Perry Work Report: work&labour news&research, December 5, 2014

December 5, 2014

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The Future of Canadian Policing Models

"Policing Canada in the 21st Century: New Policing for New Challenges addresses the external and internal challenges facing Canada’s police, such as the changing nature of crime, the increasingly global context in which security actors operate, the impact of social trends and associated demands for police services, human resources, policing costs, and accountability issues. The report also reviews the opportunities for responding to these challenges both within individual police organizations and across the police system as a whole.”

Key Findings:

  • Successful policing models require police to adapt to, and leverage, the specialized capabilities and resources in the new safety and security web.
  • Evidence-based policing and increased professionalization of police would optimize their role in the safety and security web.
  • The diversity of actors in the safety and security web creates accountability concerns that have yet to be addressed.
  • Governments can serve as enablers of safety and security by ensuring that the safety and security web serves the public interest.
  • Knowledge gaps hinder the optimization of the safety and security web.

Report and Related Products:

Council of Canadian Academies, Expert Panel on the Future of Canadian Policing Models, November 25, 2014: “Policing Canada in the 21st century: New policing for new challenges” (212 pages, PDF)

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The Rapid Growth of Canada's Clean Energy Sector

"Canada’s green energy sector has grown so quickly and has become such an important part of the economy that it now employs more people than the oil sands."

About $25-billion has been invested in Canada’s clean-energy sector in the past five years, and employment is up 37 per cent, according to a new report from climate think tank Clean Energy Canada to be released Tuesday. That means the 23,700 people who work in green energy organizations outnumber the 22,340 whose work relates to the oil sands, the report says."

"Clean Energy Canada says the industry’s growth has been accelerated by supportive policies in a handful of provinces. However, despite its increased importance to the national economy, clean energy is still not a priority in Ottawa, it says."

"The report acknowledges that Ottawa has set some groundwork for clean energy, by supporting clean-energy demonstration and research projects, cutting energy waste and discouraging the construction of conventional coal-power plants. But it says the federal government needs to do a lot more. Ottawa should create tax supports for renewable technologies, pump infrastructure money into new electrical transmission lines and clean-energy projects, and put a price on carbon, it says."

The Globe and Mail, December 2, 2014: “Green energy sector jobs surpass total oil sands employment,” by Richard Blackwell

"Other major findings from Clean Energy Canada’s 2014 'Tracking the Energy Revolution - Canada' report include:

  • Wind, solar, run-of-river, and biomass capacity have nearly doubled in the past five years.
  • Large hydro remains the foundation of Canada’s electricity system, providing 85 percent of all renewable electricity capacity, and continues to grow.
  • In 2013 Canada hit a record high, putting up one new wind turbine every 10 hours.
  • In 2013, Canada jumped from 12th to seventh place in the G20 for clean-energy investment.
  • With growing selection, incentives, and public-charging networks, electric vehicle sales doubled between 2012 and 2013.”

Clean Energy Canada, December 2, 2014: “Boutique goes big: Our first annual assessment of Canada’s clean energy performance tracks strong growth”

Clean Energy Canada: Tracking the Energy Revolution - Canada (34 pages, PDF)

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Large Employers Perpetuate a Low-Wage Economy

"New research prepared by Social Planning Toronto and the Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage shows that in Ontario, large employers are the biggest culprits in perpetuating a low-wage economy.”

"Data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey shows that in 2013, large firms with over 500 workers employed almost 50% of Ontario’s half-million low wage workforce. Large firms increased their hiring of minimum wage workers by over 190% since 1998. Further, 30% of all Ontario employees in large firms were paid at or below minimum wage, compared to just 5.6% of small firms (less than 100 workers).”

“‘Many people think that a higher minimum wage will hurt small businesses, but it’s more likely that raising the wage floor would help level the playing field between small businesses and large employers that profit from maintaining a low-wage workforce,’ said Navjeet Sidhu, the report’s co-author. ‘The research suggests that raising the minimum wage is as much a matter of fairness among employers as it is for workers.’”

