Canada now joins 55 countries that have banned the use of asbestos.

Yussuff said that it will be crucial for protection from exposure to extend to everyone living in Canada, including those living in First Nations housing filled with asbestos-ridden vermiculite insulation.

“Because these diseases have a long latency period, the danger is not over, but this is the beginning of the end. Now we need the provinces and territories to show the same leadership that the federal government has shown and move quickly to take stock of where asbestos is, harmonize regulation around disposal and remediation, and ensure a comprehensive response,” he said.

“We can all breathe easier. The introduction of these regulations in a timely manner is the result of years of advocacy and hard work by people dedicated to safer, healthier workplaces. Today, I celebrate and thank the government for giving the next generation of Canadians a better future, free from the pain and suffering caused by asbestos,” said Yussuff.

A robust enforcement strategy to ensure compliance with these new regulations will be important to a successful implementation and to addressing the legacy of asbestos-contaminated workplaces.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the federal government on the broader whole-of-government strategy to protect Canadians from the harms of asbestos,” added Yussuff.

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