REGULAR WORK IN EXCHANGE FOR A SHORTENED LIFE

Police and firefighters routinely run towards danger while the rest of us run to avoid it. Running from danger is both appropriate, instinctual and basic common sense. There are other high danger jobs such as some construction work, perhaps long distance driving, professional sports including hockey, football and boxing also come to mind with brain injuries. Generally however our work to provide ourselves and family with food, shelter and more should not jeopardize our health or lives. Kudos to Greg Mercer and the Waterloo Region Record for their ongoing series about rubber workers in Waterloo Region.

Late last month the Record carried a story titled "Rubber workers want answers about denied WSIB claims." There was a meeting at a hotel conference room on the last Thursday and Friday in March. There were more than 150 former rubber worker employees in attendance demanding answers. One former employee stated "Someone said "What a great crowd". But if WSIB had done their job in the first place, we wouldn't be here right now". The WSIB (Workplace Safety & Insurance Board) are appropriately on the hot seat. So is the anemic and pathetic Ministry of Labour.

To date only 15% of rubber workers claims for occupational disease have been granted compensation despite decades to a century or more of knowledge (in Europe) that chemicals involved in rubber manufacturing and curing are toxic to human beings. As far as cancer goes experts have suggested that as much as 20% of all cancers are work-related. A Ministry of Labour spokesperson said "We need to start treating occupational disease with the same seriousness as physical injuries." Horse manure! "...start treating...". Those bastards should have been treating it as seriously or more than physical injuries seventy-five years ago. What they have done is once again permitted the externalization of industry costs onto the taxpayers and society in general. For every nickel industry saved in not providing respirators, proper skin protection and proper ventilation they have put a dollar onto society, our health care system and individual victims of their crimes.

To date both industry captains and their bought and paid for political protectors (politicians) have unfortunately no fear of being charged criminally for their behaviour. Nor will they as long as we keep electing either Liberal or Conservative governments here in Ontario. We the citizens are ill used by our governing authorities. Always it has been and always it will remain until more of us come to our senses and see what is happening.