CNW, November 28, 2014: “Large employers are 5 times more likely than small ones to pay minimum wage says new Ontario report”

Social Planning Toronto & Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage, November 2014: “Where Are Minimum Wage Earners in Ontario Working? An Analysis of Minimum Wage Employment and Firm Size,” by Sydney Edmonds and Navjeet Sidhu (5 pages, PDF)

Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage [website]

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Fast Food & Other Minimum-Wage Workers Protest

“Thousands of workers in the airline, fast-food, home-care and federal industries have joined together to strike on Thursday in major cities across the US, in support of the campaign to get a $15 minimum wage.”

"Workers chanted things like ‘Low pay is not OK’ outside fast-food restaurants, attracting support. Home care workers stood alongside fast-food workers marching outside McDonald’s locations as the groups unite to fight for higher wages."

"Federal workers are striking in Washington DC, demanding that President Obama encourage federal buildings to set a $15 minimum wage, improve benefits and give them collective bargaining rights."

The Guardian, December 4, 2014: “Fast food and other minimum-wage workers protest in major cities over pay,” by Amanda Holpuch

The New York Times, December 4, 2014: “In Fast-Food Workers’ Fight for $15 Hourly Wage, a Strong Voice in Terrance Wise,” by Steven Greenhouse

Business Insider, December 3, 2014: “See What Happens When Fast Food Workers Are Tipped $100,” by Hayley Peterson [video, 4:32 min.]

"The United States Labor Department says that a new study shows that between 3.5 and 6.5 percent of all the wage and salary workers in California and New York are paid less than the minimum wage.”

"Labor Department officials said that even if one assumed a violation rate half that nationwide, that would mean more than two million workers across the nation were paid less than the federal or state minimum wage."

The New York Times, December 3, 2014: “Study Finds Violations of Wage Law in New York and California,” by Steven Greenhouse

United States Department of Labor, December 2014: “The Social and Economic Effects of Wage Violations: Estimates for California and New York” (100 pages, PDF)

"While union organization in the fast food industry may be a longer struggle, the Fight for 15 has already contributed much to advancing the interests of low-wage workers and the just campaign for an increase in the minimum wage.”

ADAPT Bulletin, November 12, 2014: “Fast-Food Workers Fight for a Raise and Create a Movement,” by Angela B. Cornell (2 pages, PDF)

Strike Fast Food [website]

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Seeing Red on Black Friday

"It’s that time of the year again, and Belabored brings you some underreported perspectives from the dark side of zombie-capitalist bonanza known as Black Friday. Walmart workers across the country are going on strike to demand a living wage and fair treatment at work. And many more are organizing, signing petitions, and reaching out to other worker groups, all rallying under the ‘Fight for 15’ banner. We talk to a Walmart labor activist who is fighting for a fair workplace in solidarity with coworkers and other protesters in cities nationwide. And we discuss a recent investigation by Americans for Tax Fairness into Walmart’s tax dodging and shady political dealings on Capitol Hill" along with a helping of other labour issues.

Download the podcast here [audio clip, 52:15 min.]

Dissent Magazine, November 28, 2014: “Belabored Podcast #66: Seeing Red on Black Friday,” by Sarah Jaffe and Michelle Chen

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Women & Work: Pregnancy Pauses

"Women make up nearly half of America’s workforce and remain the only people capable of having babies. These dual roles can pose thorny legal questions. On December 3rd [2014], in Young v United Parcel Service (UPS), the Supreme Court struggled to understand what duty employers owe to expectant mothers under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), a 1978 law.”

"The case arose after Peggy Young, a driver for UPS, became pregnant in 2006. ... [W]hen Ms. Young requested ‘light duty’, a temporary release from lifting 70-pound packages, she was rebuffed. The company ... put Ms. Young on unpaid leave, during which she lost her pension and health benefits."

Ms. Young sued her employer for violating the PDA but lost at trial and again on appeal.

