Outdated Canadian labour laws need to reflect new evidence on how deeply grief affects us, says U of A researcher
It takes months, even years, to recover from the grief of losing a loved one, and Canadian legislation and workplaces need to start recognizing that, says a University of Alberta researcher. While many workplaces offer three days of paid or unpaid bereavement leave, it’s based on an outdated 1967 federal law in the Canada Labour Code…
If China wants to keep trading with the West, it needs to do something about the living standards of its working people
The idea that our entire civilization could depend on millions of foreign slaves that we pretend don’t exist is like something out of a dystopian novel. But it’s the world in which we’ve lived for decades. COVID-19 is proving to be the wake-up call we needed. With cheap goods comes cheap labour, and with cheap…
She played two off-screen roles that took courage and independence. She was, to put it simply, a woman of genuine substance.
Olivia de Havilland died last weekend at the age of 104. She was often described as the last survivor of Hollywood’s golden age. Making theatrical movies from the mid-1930s to the late-1970s and continuing in television until 1988, de Havilland earned five Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress twice. Not bad going by anyone’s…
By reducing business profits, unionization ultimately makes workers worse off, diminishing employment and wages
A recent story in The Monitor – a magazine published by the left-wing, union-friendly think-tank Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – provides an important lesson in basic economics. The headline triumphantly proclaims: “Gig workers win the right to unionize.” The end result was unfortunate for the workers, however. An editor’s note at the top of…
Capitalizing on an educated workforce and taking a hard look at taxation would help the province diversify its post-pandemic economy, according to U of A experts
Growing Alberta’s sustainable energy sector alongside its conventional energy backbone might be a short-term remedy for pulling the province out of its current financial crisis, but University of Alberta economists say it won’t necessarily help the province compete globally. Joseph Doucet, dean of the Alberta School of Business, agrees that investment in a greener future…
The use of robots can make the restaurant sector more robust financially and more secure from a public health perspective
Canada’s first server-free restaurant has opened its doors in Toronto. Box’d is a fully-automated restaurant designed for life during a global pandemic. It’s an interesting concept but it makes you wonder what role humans can and should play in the food industry. Being aware of the new risks, we need to boldly move forward to…
Training robots to guide people through tasks could improve return-to-work evaluations and treatment: U of A researchers
Training robots to guide injured workers through simulated tasks could make return-to-work evaluations and treatment programs more effective and accessible, according to researchers at the University of Alberta. In a review of scientific literature on efforts to use robotics for occupational rehabilitation, the researchers reported that robots with machine learning capabilities have the potential to…
Government needs to be thinking about smart investments to make applied education safe and accessible
The important role of front-line workers has never been more apparent than over the last several weeks. They include nurses and personal support workers, paramedics and other first responders, technology professionals and skilled tradespeople, and those working in advanced manufacturing or supplying us with food. These have been the people with the skills and know-how…
The economics of pay increases in the retail sector are always weak, especially in food retailing, which has low margins
‘Hero pay’ is quietly fading away in grocery stores and food distribution centres. That’s quite the reversal from 10 weeks ago. The American-based Kroger supermarket chain, among others, even asked employees to return the extra money they received. It has since backed off. It appears higher salaries in grocery stores were short-lived. It’s not overly…
As government responds to COVID-19, it needs to think about the non-financial consequences of being out of work
Government needs to keep the non-monetary aspects of work in mind while supporting those rendered jobless by the COVID-19 pandemic. Concern about COVID-19 has ravaged Canada’s labour market. Staggering unemployment numbers and the number of applicants for federal aid for laid-off workers dominate headlines. The unprecedented effort to make up for lost wages has been admirable and…
It takes months, even years, to recover from the grief of losing a loved one, and Canadian legislation and workplaces need to start recognizing that, says a University of Alberta researcher. While many workplaces offer three days of paid or unpaid bereavement leave, it’s based on an outdated 1967 federal law in the Canada Labour Code…
