Search

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks and kills the cells of the immune system. HIV infections progress through different stages, and affect people in different ways.

Have you ever thought of conducting a survey of your membership to better understand the causes of workload problems and the effects on CUPE members and those who use our services? This guide helps you figure out how to do a workload survey, including what to think about when developing questions, how to analyze the information and how you can use the results.

These fact sheets can be downloaded as PDF documents or shared online.

No worker should be put at risk on the job. At CUPE, we fight for robust workplace protections and practices that ensure the safety, well-being, and health of all workers.

Indoor air quality is a general term for the physical, chemical and biological state of the air inside the building you work. Poor indoor air quality and poor workplace ventilation are hazards that affect the health of CUPE members.

Overwork may best be defined as too many duties and responsibilities for one worker, with too few hours in the day to complete all required tasks. It can lead to feeling overwhelmed, like you’ve lost control of your life. The severe and persistent underfunding of social services in Ontario is a primary cause of overwork. Underfunding has resulted in restructuring, mergers and amalgamations, program closures, staff layoffs, an increased pace of work, and the marketization of social services through the increased use of direct funding, all of which contribute to overwork and burnout.

The word disabled means many different things to different people. People frequently picture wheelchairs, guide dogs, and other more obvious examples of disabilities. However disabilities often cannot be seen just by looking at a worker. Not all workers with mobility issues require a wheelchair, and not all visually impaired workers are completely blind. Other medical conditions can also be disabilities. For instance, people with occupational asthma may be completely free of symptoms as long as they work in an area with no irritants.

The right to refuse unsafe work is one of the three basic health and safety rights achieved by the labour movement, along with the right to know about the hazards in your workplace, and the right to participate in workplace health and safety decisions. Learn more.

Between 2007 and 2009, 124 workers between the ages of 15 and 24 years died from work-related injuries. Almost 34,000 young workers were hurt badly enough to miss work. The key to protecting new and young workers is to educate them on their rights, and the questions they can ask to stay safe. Download the fact sheet.

Heat stress is a buildup of heat in the body to the point where a worker cannot maintain normal body temperature. When workers can’t cool themselves by sweating, serious heat illnesses can occur. Working in hot temperatures is a health and safety hazard and can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal.