November 22, 2010
- ILO rules -- Canada and Ontario in violation of agricultural workers’ rights
- Wal-Mart - Weyburn employees apply for decertification
- Two-Tier Wage systems not going away in the States
- The Politics behind BC’s proposed super tribunal
- Human Rights Tribunals - changes in Saskatchewan and a critique of HRTO
- Report on Business: Board Games 2010
- Top Employer Contest and company branding and reputation
- Leadership Gender Gap in India
- Personality tests and hiring decisions
- For and against raising the minimum wage in BC
- Job Growth
- Canadian Poverty Report: are you willing to trust the poor?
- A Basic Income Plan for Canadians with Severe Disabilities
- Improving Retirement Security
ILO rules -- Canada and Ontario in violation of agricultural workers’ rights
“The UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) has ruled that Canada and Ontario, through Ontario’s ban on farm unions, violate the human rights of the more than 100,000 migrant and domestic agriculture workers in that province.” The ILO delivers its ruling as the Supreme Court of Canada has not yet rendered its decision in: Attorney General of Ontario v. Michael J. Fraser on his own behalf and on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada, et al., heard December 17, 2009.
UFCW Canada, November 19, 2010: UN Finds Canada and Ontario guilty -- links to the ILO report, and background papers also available on this webpage
ILO report case #2701, November 18, 2010
Supreme Court of Canada Case summary for pending decision heard December 2009: SCC Case Information Summary 32968: Attorney General of Ontario v. Michael J. Fraser on his own behalf and on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada, et al.
The Court, November 20th, 2008: Collective Bargaining Under the Charter: Ontario’s Agricultural Workers by Kevin Tilley
Wal-Mart - Weyburn employees apply for decertification
“There has been a move by Weyburn Wal-Mart employees to decertify themselves, in reaction from a recent ruling by the Saskatchewan Court of Employees in favour of the union certification by the United Food and Commercial Workers.”
“We have found it very difficult to communicate with employees at the Weyburn Wal-Mart,” noted Neault, stating that representatives from the union were asked to leave the store location.”
CBC News, November 18, 2010: Weyburn Wal-Mart workers want to vote on union
Weyburn Review: November 17, 2010: Wal-Mart employees move to decertify By Sabrina Kraft
Two-Tier Wage systems not going away in the States
“This is absolutely a surrender for labor,” said Mike Masik Sr., the union leader at Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle maker. His union recently accepted a new contract that freezes wages for existing workers for most of its seven years, lowers pay for new hires, dilutes benefits and brings temporary workers to the assembly line at even lower pay and no benefits whenever there is a rise in demand for Harley’s roaring bikes.”
New York Times, November 19, 2010: Unions Yield on Wage Scales to Preserve Jobs by Louis Uchitelle
In These Times, October 20, 2010: UAW Members Protest Two-Tier Wages at GM Plant by Akito Yoshikane
Time, May 21, 2010: Is a Two-Tier Wage System Sowing UAW Division?
Windsor Star, May 28, 2010: Make two-tier wage system temporary, by Thomas Jones
The Politics behind BC’s proposed super tribunal
“Those pushing for change -- mainly lawyers representing employers -- argue the process for hearing human rights complaints needs to be streamlined and reworked to apply better to workplaces. But other observers, including human rights advocates and union leaders, say the push is an attack on human rights in the province.” [from The Tyee.ca – all links below also available in the Tyee.ca article]
TheTyee.ca. November 17, 2010: News Report Questions Need for BC Human Rights Tribunal Changes: Law institute tells province more public consultation needed before accepting attackers' arguments by Andrew MacLeod
Human Rights in the Workplace: the case for a specialized workplace tribunal, by Peter Gall, Kate Bayne and Susan Chapman, Heenan Blaikie LLP Vancouver (18 pages PDF)
A response to the above paper:
An Overview of the Effectiveness of the BC Human Rights Tribunal Submitted Submitted to the BC Law Institute by Robyn Durling on behalf of the BC Human Rights Coalition (15 pages, PDF)
Human Rights Tribunals - changes in Saskatchewan and a critique of HRTO
Legislation will be introduced to dissolve Saskatchewan’s Human Rights Tribunal and have cases heard by the courts. A critique of Ontario Human Rights Tribunal comes from a management side employment lawyer.
