March 25, 2010

Our show this week centered around :

• About the United Steel Workers struggle with Vale-Inco durring their brutal strike.  
• The United Steel Workers are calling for what all workers can benefit from, a ban on the use of replacement workers!  NO SCABS!
• The need for Ontario to put Job Creation at the top of the provincial budget priority.
• Uncover the dark world of Underground Foreign workers.  Workers who have been convinced to work past their visa's expiration to work through a number of underground "Brokers".  Some would argue this as a form of human trafficking, I agree.
• Talk about a 29 year old man who got fired from Wal-Mart for failing a drug screening due to the use of Medical Marijuana.
• Lastly, a local campus police constable is suspended then asked to leave the premises Bare Backed!  "Hand in your shirt! NOW!"  Holy &*#$!  Are we living in a bad 50's cartoon???

And here are the stories and links to them that we referenced in our broadcast :

USW international prez calls out Tito Martins
http://thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2505384

Rally participants stress need for anti-scab legislation
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2010/03/rally250310.aspx

Job creation should be top Ontario budget priority: Report
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/job-creation-should-be-top-ontario-budget-priority-report

Temp Foreign Workers take the fall again for farmers and government
http://www.ufcw.ca/Default.aspx?SectionId=af80f8cf-ddd2-4b12-9f41-641ea94d4fa4&LanguageId=1&ItemId=228117ee-a1dd-4907-a1d7-047a17ed21ed

Walmart fires Battle Creek employee for using medical marijuana
http://michiganmessenger.com/35833/walmart-fires-battle-creek-employee-for-using-medical-marijuana

Windsor CAW members protest at university over campus police suspension
http://www.windsorstar.com/business/Windsor+members+protest+university+over+campus+police+suspension/2711720/story.html



WOHIS Health and safety Minute: 
Earth Hour 2010 is Saturday night March 27th at 8:30 p.m.

Since 2007 Earth Hour has been an annual international “lights out” event led by
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with the goal of having as many individuals and businesses as possible turn off their lights for one hour to support action on climate change.

Last year Earth Hour was a huge success when millions of people around the world participated! 

Here in Canada, almost half of all Canadians turned off the lights.

Why Participate?  According to the World Wildlife Fund:
"Earth Hour is a symbolic event. Turning off our lights for an hour won’t stop
climate change but it does demonstrate that our individual action is important and adds up to make a big difference. More importantly, it sends a very powerful message to government and world leaders that people want policies and regulations put in place that can achieve meaningful emission reduction to help fight climate change.

Encourage family, friends and local businesses to turn off all non-essential lights
on Saturday, March 27 at 8:30 pm. until 9.30 pm."

For more information on Earth Hour 2010 of if you have any health and safety
concerns, please contact WOHIS – the Windsor Occupational Health Information Service –  the place to go for all your health and safety information.

Visit our library at 3129 Marentette Avenue – behind Devonshire Mall

or phone 519-254-5157.

Remember you have the right to a safe and healthy workplace!

Download This Week's Show (Right click and Save-As):

RIGHT CLICK HERE

March 18, 2010

Our show this week centered around :

• A letter released to the public from Vale-Inco to the striking workers and the community.  The company has gone as low as Airing their contract negotiation with the USW on the web and was published by The Sudbury Star.  The president of USW Local 6500 rebuts this "poison letter" that the company published.  This all on the heals of a SOLID NO vote on the company's final offer.  
• We talk about the need for Criminal enforcement of Worker Safety rules for employers who knowingly or Negligently endanger the lives of their employees.  
• We discuss a recent New York Times editorial explaining what China is doing to manipulate its currency, and destroying economies around the world.  
• We talk about a recent interview with Michael Moore in which he says he'll make another movie when the people decide to rise up, then he will rise up with them.
• Lastly we talk about being aware that a snake is a snake and not to be surprised when it bites you.  The PQ just ran out the Left Wing from their party.

And here are the stories and links to them that we referenced in our broadcast :

Join the Fight in Sudbury! - CALL TO ACTION!!!!!!
The Canadian Labour Congress and the Ontario Federation of Labour are joining the United Steelworkers for a March 22 community rally in Sudbury to support more than 3,000 working families who are into the ninth month of their strike against Vale Inco.
http://www.fairdealnow.ca/?p=4503

Vale Inco sends online message to striking employees
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2495111

Port Colborne Steelworkers Vote 98% to Reject Vale Offer
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2010/12/c9660.html

USW accuse Vale Inco of posting poison pen letter - USW response to Vale's Letter
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2496886

Another worker killed, another criminal investigation needed
http://ofl.ca/index.php/news/index_in/another_worker_killed_another_criminal_investigation_needed/

Will China Listen?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/opinion/17wed1.html?ref=todayspaper

Michael Moore: 'Waiting To See If People Rise Up - And If So, I'll Rise With Them'
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/michael-moore-waiting-see-if-people-r

PQ ousts left-wing 'political club'
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/pq-ousts-left-wing-political-club/article1500370/



WOHIS Health and safety Minute: 

Today Laurie Swim's quilt, called Breaking Ground, was unveiled at Toronto Transit Commission's York Mills station.  The memorial quilt commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of five Italian immigrants who died on March 17, 1960.

