Representing workers on health and safety

in precarious employment

Some Canadian experiences

Wayne Lewchuk, McMaster UniversityMarlea Clarke, McMaster UniversityAlice deWolff, McMaster University

October 2007

The Shift to the Internal The Shift to the Internal Responsibility SystemResponsibility System

Most Canadian Jurisdictions Move Most Canadian Jurisdictions Move to IRS in the 1970sto IRS in the 1970s

Right to Participate (Mandatory JHSC)Right to Participate (Mandatory JHSC) Right to Know of HazardsRight to Know of Hazards Right to RefuseRight to Refuse

Trends in H&S Regulation in Trends in H&S Regulation in Ontario Since 1970sOntario Since 1970s

Significant decline in Ministry Significant decline in Ministry inspectionsinspections

Move to bipartite organizations Move to bipartite organizations in training and exposure setting in training and exposure setting in late 1980sin late 1980s

Tucker IR/RI 2003

The Activists become StaffThe Activists become Staff

Activist frustrated with the Activist frustrated with the limitation of IRSlimitation of IRS

Activists absorbed into bipartite Activists absorbed into bipartite organizations and official union organizations and official union movementmovement

By the end of the 1990s By the end of the 1990s movement had become more movement had become more technical and less politicaltechnical and less political

““Writing workers out” in Writing workers out” in the 1990sthe 1990s

Bipartite structures to set Bipartite structures to set exposure standards and deliver exposure standards and deliver training abandoned in 1995 with training abandoned in 1995 with the election of conservative the election of conservative provincial government provincial government

The Erosion of the Standard The Erosion of the Standard Employment RelationshipEmployment Relationship

By 2003 only By 2003 only 62.9%62.9% of all of all employed had permanent full-employed had permanent full-time work.time work.

Vosko, 2006, p. 20Vosko, 2006, p. 20

Canadian workers more exposed to Canadian workers more exposed to international competition.international competition.

Internal Responsibility Internal Responsibility System and Precarious System and Precarious EmploymentEmployment

IRS works most effectively when IRS works most effectively when workers have the confidence and workers have the confidence and knowledge to defend their knowledge to defend their interestsinterests

How have changes in labour How have changes in labour markets impacted their ability to markets impacted their ability to act in their own interest?act in their own interest?

The Employment Strain The Employment Strain StudyStudy

Population based survey Population based survey 2005/20062005/2006

InterviewsInterviews

Analysis limited to non-fulltime Analysis limited to non-fulltime students, over 18 and living in students, over 18 and living in Greater Toronto AreaGreater Toronto Area

Precarious Employment and Precarious Employment and the IRSthe IRS

Do workers in precarious employment face Do workers in precarious employment face different hazards at work?different hazards at work?

Are workers in precarious employment less Are workers in precarious employment less informed about H&S hazards?informed about H&S hazards?

Are workers in precarious employment less Are workers in precarious employment less able to exercise voice at work?able to exercise voice at work?

Can we isolate the characteristics of Can we isolate the characteristics of employment relationships and how they employment relationships and how they impact health?impact health?

The SampleThe Sample

Includes three different Includes three different employment typesemployment types

Precarious employmentPrecarious employment: Half or more : Half or more of work hours arranged through a of work hours arranged through a temporary employment agency or temporary employment agency or employed on a short-term contract (<1 employed on a short-term contract (<1 year) (n=316)year) (n=316)

Own account self-employedOwn account self-employed (n=121) (n=121)

Full-time permanent employeesFull-time permanent employees (n=1107)(n=1107)

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the SampleSample About half those in precarious About half those in precarious

employment and full-time employment and full-time employment are women, slightly employment are women, slightly fewer in self-employment.fewer in self-employment.

Full-time employees are more Full-time employees are more likely to be between the ages of 25 likely to be between the ages of 25 & 50, but over half of precarious & 50, but over half of precarious employees are in this age bracket.employees are in this age bracket.

Working Conditions of Working Conditions of Workers in Precarious Workers in Precarious EmploymentEmployment

Marginally more likely to report work too Marginally more likely to report work too heavy, but as likely to report too fast.heavy, but as likely to report too fast.

