Labour leaders have good reason to be wary of management. Keeping an eye on employers is the reason unions exist. But among battles over wages and working conditions, there’s one item labour leaders should curb their suspicious natures about — employee wellness programs.
This issue’s CloseUp section on healthy workplaces is a good opportunity for HR and industrial relations experts to take in the views union officials have regarding employer attempts to encourage workers to lead healthier, more active lives. Unfortunately, there are some unhealthy attitudes out there.
Union reps are concerned for a number of reasons. They worry that employee privacy may be violated, and that even when confidentiality is kept, wellness initiatives intrude into people’s personal lives. They’re worried about reprisals against employees who don’t want to take part. And they fear that an employer focus on wellness is driven by benefit plan cost containment, a diversion of attention that impedes dealing with more serious occupational health and safety issues.
But concerns about Big Brother and lax H&S attitudes shouldn’t get in the way of wellness. Everyone, whether they’re on the union or management side, should be involved in helping workers lead healthier lifestyles.
Obesity is a leading cause of heart conditions, diabetes and cancer. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity estimates half of Canada’s adults are overweight, and 15 per cent are obese. Employers and unions can’t afford to ignore the toll this is taking on the workforce.
If employers have an ulterior motive to reduce the high costs of health-care benefits, so what? If it coincides with the improvement of employee health and a reduction in illness and death caused by preventable factors, then good. Rewarding people for good health needn’t be seen as a reprisal against those who don’t take part.
And just because more must be done to address workplace injuries and deaths — as well as carcinogenic hazards — doesn’t mean wellness is undeserving of attention. What sense does it make to keep eating oneself to death until the on-site injury rate is addressed?
Wellness makes sense, plain and simple. Where labour and management have made strides toward positive relationships, as is the case with Daimler Chrysler and the Canadian Autoworkers, wellness has flourished through joint initiatives. But a healthy state of labour relations shouldn’t be a prerequisite for employee fitness.
Unhealthy labour-management relations can’t be allowed to block healthy lifestyle changes. If unions let that happen, then it’s their own members who suffer the consequences.
This issue marks the final edition for Canadian HR Reporter news editor David Brown. David joined us in 1999 and over the years has earned a reputation for accuracy and fairness. His commitment and friendship will be sorely missed. We wish him the best.
With endings come beginnings, and we are happy to announce the promotion of Uyen Vu to news editor. Since joining the editorial team in January 2003, Uyen has become an invaluable part of Canadian HR Reporter. She is an exceptional reporter and principled journalist.
This issue’s CloseUp section on healthy workplaces is a good opportunity for HR and industrial relations experts to take in the views union officials have regarding employer attempts to encourage workers to lead healthier, more active lives. Unfortunately, there are some unhealthy attitudes out there.
Union reps are concerned for a number of reasons. They worry that employee privacy may be violated, and that even when confidentiality is kept, wellness initiatives intrude into people’s personal lives. They’re worried about reprisals against employees who don’t want to take part. And they fear that an employer focus on wellness is driven by benefit plan cost containment, a diversion of attention that impedes dealing with more serious occupational health and safety issues.
But concerns about Big Brother and lax H&S attitudes shouldn’t get in the way of wellness. Everyone, whether they’re on the union or management side, should be involved in helping workers lead healthier lifestyles.
Obesity is a leading cause of heart conditions, diabetes and cancer. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity estimates half of Canada’s adults are overweight, and 15 per cent are obese. Employers and unions can’t afford to ignore the toll this is taking on the workforce.
If employers have an ulterior motive to reduce the high costs of health-care benefits, so what? If it coincides with the improvement of employee health and a reduction in illness and death caused by preventable factors, then good. Rewarding people for good health needn’t be seen as a reprisal against those who don’t take part.
And just because more must be done to address workplace injuries and deaths — as well as carcinogenic hazards — doesn’t mean wellness is undeserving of attention. What sense does it make to keep eating oneself to death until the on-site injury rate is addressed?
Wellness makes sense, plain and simple. Where labour and management have made strides toward positive relationships, as is the case with Daimler Chrysler and the Canadian Autoworkers, wellness has flourished through joint initiatives. But a healthy state of labour relations shouldn’t be a prerequisite for employee fitness.
Unhealthy labour-management relations can’t be allowed to block healthy lifestyle changes. If unions let that happen, then it’s their own members who suffer the consequences.
This issue marks the final edition for Canadian HR Reporter news editor David Brown. David joined us in 1999 and over the years has earned a reputation for accuracy and fairness. His commitment and friendship will be sorely missed. We wish him the best.
With endings come beginnings, and we are happy to announce the promotion of Uyen Vu to news editor. Since joining the editorial team in January 2003, Uyen has become an invaluable part of Canadian HR Reporter. She is an exceptional reporter and principled journalist.
