IMMpress Magazine: Work to Live or Live to Work

IMMpress Magazine Magazine of the Department of Immunology, University of Toronto

2021 | vol.10 no.1

Universal Basic Income The Life, Death, and Afterlife of Lab Hustle

ISSN 2291-2398

Switching Off 9 772291 239001

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About the Cover Work to live or live to work can be presented as a personal philosophical question – what is it that we prioritize more? Our livelihood? Or the meaningful work that we do? Are they truly two separate matters? As we exist in a society with people and systems, things are not quite as simple. The question we ask ourselves becomes much more complex, where it is no longer a question of our personal work ethics but what is permissible in today’s society. How much of it is truly in our control? How much of our decision is dictated by our occupations, companies, institutions, and employers?

The cover of this issue represents the co-dependent relationship of work and life. They are two parts of a machine, with each gear propelling one another forward. This interconnection can, however, feel like a loop with no clear definition of where it begins and where it ends. Your perspective can change depending on which figure you focus on in the cover, but perhaps the most difficult task is to view this paradox as a whole. Nevertheless, the cover invites you to ponder the question: work to live, or live to work?

IMMpress EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Louis Ngai Philip Barbulescu DESIGN DIRECTOR Kitty Liu MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Sarah Colpitts SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Salma Sheikh-Mohamed SENIOR EDITORS Philip Barbulescu Sarah Colpitts Meghan Kates Robyn Loves Martin Mak Louis Ngai James Pollock Salma Sheikh-Mohamed Siu Ling Tai Karen Yeung DESIGN ASSISTANTS Philip Barbulescu Baweleta Isho Meggie Kuypers Louis Ngai Karen Yeung

Design notes In tackling the complex topic of work and life, our designers skillfully utilized different colour palettes and images to represent the wide spectrum of tone of writing in this issue. From the use of a monochromatic gray palette to convey the coldness of isolation and entrapment to the use of contrasting colours to convey the two different sides of one concept, it is incredible the story-telling power our designers possess!

We would like to thank all of our talented designers for all their hard work and beautiful creations.

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-Kitty LiuEAD, RE-GI F E-R

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Copyright © 2013 IMMpress Magazine. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

IMMpress Magazine is a student-run initiative. Any opinions expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views or policies of the Department of Immunology or the University of Toronto.

CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Jessica Bruce Ryder Whittake Hawkins Baweleta Isho Manjula Kamath Meghan Kates Faustina Lau Martin Mak Ammarah Naseer James Pollock Claudia Ritzker Salma Sheikh-Mohamed Siu Ling Tai Matthew Wong Daniel Zangrando Evey Zheng FOUNDING EDITORS Yuriy Baglaenko Charles Tran

CONTENTS VOL 10. NO 1. [2022] › FEATURE ON WORK TO LIVE OR LIVE TO WORK

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Universal basic income The pros and cons of consistent income for all The life, death, and afterlife of lab hustle Fostering optimism and creativity in future scientists Switching off The laws in place that give you a break from work

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24 26

Letter from the Editors

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Letter from the Chair

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Our World in Review — Economies

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To be in Academia or Industry — That is the question

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A Look into Intellectual Property Law: An Interview with Micheline Gravelle

20 Mergers and Acquisitions in Research: Who Wins?

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The Gig Economy — Exploitation of Innovation

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Food Delivery — Life Saving or Predatory?

24 Hopeless and Disgruntled: the Case for the AntiWork Movement

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26 The 2021 Kellogg's Strike: Labour Strike in the Internet Age 28 Worker Exploitation: a Global Issue 30 Labour unions: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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Are People More Productive Working from Home?

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Mental Health in the Workplace

34 Workplace Rights, Recourses and Resources

› CONNECT WITH US!

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LETTER FROM THE

EDITORS

With this issue of IMMpress Magazine, we examine the changes and challenges in the modern-day workplace. There have been several recent events—namely the Kellogg’s strike and a global rise in pessimism towards work due to companies putting profit over people—that inspired us to tackle the issues surrounding work, life, and the balance between them.

As always, our issue takes off with an infographic highlighting the world economy and the disparities we see across the world (p8). The infographic highlights the progress we’ve made in addressing inequality and how there is still so much left to do.

This current IMMpress issue can be boiled down to investigating the economic and mental health inequalities around the world. One approach to address economic inequalities is universal basic income and the effects it would have on society (p10). We then take a glimpse into the work culture surrounding PhD students and how it could compare to the 9-9, 6 days a week workweek of China (p12). Next, we delve further into a recent article from Nature that saw more PhD graduates going into industry than academia and examine why that is (p16) and we go over how mergers and acquisitions could impact the workforce at these companies (p20). We then discuss sentiments surrounding the current state of the gig economy (p21), how dissatisfaction with work has led to the rise of the anti-work movement (p24), and the victory of the recent Kellogg’s strike (p26). These issues are of course worldwide and so we examine how workers are exploited around the world (p28), the pros and cons of labour unions (p30), and the importance of mental health in the workplace, particularly in this new work from home era (p33). With this issue, we have also included a handful of resources on workplace rights here in Canada (p34).

We extend our gratitude to our wonderful team of writers, designers, and editors for their excellent work for this issue of IMMpress Magazine. Our team continues to inspire us with their thoughtful work and creativity. We hope our readers learn something new and enjoy!

Finally, please stay safe and healthy out there!

Louis Ngai

Philip Barbulescu IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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LETTER

FROM THE CHAIR

As Acting Chair of the Department of Immunology for this academic term, I am pleased to bring you some highlights of this issue of IMMpress. The students have once again hit on the topic of the moment as we all struggle to realign work/life balance in this almost post-pandemic era (fingers crossed on the “post” part of this sentence). This issue contains very thoughtful articles on how workers can become exploited in the new gig economy, how unions can play a role in upholding workers’ rights (sometimes good, sometimes not as good), and the toll this brave new work world takes on the most vulnerable in our society.

In this issue we also heard about the pros and cons of an industrial career. As someone who has done both, this article resonated with me. The way industry works now is vastly different than when I was at Biogen from 2000-2003. But there are some things that remain the same – the ability to quickly bring a discovery to the clinic is still an exhilarating process, while the constraints on what you can work on at a given moment can be frustrating. The good news is that there is no right or wrong when choosing industry vs academia, and there are growing examples of scientists (like myself and our newest Departmental member Dr. Matt Buechler) who have toggled between both worlds.

We all (hopefully) share a passion for science, and in this we are extremely lucky to be working at what we love. In Immunology there are unavoidable long days at the bench or in front of a computer. This can fuel our passion, but can also suck us dry if we don’t get opportunities to turn off and recharge. As such, burnout is something we need to address on our own terms as well as collectively. This issue takes a good hard look at how we work now and offers some cautionary tales as to what “work gone wrong” can look like.

If we have learned anything from this 2-year pandemic at the tail of which we now have war, it is to look after our mental and physical health, and care for those who are most vulnerable. Not only will that make us better citizens, but arguably also better Immunologists. Bravo to all who played a role in bringing this issue to life, especially the editors Louis and Philip.

And take care out there!

Jen Gommerman, PhD Canada Research Chair in Tissue Specific Immunity Professor and Acting Chair, Department of Immunology IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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OUR WORLD IN REVIEW ECONOMIES OUR WORLD IN REVIEW ECONOMIES OUR WORLD IN REVIEW - ECONOMIES

This infographic focuses on the world economy. Although average income per country is an important statistic to have, it does not represent the data accurately, considering that cost of living vary widely around the world.

To understand the graphs, we must first understand some key definitions. The Gini coefficient, or Gini index, measures the income distribution of a population. For example, in a perfectly equal society where everyone has the same income, the Gini coefficient would be 0 (0%). On the other hand a Gini coefficient of 1 (100%) indicates that one person has all the income and all others have none. Another term is PPP which stands for Purchase power parity-a calculation that tells you how much things would cost if all countries used the same currency. Overall, it helps provide a more detailed picture of a country’s economic health. Similarly, the World Bank uses a theoretical currency “international dollars” to compare median incomes around the world.

GDP per capita vs. economic inequality, 2018

Gini coefficient

GDP per capita is adjusted for price differences between countries.