The workers were encouraged to work overtime to speed up the process. Sparks from a cutting torch went out of control and a fire started.  Workers became trapped underground while digging a tunnel for the water main below the Don River in Hoggs Hollow, near Old York Mills Road and Yonge Street.   There was no safety equipment.  The workers didn't even have flashlights.

This tragedy created public outcry that lead to a coroner's inquest.  The jury recognized the workers were inexperienced and untrained, and said management had no regard for the safety of the workers.  A Royal Commission eventually brought major changes to occupational health and safety laws and improvements to working conditions for all.   Employers would now be held accountable for the safety of their workers.


For more information on the Hoggs Hollow disaster or any health and safety information,  please contact WOHIS - Windsor Occupational Health Information Service - at 519-254-5157 or visit us at 3129 Marentette Avenue (directly behind the theatres at Devonshire Mall).

Remember you have the right to a safe & healthy workplace.

Download This Week's Show (Right click and Save-As):

RIGHT CLICK HERE- Technical difficulties the digital recorder, episode was lost.

March 11, 2010

Our show this week centered around :

• We discuss the latest revelations of the Canadian federal budget's plan to cut it's way into balance.  We call for investments, not cuts in social spending.
• Sean Gorman and Paul Ippersiel have an on-air discussion about activists who sometimes ask themselves "why am I doing this?"
• We talk about the newest forms of Capitalism, and it's effects on the working class.

WOHIS Health and safety Minute: 
Dog attacks have escalated as a result of the breeding tactics and the attack-dog mentality of many owners.  We have seen the effects that can leave workers afraid to return to their jobs.

Knowing what to expect and how to ward off an attack are key factors in minimizing the injuries for those  workers at risk including letter carriers, utility workers, lawn maintenance workers, delivery workers, and animal care givers to name a few. All injuries no matter how slight should be reported immediately. Even small animal bites could lead to serious infections if proper medical attention is not sought.

All individuals should maintain current tetanus immunizations and seek medical advice and treatment if an injury occurs.

Remember you have the right to a safe & healthy workplace.


This health and safety minute brought to you by WOHIS – the Windsor Occupational Health Information Service –  the place to go for all your health and safety information.

Visit our library at 3129 Marentette Avenue (directly behind the theatres at Devonshire Mall).

or phone 519-254-5157.

Remember you have the right to a safe and healthy workplace!

Download This Week's Show (Right click and Save-As):

RIGHT CLICK HERE

March 4, 2010

Our show this week centered around :

• We talk about the announcement from the Windsor Casino to cut 65 full-time jobs, and replace them with 24 part-time jobs.  Also we discuss the Air Canada announcement of it's shedding of  1010 maintenance workers.  We question the logic of laying off maintenance personnel with ageing planes.
• We comment on the insanity of Stock Options and the damage they do to companies by hollowing out all the wealth instead of reinvesting in the company.
• We discuss what we think should be tabled as Federal Budget
• We talk about the workers fighting back!  First we talk about the workers at WestCast who rejected a concessionary contract.  Then we talk about the announcement from Ken Georgetti, head of the Canadian Labour Congress about the united front being formed to fight the government if the budget included cuts to pensions for public Workers.  "If the federal government attempts to cut these pensions, it will be the entire labour movement that fights back as hard as it can, not just public sector unions," said Ken Georgett.
• Lastly we discuss the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives suggestion for a sound budget to actually help Canadian Workers out of these turbulent times.  They have excellent suggestions.

And here are the stories and links to them that we referenced in our broadcast :

Windsor casino cutting 45 full-time jobs
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/2010/03/01/windsor-casino-job-cuts.html

Air Canada to slash 1,010 maintenance positions
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Canada+slash+maintenance+positions/2635228/story.html

Stock options, the buyback boondoggle and the crisis of capitalism
http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2010/03/03/stock-options-the-buyback-boondoggle-and-the-crisis-of-capitalism/

Workers Reject Concession Demands At Westcast
http://www.caw.ca/en/8634.htm

Unions strike hard line
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2474431

Federal budget task: Fix Canada’s job crisis
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/federal-budget-task-fix-canadas-job-crisis



WOHIS Health and safety Minute: 
Monday March 8th is International Women’s Day.

Nellie McClung was one of the most important leaders of Canada’s wave of feminism.  Nellie was one of The Famous Five, along with Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, and Louise McKinney; who, in 1927, put forward a petition to clarify the word "Person".   These five women appealed the decision of the highest Canadian court and on October 18, 1929, the Privy Council found that the term "Person" includes female persons, thereby making women eligible for appointment to the Canadian Senate.  Prior to that, the term ‘person’ was not meant to include women – only men!

Nellie fought for factory safety legislation, having seen the appalling working
conditions women faced in the sweatshops.

We've come a long way but we still have a long way to go!

Today, women's rights are being threatened and the rules have changed.  The Pay Equity Act legislating gender pay in the public sector is now law, passed as part of the 2009 budget.  There are views that this Act will erase all meaning from the concept of pay equity.  There is fear it will re-introduce gender discrimination to the workplace. This legislation will prevent women in the federal public sector from receiving equal pay for work of equal value.

This health and safety minute brought to you by WOHIS – the Windsor Occupational Health Information Service –  the place to go for all your health and safety information.

Visit our library at 3129 Marentette Avenue – behind Devonshire Mall

or phone 519-254-5157.

Remember you have the right to a safe and healthy workplace!

Download This Week's Show (Right click and Save-As):

RIGHT CLICK HERE