Letters to the Editor, June 15, 2022

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WHERE WERE THEY?

During the Ontario election campaign, a grinning, glad-handing Doug Ford sought every photo op he could with workers, claiming he was on their side. One of Ford’s election stops included the Stelco steel mill in Hamilton, where he campaigned for votes from United Steelworkers members. He appeared unconcerned to a tragedy playing out at another workplace down the road – the National Steel Car manufacturing plant, where three workers have been killed in 21 months, the latest fatality occurring June 6. Each of these workplace deaths was preventable. Since the most-recent death, the Ford government, including Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton, has ignored our call for an emergency meeting. The Ford government failed to take action to prevent this latest tragedy and is refusing to provide the union with critical information on investigations into the previous deaths. Since 2018, the Ford government has refused demands from worker safety advocates for enhanced training for police and Crown prosecutors to ensure greater enforcement of Criminal Code provisions related to workplace fatalities, which would allow for employers, where workers die on their watch, to face time in jail. Where is the Ford government when workers need them the most?

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Myles Sullivan
Ontario Director
United Steelworkers union

(Based on what you have said here, we believe you have the Ford government’s attention now)

AUTOMATION IS GOING TO GROW

In 2020, indicators predicted that travel would make a strong comeback due to pent-up demand. At the same time, labour shortages emerged shortly after laid-off workers refused their recalls, opting instead to work for employers who offered more. Lack of a proactive response from employers ensured one thing: That the problem would escalate and only grow to be more serious, and eventually, unmanageable. In May 2022, chaos was unleashed, as CATSA, Transport Canada and federal contractors sat on problems for months. Federal sub-contractors were aware of issues with their workforce, but unlike other employers in air transportation, they refused to deal with problems. The problem now is so extensive that the quickest solution is automation. Certainly, a quick solution is needed to restore order in airports and ensure passengers aren’t encountering unnecessary frustrations. However, the solution is at the expense of the workforce. While automation may only be used to bridge the labour gap, its continued use is guaranteed to cut unionized jobs. At a time when workers’ power is at its peak, employers and government are using technology as a solution, and as a subtle threat. Irrefutably, technology has its benefits, but given vast possibilities of artificial intelligence, ample evidence shows that many jobs are actually vulnerable to automation. Considering unprecedented leaps in technology, government ought to give more thought to how technology impacts workers, before setting on a path of no return. Today it’s airport workers’ jobs on the line, but as progress marches on, your job might be next.

David Chartrand
Canadian General Vice President
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)

(This is a reality not just in this sector but for many others. It is distressing – as passengers are paying the price – to hear the ongoing issues were never dealt with. It’s culminated into a perfect storm of chaos at the airports)