GDP per capita vs economic inequality, 2018 South A South Africa frica

60% Zambia Zambia Eswatini Eswatini

Mozambique Mozambique

Brazil Brazil

Angola Angola

Colombia Colombia

50%

Mexico Mexico

Cameroon Cameroon Malawi Malawi

Rwanda Rwanda

Philippines Philippines Kenya Kenya

40% Burundi Burundi

United States United States

C hina China

Russia Russia

Bangladesh Bangladesh

Australia Australia Canada C anada

Egypt Egypt

Austria Austria Denmark Netherlands N etherlandsDenmark Norway Norway United Arab United Arab Emirates Emirates

30% Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

Moldova Moldova

$1,000

Italy Italy

Nigeria Nigeria

Ethiopia Ethiopia

$2,000

$5,000

$10,000

$20,000

$50,000

Output-side real GDP per capita

Income share held by richest 10%, 2015

Source: World Bank, Feenstra et al. (2015) Penn World Tables version 9.1, Population (Gapminder, HYDE(2016) & UN (2019))

Income shared held by richest 10%, 2015

Percentage share of income or consumption accruing to the richest 10% of the population. In a country with 100 people, if you rank them by income the share of the top 10% corresponds to the sum of incomes of the top 10 people, as a proportion of total income in that country.

No data 0%

Source: World Bank

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Africa

ThisAsiagraph shows the income inEurope equality in the world. The size of North America the Oceania circles reflect population.

South America There are some limitations to this 1.4B 1.4B data owing to the fact that data 600M 600M gathering metrics vary by country.

Dots sized by But Population overall, the trend points to the fact that parts of Africa, the majority being South, and Latin America are regions with very high inequality, where the “rich” hold most of the wealth. Contrast this to most rich countries based on GDP, they face comparatively low levels of inequality. These results could owe to a variety of factors ranging from access to better education and resources allowing for more equal opportunities.

This world map shows the income held by the richest 10% in 2015.

This wealth grew further during the COVID-19 pandemic. But this is not exclusive to the pandemic. Since 1995, the top 1% have captured nearly 20 times more global wealth than the bottom 50% of humanity. These wealth gaps disproportionately affect women, black, indigenous, and people of colour. In Canada and the US, the top 10% hold 25% and 30% of the total’s country income respectively. In Latin America and South Africa, the wealth held by the top 10% are 40% and 50% respectively.

•

Overall the majority of the world is poor. . .

If we adjusted the income for price differences between countries in int-$, where one int-$ = one US-$, and used a poverty line of a person living on int-$30/day for goods and services, we would find that:

No country has eliminated poverty - in “rich and developed” countries 45% (Poland) to 7% (Norway) of individuals live in poverty, (~22% in the US and ~20% in Canada)

85% of the world lives on less than $30 per day

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Progress has been made, butslowly. . .

In the 1820s...

76%of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty, less than $1.90per day In 2018...

9%live in extreme poverty.

In the 1950s...

91% lived on less than $30/day 75% lived on less than $10/day 65%lived on less than $5/day In 2018...

85% lived on less than $30/day 62% lived on less than $10/day 40% lived on less than $5/day

Female labour force participation rate

This chart compares the national estimate of female participation rates in the labor market in 1980 (vertical) vs 2020 (horizontal).

Based on the slope, most countries have seen positive changes as they appear on the bottom right. Nevertheless, men still participate more in labor markets more frequently than women.

What are some explanation affecting women’s ability to participate in the labor force?

1. Maternal health - pregnancy, childbirth, and the period after childbirth imposes a substantial burden on women’s health and time.

What can governments do to reduce inequality?

End laws that prevent workers’ rights to unionize and strike, and provide better legal standards to protect workers Increase taxes on the wealthy and use the revenue to invest in healthcare and social protection, and gender-based violence prevention and programming Rework laws that target women and racialized individuals and involve women and racialized individuals by involving them in the decision making processes to create more equal opportunities among the disadvantaged

2. Number of children, on average mothers spend more time on childcare than fathers, therefore fewer children means more time to participate in the labor force.

3. Availability of childcare support - public spending on services, financial support, tax exemption 4. Social norms - gender roles around the world have a large impact on what jobs men and women can perform. For example, from the 1800s-1900s, married women were prohibited from attaining teaching or clerical jobs.

- Louis Ngai, Philip Barbulescu IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

I

magine a world in which you were guaranteed $2,000 per month, regardless of your work status or other income. Where everyone from a working single mother of three to Drake and Justin Bieber receives this $2,000 monthly cheque. This is the premise of Universal Basic Income (UBI). A fixed wage or payment, given to each citizen regardless of work status, health, wealth, or other criteria, to provide a foundational income to cover fundamental needs. While this may seem like an impossibly grand idea, UBI has become a topic of hot debate in recent years. In fact, late last year, two bills to establish UBI were brought before the

Canadian Federal House of Representatives and the Senate. This was inspired by the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit,which was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has demonstrated that UBI is achievable.

So, what is the debate?

