A Publication of the Workers Health & Safety Centre – March 4, 2011
WHSC 2011 Post Secondary Scholarships—Call for Entries
The Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) is pleased to invite eligible students to apply for the 11th annual WHSC Student Scholarship Initiative. 
Applicants are asked to write an essay or design a poster they feel would best help lead a campaign to raise occupational health and safety awareness among students and other new workers.
New workers, including many students working part time, full time or during the summer months, face an excess risk of being injured and killed at work when compared to those with more workplace and job experience. Unsafe work, lack of training and an overall lack of experience are often cited as reasons why this is the case.
What some workplace parties, potential workers, parents and others may not fully understand is that employers have a legal duty to “take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker.” Many would argue new worker training is just one of a number of important and reasonable precautions. Though, according to a study by Ontario’s Institute for Work and Health, 75 per cent of employees receive no occupational health and safety training during their first year of work.
“This scholarship initiative is one of many ways we help to raise awareness among this at-risk group of workers and future workers,” says Dave Killham, executive director, WHSC. “It is essential for workers to understand and act upon their many rights, including access to training. We, and many others, believe new worker training must be an essential part of any workplace strategy to end the preventable suffering and death experienced by workers, young and old alike.”
The WHSC Student Scholarship Initiative is open to any student residing in Ontario and beginning their first year of full or part-time studies leading to a degree, diploma or certificate from a publicly-funded Ontario College or University. Each successful candidate will be eligible for one of eight $1,000 scholarships.
The submission deadline for the 2011 WHSC Student Scholarship Applications is Friday June 3, 2011. Winners will be announced in Fall 2011.
Want to know more about the 2011 WHSC Student Scholarship Initiative?
General Information
Application
Want to meet the 2010 Scholarship recipients?
Want to know more about WHSC young worker awareness initiatives and resources?
Want to know about occupational health and safety training and information services offered by the WHSC? Call 1-888-869-7950 or contact a WHSC near you and ask to speak to a training service representative.

U.S. LABOUR MOBILIZES FOR MASSIVE FIGHT
The AFL-CIO concluded a two-day Executive Council meeting dedicated almost entirely to the events in Wisconsin and what the labour movement response should be. There is a widespread belief that this is a pivotal moment.  The Unions of the AFL-CIO have decided to make April 4th a national day of action across the U.S.  April 4th marks the tragic day in history when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while in Memphis Tennessee supporting sanitation workers – public employees – in their fight for respect and dignity.
 
Yesterday, citizens from around Wisconsin took the first steps toward taking their state back by filing recall papers against eight Republican senators who have stood with Gov. Scott Walker and pushed his partisan attempt to take away collective bargaining rights for thousands of teachers, nurses, librarians and other workers.www.aflcio.org

TORONTO: OUR CITY, OUR SERVICES, OUR FUTURE!
 SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, CITY HALL
Save the date for a massive turnout of community and labour activists to oppose the direction Rob Ford is taking Toronto.  We are expecting thousands to attend, sharing our common concerns and letting local councilors know they should not support regressive policies from the Mayor’s office. Keep an eye on the Labour Council website for more info -  www.labourcouncil.ca

Editor's Note: Can London be far behind???

WOMEN CONFRONT FORD
The press conference for International Women’s Day took an unusual turn on Wednesday when those attending went to Mayor Rob Ford’s office to present a letter to him about the impact of program cuts on women and girls. Ford actually took one minute to meet with them, claiming that everyone supports his tax cuts and efficiencies.  But women from Scarborough and Jane/Finch took him on about recreation fees and the elimination of planned transit routes.  The IWD Rally and March this year is set for Saturday March 12th. www.rabble.ca 
 

Congratulations to the Sault Ste. Marie and Niagara Regional Labour Councils for hosting successful Leadership and Stewards Assemblies last week. In both cases there were excellent presentations, great turnout and the development of good strategies for keeping the pressure on the Conservative candidates on our pension issue.

Please visit our website to find out about any assemblies taking place near you. I encourage you to get as many people out to attend. They are not just for stewards and union leaders, but for anyone interested in participating in the campaign.

Also, our radio and online ads are driving excellent traffic to www.betterpensions.ca and the Prime Minister and his cabinet know that we will not let this issue go until the Conservatives reverse the cancellation of their promise to expand the CPP. You can check out the ads here: http://www.youtube.com/canadianlabour

Keep up the good work.
In solidarity,
Ken Georgetti
President

Anti-Scab Legislatio​n Sheet
Hi Everyone, we discussed lobbying for this legislation at our last pac meeting. These materials will help if you didn't get them already. With a federal election becoming more and more certain I doubt we can get a training session locally before that time. I would be willing to go with anyone to a lobby session if I can make the session so lets still go for this. Again it's most important for you to be yourself and speak from your own perspective as a union activist. The Liberals are very familiar with this issue. 
On a regional political action session we discussed one at executive and folks are keen to have one but again the timelines are very tight.
The budget will be announced on March 22 and CLC is asking us to do something for it so any ideas are appreciated.
 
Patti Dalton, President