"The Fourth Circuit Court ruled that the company’s policy was neutral and ‘pregnancy-blind’. To require UPS to add pregnancy to its list of conditions qualifying for accommodation would ‘imbue the PDA with a preferential treatment mandate that Congress neither intended nor enacted.’"

The Economist, December 4, 2014: “Pregnant pauses”

Slate, December 3, 2014: “Heavy Lifting: The Supreme Court is flummoxed by pregnancy discrimination and semicolons,” by Dahlia Lithwick

But some efforts are being made to create more supportive working environments for pregnant workers.

"Within the last few months, Delaware and Illinois have joined several other states and localities in passing their own versions of the proposed federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, meaning that working women in those places no longer have to choose between their health and their livelihoods when they become pregnant. Additionally, the [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] recently issued new guidance stating that, in most cases, federal law requires employers to provide pregnant workers with reasonable accommodations.”

U.S. Department of Labor Blog, December 2, 2014: “Easing Labor Pains,” by Latifa Lyles

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Alcohol's Hold on Campus: A Special Report

This is part of a series on college drinking from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Alcohol is a big business in [the college town of Athens, Georgia], with costs and benefits. Each bottle delivered on the eve of another weekend represents a love-hate affair, an abiding ambivalence about drinking."

"It’s an uneasy equilibrium, with competing interests. There are determined police officers and resourceful entrepreneurs, business owners and health educators, students who reject drinking and alumni who embrace it."

"As alcohol keeps flowing, each one has something at stake. Each one has a hand on the valve."

The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 1, 2014: “A River of Booze: Inside one college town’s uneasy embrace of drinking,” by Karin Fischer and Eric Hoover

The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 1, 2014: “Alcohol’s Hold on Campus” (27 pages, PDF)

"College students and alcohol have mixed poorly for decades. Whether rioting, spiking ‘near beer,’ or binge drinking, drunken students have proved a difficult problem for colleges to control. Here is a look at alcohol’s hold on campuses from the mid-19th century to today."

The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 2, 2014: “Riots, Keggers, and the Clap: College drinking through the years,” by Mary Bowerman

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U.S. Beating Europe as a Destination for Immigrants for the First Time in Ten Years

"According to a new analysis by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the EU has fallen behind the U.S. as a destination for immigrants for the first time in more than a decade."

"After-effects of the Eurozone crisis are almost certainly the reason for this trend. The countries hit worst, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, all saw major drops in immigration."

"While economics are the main culprit here, the political climate around immigration in Europe, which has seen anti-immigrant right-wing parties gain unprecedented influence in both national and EU political institutions, is also surely a contributing factor. ... [F]or now, relative economic strength seems to be making America the more attractive destination for foreigners."

Slate, December 1, 2014: “The U.S. is now beating Europe as a destination for immigrants,” by Joshua Keating

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, December 1, 2014: “International Migration Outlook 2014” (430 pages, PDF)

While the U.S. may currently be one of the most attractive destinations for immigrants, it’s low rank on the OECD’s Better Life Index in the work-life balance category means these foreigners should prepare themselves for "long work hours and a lack of social activities.”

"For Americans, this poor work-life balance has plenty of real-world financial and social effects. While American workers have been getting more productive in the past few decades, wages haven’t increased all that much."

"And that’s just the macro view. On a personal level, working too much can have drastic health effects. Being deskbound for long hours makes you heavier, hurts your back and neck and puts you at a greater risk for heart disease and other organ problems. Not to mention, there’s a mental toll, as stressful work can double your risk of depression."

Mic, November 30, 2014: “The Best and Worst Countries for Work-Life Balance (The U.S. Doesn’t Rank Well),” by Matt Connolly

Mic, November 19, 2014: “What Working Long Hours Actually Does to Your Body,” by Scott Bixby

OECD Better Life Index 2014 -- Work-Life Balance [website]

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What You Won't Learn in an Economics Degree: Ecological Economics

"There is a trade-off between too much environmental degradation and providing for humans. Raworth proposes the ‘Doughnut Model’ that concludes our sustainable solution is a middle ground between the two: using the Earth’s resources both efficiently and cautiously. The inside limit of the ‘doughnut’ is social foundation; the outside limit is the environmental ceiling; and to go beyond these respective limits would be detrimental to either human and economic needs or the balance of the ecosystem. Thus, the doughnut in itself is called ‘a safe and just space for humanity’ and this may be the counter-objective to economic growth that we should be aiming for.”