More likely to report being exposed to More likely to report being exposed to noise and uncomfortable temperatures.noise and uncomfortable temperatures.

More likely to report working with toxic More likely to report working with toxic substances. substances.

Used Toxic Substance Last Month (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

p=.014

Precarious Employment and Precarious Employment and DisorganizationDisorganization

Twice as likely to report working Twice as likely to report working in unfamiliar locations on a in unfamiliar locations on a weekly basis.weekly basis.

Almost 60% report jobs last less Almost 60% report jobs last less than 6 months compared to under than 6 months compared to under 10% for full-time employees.10% for full-time employees.

Training and KnowledgeTraining and Knowledge

H&S training at workH&S training at work

Information about toxic Information about toxic substancessubstances

Received Health and Safety Training at Work (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Informed about Toxic Substances if Used (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p=.003

Rights and Representation Rights and Representation at Workat Work

Can workers raise H&S issues?Can workers raise H&S issues?

Does employment insecurity limit Does employment insecurity limit their ability to raise issues?their ability to raise issues?

Are they supported by a union at Are they supported by a union at work?work?

Raising H&S Concern Would Negatively Affect Future Employment (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Making a Compensation Claim Would Negatively Affect Future Employment

(%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Raising Employment Rights Would Negatively Affect Future Employment

(%)

05

1015202530354045

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

p<.001

Percentage Unionized

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.000

Union Available to Help at Least Some of the Time if Needed (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Health IndicatorsHealth Indicators

Self-reported healthSelf-reported health PainPain StressStress Employment StrainEmployment Strain

Self-reported Health Poor (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p=.015

Work in Pain Half the Days or More Last Month (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Most Days at Work Stressful (%)

05

101520253035404550

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p=.007

Health Health PoorPoor

Pain ½ Pain ½ the the DaysDays

Stress Stress Most Most DaysDays

Unfamiliar locationsUnfamiliar locations -- 1.821.82 --

Short job durationShort job duration -- 1.561.56 --

Lack H&S trainingLack H&S training 1.551.55 1.441.44 --

Not informed on toxinsNot informed on toxins -- -- --

Problem raising H&SProblem raising H&S 1.711.71 1.921.92 1.451.45

Problem raising Problem raising employment rightsemployment rights

-- 1.981.98 1.641.64

Raising H&S leads to Raising H&S leads to changechange

0.740.74 -- --

Union memberUnion member 2.422.42 --

Health and the Characteristics of Employment Relationships (Odds-Ratios)

Health=f(age,sex,employment relationship + other variables)

Employment Relationship Uncertainty

Employment Relationship Effort

Diagram 1: The Employment Strain Model

Employment Strain

Employment Relationship

Support

Experience High Employment Strain (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

Experience Low Employment Strain (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Precarious Self-employed Full-time

Total Male Female

p<.001

High High StrainStrain

Low Low StrainStrain

No H&S trainingNo H&S training 1.861.86 0.490.49

Informed on toxinsInformed on toxins -- --

Problem raising H&SProblem raising H&S 2.672.67 0.230.23

Problem raising Problem raising employment rightsemployment rights

2.372.37 0.400.40

Raising H&S leads to Raising H&S leads to changechange

--

Employment Strain and the IRS (Odds-Ratios)

Health=f(age,sex,employment relationship + other variables)

SummarySummary

Precarious employment Precarious employment associatedassociated

with poor working conditionswith poor working conditions poor H&S trainingpoor H&S training Inability to exercise voice at workInability to exercise voice at work Poorer health in generalPoorer health in general

Summary (2)Summary (2)

Key factors associated with poorer Key factors associated with poorer healthhealth

lack of H&S traininglack of H&S training Inability to voice rightsInability to voice rights Disorganization only associated with painDisorganization only associated with pain Raising H&S leading to change not Raising H&S leading to change not

significantsignificant

Employment Strain a major issue Employment Strain a major issue for for precarious employment precarious employment