Ontario
moves ahead
on PTSD
legislation
for fi rst
responders
TORONTO — Queen's Park is
moving ahead with plans to ad-
dress post-traumatic stress disor-
ders (PTSD) for first responders.
On Feb. 18, labour minister
Kevin Flynn and community
safety and correctional ser-
vices minister Yasir Naqvi an-
nounced the legislation, saying
it would allow faster access to
Workplace Safety and Insur-
ance Board (WSIB) benefits and
timely treatment for the more
than 73,000 first responders in
Ontario, including firefighters,
police, paramedics and workers
in correctional facilities.
Should it pass, the Support-
ing Ontario's First Responders
Act would include a presump-
tion provision. That means first
responders would no longer
have to prove the job caused post
traumatic stress — it would be
presumed.
"This legislation will give first
responders and those who work
in corrections the peace of mind
they deserve, and our preven-
tion, resiliency and research ini-
tiatives will round out a compre-
hensive PTSD approach we can
all be proud of and that will pro-
tect the brave men and women
who we entrust with keeping us
safe and secure," Flynn said.
The proposed legislation
would also require employers
to implement PTSD prevention
plans within the workplace.
According to the Ministry of
Labour, first responders are at
least twice as likely to suffer from
PTSD compared to the general
population, due to routine expo-
sure to occupational stressors.
"We have seen the devastat-
ing impact PTSD can have on
those who keep us safe — such
as our police officers, firefight-
ers, dispatchers and correctional
officers and other frontl-ine staff
in our correctional institutions,"
Naqvi added. "Our govern-
ment's comprehensive approach
to PTSD is all about preventing,
diagnosing and supporting the
recovery of those who keep our
communities safe every day."
Air Canada,
fl ight
dispatchers
ratify 12-year
agreement
TORONTO — Air Canada and
the Canadian Airline Dispatch-
ers Association (CALDA) rati-
fied a collective agreement on
Feb. 12. The 12-year contract
covers flight dispatchers based
at the airline's operations centre
near Toronto Pearson Interna-
tional Airport.
The workers assist flight crew
in the preparation for flight de-
partures and arrivals.
The collective agreement
is the seventh deal reached
between Air Canada and its
unions in the past 18 months.
CALDA's contract follows
similar agreements, such as the
10-year contracts with techni-
cal, maintenance, airport ramp
and cargo personnel represent-
ed by IAMAW, with flight at-
tendants represented by CUPE
and with pilots represented by
ACPA.
"These agreements provide
Air Canada with added stability
and flexibility to support long-
term and profitable growth
at the airline that is beneficial
for all stakeholders," said Calin
Rovinescu, president and chief
executive of Air Canada.
Chilean copper miners who have grown reliant on cheap outsourced workers are bringing more of them
in-house or bracing for salary hikes ahead of the expected passage of a pro-worker reform bill.
LABOUR LENS
LABOUR BRIEFS
2
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