PCES (Post Crash Economics Society), November 15, 2014: “What You Won’t Learn In An Economics Degree: Ecological Economics”

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Why C.E.O.s Are Growing Beards

"Beards are back."

"One striking feature of this resurgence is that for the first time in well over a century, a growing number of the world’s business leaders are sporting facial hair."

"It’s easy to view the bearded business leader as a mere extension of the overall beard trend.... But the tangled history of facial hair and capitalism suggests that deeper forces are at work."

"Historically, beards in the boardroom have been a barometer of the relative vitality of capitalism and its critics. When capitalism has assumed a more swashbuckling, individualistic persona, hair has sprouted on the chins of entrepreneurs and speculators. But when forces bent on destroying capitalism have been ascendant -- or when well-regulated, faceless corporations have defined economic life -- beards have waned."

"In the semiotics of capital today, whiskers no longer code as a threat. With free market ideology essentially unopposed by any major power and energized by the entrepreneurial swagger of the technology world, beards are back in business."

The New York Times, November 28, 2014: “Why C.E.O.s Are Growing Beards,” by Stephen Mihm

“As a new generation of men rises into positions of power in the workplace ... beards and even Hercule Poirot-esque waxed mustaches are becoming more common in the office.”

The secret to pulling off this look? “[S]triking the right balance of hair and common sense. That means understanding one’s industry and taking into account one’s age, general appearance -- and physical limitations.”

The New York Times, November 13, 2014: “A Growing Trend in the Boardroom: Facial Hair Is Back in Style in Business Settings,” by David Belcher

Slate, December 3, 2014: “The Comedy of Beards: A theory,” by Daniel Engber

The Art of Manliness, March 25, 2014: “The Science of Facial Hair: What Signals Do Beards, Stubble, and Mustaches Send to Others?,” by Antonio Centeno

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Why I'd Rather Teach Illiterate Roma than Princeton Students

“It has been thought wise to take Roma children from their parents at an early age, having them attend non-Roma (Gadge) preschool...  I have heard the head of the Equal Rights Trust propose this practice at the EU in Brussels. But it is akin to the ‘Lost Generation’ of Native American and Aborigine children in America, Canada and Australia from being wrenched from their families and placed in abusing boarding schools, alienating them from both cultures.”

“I have taught university students at Berkeley, Princeton, and Boulder. I prefer teaching illiterate Roma, all ages, and learning from them the richness of their culture, the excellence of their skills, and the strength of their families. We reciprocate, giving each what the other lacks, with dignity, in this pilot project.”

Quartz, November 29, 2014: “Why I’d rather teach illiterate Roma than Princeton students,” by Julia Bolton Holloway

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Which Country is the Best to Grow Old In?

"It’s no secret that the global population is ageing. We’re living longer than ever and are healthier until much later in life. But we’re still struggling to adapt to this changing demographic -- and some are struggling more than most."

"So if we are going to get old, where should we do it?"

"The latest [Global AgeWatch Index] tells us that the best place to grow old is Norway. Here, you will be among the richest pensioners in the world and will enjoy a supportive, age friendly environment. Or, if that doesn’t take your fancy, Sweden, Switzerland and Canada are other good options. These countries are particularly good at offering quality health and social care systems and provide better access to employment for their older citizens than other countries."

The Conversation, November 26 2014: “Hard evidence: Which is the best country to grow old in?” by Asghar Zaidi

"The Global AgeWatch Index 2014 presents a unique snapshot of the situation of older people in 96 countries of the world today. It highlights which countries are doing best for their older populations and how this links with policies towards pensions, health, education, employment and the social environment in which older people live. This year, the Index Insight report has a special focus on income security. It looks at how different countries are responding to people’s right to a secure income in later life, particularly by extending pension coverage."