Leader-Post October 29, 2010: Court to hear cases when province dissolves Sask. Human Rights Tribunal by Angela Hall,
Youth & Work: A blog examining millennials, employment, education, workplaces, and trends, November 18, 2010: Does the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario have procedural problems?
National Post, November 16, 2010: Tribunal has some flaws, by Howard Levitt
Report on Business: Board Games 2010
The Globe and Mail had dedicated a webpage to its current analysis of corporate governance practices. Links to the Board Games archive (2002-2008) is also available at the bottom of the page. The following is just a selection of these articles from the Globe and Mail, November 21, 2010:
The results: Board Games 2010: Rankings for corporations: Bank of Nova Scotia Financials and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. in first and second place. Reitmans Canada is in last place.
Globe and Mail , November 21, 2010: Board Games 2010: Winners and losers by Janet McFarland – why they have good or bad governance rankings
BNN Video, November 22, 2010: Governance: Board Games 2010, The Globe's Janet McFarland sits down with BNN's Michael Kane to discuss the Globe and Mail's annual review of Canadian corporate governance – worth watching – a great summary!
Globe and Mail, November 21, 2010: New program designed to help with questions of executive pay by Janet McFarland
Top Employer Contest and Company Branding and Reputation
Media Corp judges this competition using the same criteria as its earlier Canada's Top 100 Employers. Criteria are: 1. physical workplace, which includes perks such as onsite gyms and lounges; 2. work atmosphere and social, described as the overall culture, including organized events;3.health, financial and family benefits; 4. vacation and time off; 5. employee communications, which refer to the company’s procedures to communicate and get feedback from employees; 6.performance management, including performance reviews, recognition and rewards; 7. training and skills development; and 8. community involvement.
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: Table: The GTA's top employers for 2011 by Diane Jermyn
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: Why these GTA employers earned 'Best in class' by Philip Quinn
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: How candy makers sweeten the job by Diane Jermyn
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: In the race to hire the best, small firms pick up speed by Marjo Johne
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: Creating bonds on the beat by Mary Gooderham
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: Where it’s not all about the money by Mary Gooderham
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: Best companies bridge the generation gap by Tracy Tjaden
Globe and Mail, November 22, 2010: During turbulent times, talk isn’t cheap by Diane Jermyn
Company Branding and Reputation – where does social media fit in?
Tim Hortons has the highest reputational score and Rogers Communications and Bell Canada have the lowest scores. “Rogers’s robust social-media presence is a direct response to its reputation for lousy customer service.”
Canadian Business Magazine, May 10, 2010: Branding: Brands we trust: Branding by the masses: Big companies have been slow to take advantage of social media. That needs to change.
Canadian Business, May 2010: Canada’s Most Reputable Companies: The corporate brands consumers trust, respect and admire, ranked by reputation score
Leadership Gender Gap in India
Catalyst's has released the first report from its Advancing Women in India series. This paper focuses on building awareness and offering action steps for developing and advancing women in corporate India and is based upon data from leaders working in multinational companies in India, Europe, and the United States.
Catalyst, November 2010: Leadership Gender Gap in India Inc.: Myths and Realities (28 pages, PDF)
Personality tests and hiring decisions
“The study shows that failing candidates changed their personality scores drastically between tests, even though adult personality is generally known to be stable. Companies that use personality testing should not base decisions solely on these scores; they should gather evidence from other sources (e.g., structured interviews).”
Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies, "Should Personality Testing Be Part of the Hiring Process?” (2010). CAHRS Paper 14. (6 pages, PDF)
Explore the Digital Commons@ILR for research papers of interest
For and against raising the minimum wage in BC
The minimum wage in British Columbia is the lowest in Canada. A recent report from a BC Standing Committee included the recommendation to “Increase the minimum wage in small increments with appropriate advance notice.” However the authors of a Fraser Institute study look at the negative impact of a minimum wage increase on young and unskilled employees and on job seekers.
