OPSEU Responds to Ministry of Labour
Consultation on Workplace Violence
October 21, 2008 OPSEU calls on the Ministry of
Labour to introduce legislation to protect workers from all types of
workplace violence. more...
Ultrasound technologist/sonographer
ergonomic assessments project
May 26, 2008 The Joint Central Committee
on Health and Safety (JCCHS) project which
examined ergonomic conditions in ultrasound/sonographer
work areas across the province has been
completed. One of the ergonomic assessments
is now posted on our website to assist JHSCs
and members who are addressing ergonomic
issues in their sonography work areas.
Cover letter
Executive Summary
Grey Bruce Sonographer ergonomics report
Appendix
A Healthcare Worker’s Guide
to Pandemic Influenza
May 20, 2008 OPSEU launches its new
booklet to assist healthcare members, locals and health and
safety activists understand the impact of pandemic influenza
on their health and safety, and actions they can take.
Read Guide
Injured
Workers Day
Sunday June 1, 2008 2008 will mark
the 25th anniversary of the day when over 3,000 workers
gathered at the Legislative Assembly to participate in
public hearings on workers' compensation and highlight the
principle that injury should not mean poverty. Check with
Labour Councils for an event near you. In Toronto, join
injured workers and their supporters and their
families at 11:00 am to rally at Ontario's Legislature at
Queen's Park to make it clear to the Minister of Labour that
having a disability should not equal poverty and to
celebrate their work as a community.
Read flyer
OPSEU input on MOL “Safe at Work” enforcement plan
April 30, 2008 OPSEU provides a submission to
Ontario's Ministry of Labour to give input on the government’s 2008/2009
health and safety enforcement strategy, "Safe at Work Ontario."
Read OPSEU's submission
Day of Mourning is April 28
April 22, 2008 OPSEU members join
workers, other unions, families and friends to remember and mourn for
workers who have been killed, suffer illness or have been injured as a
result of work, on Monday April 28. More…
For a full list of
Day of Mourning events across Ontario,
click here
Historic decision after workplace fatality in
Quebec
March 18, 2008 A judge has fined a Quebec company
$110,000 for criminal negligence in the death of an employee in a
decision believed to be a first in Canada, as Bill C-45 is finally
enforced.
Steve L'Ecuyer, 23, was killed in October 2005 when he
was crushed by a machine with an unplugged safety device. Transpave, a
paving-stone manufacturer based north of Montreal, pleaded guilty in
December to a count of criminal negligence.
Police and union officials have said it is the first
time a company has been charged with criminal negligence in the death of
an employee.
"Thanks are due to the United Steelworkers, the Ontario
Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress, who fought long
and hard for health and safety violations to be treated as criminal
prosecutions following the Westray Mining fatalities." said Ron Elliot,
OPSEU Executive Board Member, Region 1. "These organizations spent years
fighting for Bill C 45. Congratulations! May this only be the beginning
of holding corporations criminally responsible for workplace
fatalities."
The Criminal Code was amended to allow such charges
after the 1992 explosion that killed twenty-six miners at the Westray
mine in Nova Scotia.
Please forward to your worker members on Joint Health
and Safety Committees or worker representatives
See pdf for more details…
An Evening with Dr. Devra Davis
March 4, 2008 Dr Devra Davis (Environmental
Oncology at University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute) is speaking in
Toronto April 7 about how exposures in the workplace and in the broader
environment are contributing to the cancer epidemic. She will also
discuss how we can take individual and collective action to do something
about it. Dr. Davis is also author of the book, "The Secret History of
the War on Cancer."
Admission is free
When: Monday April 7, 2008, 7:00-9:00 pm
Where: OISE Auditorium, 252 Bloor Street West
(between St. George St and Bedford)
How to get tickets: call 416-510-8713
extension 0 or email
info@ohcow.on.ca
The evening is sponsored by Occupational Health Clinics
for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and the OFL.
Click to view
flyer.
Feb. 29 is International Repetitive Strain Injury Day
February 13, 2008 The ninth annual Repetitive Strain
Injury (RSI) Awareness Day will be Friday Feb. 29, 2008, with events in
Toronto and Windsor. more...
September 5, 2007 Needle safety regulation of August
2007 more..
Big victory on health and safety for OPSEU
August 23, 2007 The announcement of mandatory
respirators and safe sharps in hospitals today is a major health and safety win
for health care workers who have campaigned hard on these issues,
representatives for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union said today.
More..
January 22, 2006
Joint letter on SARS: Leaders of four major health
care unions urge Premier McGuinty to implement Campbell health and safety
recommendations now
December 18, 2006 Summary of Ontario health plan for an influenza pandemic
November 16, 2006 News flash!
Shelley
Martel’s Bill 30, Martel's that calls for the mandatory use of
safety-engineered "sharps" passed second reading today in the
Ontario Legislature. Visit www.saferneedles.ca
for more details.
October 31, 2006 News Release
(OPSEU, ONA, SEIU) Unions say it's time for safety-engineered "sharps" to be law
Three unions support legislation proposed by Shelley Martel, MPP on safe sharps
August 2, 2006 Heat stress
alert for OPSEU
members
October 24, 2005 Changes to the
asbestos regulation start Nov. 1, 2005.