Global AgeWatch Index 2014: Insight report, summary and methodology [website]

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Women and Men in India 2014

"The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has been bringing out the publication ‘Women and Men in India’ on a regular basis since 1995.The endeavour in this publication is to focus on such crucial statistical indicators of socio-economic relevance which best portray gender inequality, gender bias and gender discrimination in the Indian society"

Government of India, National Statistical Organisation, November 2014:  “Women and Men in India 2014, 16th edition,” by Sardar Patel Bhavan and Sansad Marg

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Closing the Gap: World Aids Day 2014

"People living with HIV experience, on average, unemployment rates three times higher than the national average. Closing the gap -- the theme of this World AIDS Day -- is a strong reminder that despite significant progress, we have left behind some populations at heightened risk of infection."

"We can only achieve our goal of ending AIDS by 2030 if we effectively address their needs, which include decent jobs, respect for their labour rights and social protection coverage."

"Where stigma and discrimination are prevalent, workers will be less likely to seek information, testing and treatment services, for fear of losing their jobs and their livelihoods. People need to be aware of their HIV status so that they can seek treatment and prevent the further spread of the virus."

International Labour Organization, December 1, 2014: “Decent work, social protection can help close the gap,” by Guy Ryder

"Nine things you should know about HIV in Canada:

1. A person is infected with HIV in Canada every three hours.
2. Twenty-five per cent of HIV-positive people in Canada don’t know they’re infected.
3. There’s already a drug that could prevent transmission -- but Health Canada hasn’t approved it.
4. You can find out if you are one of very few people who is almost completely immune to HIV.
5. In Canada, it is illegal for HIV-positive people to have sex without disclosing their status.
6. Canada is one of the top 10 countries in the world for arrests and prosecutions over non-disclosure of HIV status.
7. In 2006, Canada became the first country to prosecute mother-to-child transmission.
8. The first and only preventative HIV vaccine is being developed in Ontario, but it still has a ways to go.
9. Today, a young person with HIV in Canada is expected to live nearly as long as an uninfected person.”

The Globe and Mail, December 1, 2014: “World AIDS Day: Nine things you should know about HIV in Canada,” by Tara Paterson

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Book of the Week

What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know, by Joan C. Williams and Rachel Dempsey ; foreword by Anne-Marie Slaughter. New York : New York University Press, 2014. 365 p. ISBN 9781479835454 (hardcover)

From the publisher: "An essential resource for any working woman, What Works for Women at Work is a comprehensive and insightful guide for mastering office politics as a woman. Authored by Joan C. Williams, one of the nation's most-cited experts on women and work, and her daughter, writer Rachel Dempsey, this unique book offers a multi-generational perspective into the realities of today's workplace. Often women receive messages that they have only themselves to blame for failing to get ahead -- Negotiate more! Stop being such a wimp! Stop being such a witch! What Works for Women at Work tells women it's not their fault. The simple fact is that office politics often benefits men over women. Based on interviews with 127 successful working women, over half of them women of color, What Works for Women at Work presents a toolkit for getting ahead in today's workplace. Distilling over 35 years of research, Williams and Dempsey offer four crisp patterns that affect working women: Prove-It-Again!, the Tightrope, the Maternal Wall, and the Tug of War. Each represents different challenges and requires different strategies -- which is why women need to be savvier than men to survive and thrive in high-powered careers. Williams and Dempsey's analysis of working women is nuanced and in-depth, going far beyond the traditional cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approaches of most career guides for women. Throughout the book, they weave real-life anecdotes from the women they interviewed, along with quick kernels of advice like a 'New Girl Action Plan,' ways to 'Take Care of Yourself', and even 'Comeback Lines' for dealing with sexual harassment and other difficult situations. Up-beat, pragmatic, and chock full of advice, What Works for Women at Work is an indispensable guide for working women."

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