Vancouver Sun November 12, 2010: Time to consider raising B.C.'s minimum wage: government report By Jonathan Fowlie,
British Columbia. Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services First Report, November 2010 (84 pages PDF) – see PDF page 48 recommendation #37 ; see also PDF page 32 for feedback from public hearings on the subject of minimum wage
Fraser Institute, November 17, 2010: The Hard Facts about BC’s Minimum Wage, Niels Veldhuis and Amela Karabegović (2 pages, PDF)
Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, (2009): BC Wage and Salary Survey Highlights (10 pages, PDF) and Wage and Salary Survey website
Job Growth
“Our analysis highlights five major areas that provide fertile ground for new growth and jobs within developed economies over the next decade. These are: The new demographic map ; The low-carbon opportunity ; Increasing demand for public services ; Pervasive new waves of technology ; Rise of the middle class and urbanization in emerging markets.”
Accenture: Institute for High Performance, July 2010: New Waves of Growth in the Developed World, by Mark Purdy, Ladan Davarzani and Athena Peppes
Canadian Poverty Report: are you willing to trust the poor?
Pursuant to its mandate under Standing Order 108(2), the Committee has studied the Federal Contribution to Reducing Poverty in Canada and has agreed to report the following:
Report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, November 2010: Federal Poverty Reduction Plan: Working in Partnership Towards Reducing Poverty in Canada (316 pages, PDF)
Globe and Mail, November 19, 2010: To end poverty, guarantee everyone in Canada $20,000 a year. But are you willing to trust the poor? By Erin Anderssen
A Basic Income Plan for Canadians with Severe Disabilities
“This report proposes a ‘Basic Income Plan’ that will replace welfare for most Canadians with severe disabilities. Through related restructuring of other programs, the Basic Income Plan will also offset the cost of disability to all who need it and establish a reformed system of support and services for persons with disabilities.”
Caledon Institute of Social Policy, November 2010: A Basic Income Plan for Canadians with Severe Disabilities, K. Battle, S. Torjman and E. Lightman (76 pages, PDF)
Improving Retirement Security
The National Institute on Retirement Security held its inaugural policy conference, Raising the Bar: Policy Solutions for Improving Retirement Security, on February 2, 2010, in Washington, DC. The goal of the conference was to identify policy solutions aimed at improving Americans’ retirement prospects that have 1) broad support, 2) practical appeal, and 3) a good chance to be taken up by policymakers in Washington.
National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) Inaugural Policy Conference Report, February 2010: Raising the Bar: Policy Solutions for Improving Retirement Security (20 Pages, PDF)
Book of the Week
Who Needs Migrant Workers?: Labour Shortages, Immigration, and Public Policy, edited by Martin Ruhs and Bridget Anderson. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2010. 335 p. ISBN 9780199580590
Are migrant workers needed to 'do the jobs that locals will not do' or are they simply a more exploitable labour force? Do they have a better 'work ethic' or are they less able to complain? Whatever one thinks about the merits of a cap and reduced labour immigration, slowing or reducing Britain’s increasing reliance on migrant workers will require more than changes in labour immigration policy, argue Drs Martin Ruhs and Bridget Anderson in their new book Who Needs Migrant Workers?
The two senior researchers, from COMPAS (the Centre on the Study of Migration, Policy and Society) at Oxford University, provide a comprehensive framework for analysing the demand for migrant workers in high-income countries. The book demonstrates how a wide range of government policies, often unrelated to migration, contribute to creating a growing demand for migrant labour and this demand can persist even during economic downturns. For example, the book says that in the construction sector the difficulty in finding suitably skilled British workers is critically related to light regulation in the industry and no real requirement on employers to make any long-term investment in their workforce. In contrast, many European states have well developed training and apprenticeship programmes, producing workers with a wide range of transferable skills. Likewise, the structure of the care sector has resulted in a growing demand for low waged, flexible workers: two-thirds of care assistant in London are now migrants.
The book includes quantitative and qualitative analyses of the changing role of migrants in the UK economy. It includes in-depth examinations of the nature of staff shortages and the use of migrant workers in six sectors: health; social care; hospitality; food production; construction; and financial services.
Authors:
Martin Ruhs -- links to authors published research papers available online
Who Needs Migrant Workers? – Oxford University website with author interview
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