Proponents of UBI advocate for its ability to streamline social security services, address health problems associated with poverty and break the cycles of dependency on social assistance. This gives people who are experiencing financial downturns the time, confidence, and ability to climb the economic ladder. Theoretically, UBI would abolish poverty, reduce human suffering, and reduce the costs of poverty on

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society. On the other hand, opponents criticize that UBI is too costly, is an invitation to laziness, and withdraws resources from other settings such as infrastructure and health.

Currently, no single state has adopted a continuous program of UBI. Multiple countries, including Canada, Kenya, Uganda, Germany, and Finland have conducted smaller scale trials. The most comprehensive study to date occurred in Finland and aimed to evaluate the effects of UBI on income and employment. The study reported a small, but not significant (p=0.08) increase in the willingness to accept work or to increase hours of work.

The largest benefits from UBI were the reduction in use of other govern-

ment funded services and benefits accessed by participants and that participants felt more confident in their own future, financial situation, and ability to influence social matters. Recently a small pilot study occurred in Ontario which aimed to examine the impact of basic income on a range of socioeconomic health inequalities including food and housing security, mental health, health and healthcare usage, education, employment, and labour market participation.

The study commenced in April 2018 under the Wynn government and was expected to continue for three years.

4,000 residents from Hamilton, Thunder Bay and Lindsay between the ages of 18 and 64 re-

ceived $16,989 per year, with a 50 cent reduction for every dollar earned through paid work. The study was estimated to continue for 3 years but was cancelled early in 2019 when the Ford government was elected, citing an extraordinary cost for taxpayers, and in what is possibly the most extraordinary cost of all, no official data was collated or released.

A small team of researchers surveyed 200 of the participants and found that 80% of participants reported increases in overall health and mental health, while 86% reported decreased anxiety. Furthermore, 46% of participants reported increases in housing accommodation and 57% reported an increase in ability to pay rent. Investigators

identified several key trends including a movement from low paying jobs to jobs with better benefits and more career development options, and increased participation in education for career development.

For some participants, UBI enabled them to leave employment to better care for children and other relatives requiring care.

Those who remained unemployed found it generally improved their health and well-being, allowing them to better cover existing debts, improve nutrition and housing standards. The report concluded that there was no individual who did not benefit in some way from receiving the income.

Both studies demonstrate a clear im-

80% of participants reported increases in overall health and mental health, while 86% reported decreased anxiety provement in health and well-being of recipients. Moreover, they debunk the idea that UBI disincentivizes work, a finding corroborated by a systematic review produced by an economics group from Harvard and MIT demonstrating that cash payments have no effect on incentive to

work. Indeed, increased financial stability and decreased anxiety provide recipients with a sense of optimism that empowers them to seek to improve their own financial situation and general well-being.

The data on UBI’s social outcomes are clear. Understanding the cost, the economic impact, and the feasibility of UBI is a more challenging task which requires considering how the program will be funded and predicting long-term economic effects. Ambiguity in these factors inhibits effective cost-benefit analysis and is one of the largest barriers to effective discussion of UBI. Undeniably, the upfront cost for UBI is immense. In Canada a UBI of $24,000 per annum per adult would increase federal spending by $464.5 billion dollars annually, which initially would need to be funded either through federal debt or increased taxation rates.

Opponents argue both these scenarios unfairly place the burden on higher income families or businesses and would lead to serious economic downturn through reduction of spending and investment.

Longer term models show that UBI stimulates economic growth. A study by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis indicated that after the 5th year, providing a UBI of $24,000 per year would generate

450,000 new jobs and grow GDP by 2.4% in addition to lifting 3.2 million families above the poverty line. Similarly, US-focused modelling from the Roosevelt Institute predicted that financing UBI through government debt would boost the US economy, with their most radical modelling predicting that giving a $1,000 per month debt-financed payment to each adult leads to a GDP growth of 12.56% over 8 years. Ideally, such economic growth, combined with a streamlining of other social services, would lead to UBI being selffunded, however whether this is achievable is unclear. Ultimately, we ask the wealthy of our society to shoulder a tangible financial burden and be repaid with less tangible factors such as economic growth and a more equitable society. The benefits of UBI to those that need it most are clear. The benefits to those that don’t need it are less clearly defined. So, the question we must ask as a society is what emphasis should we place on improving the quality of life for the needy and marginalized of our society?

- Jessica Bruce

IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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A

s graduate students, we often hear the admonition, “This PhD can’t be just a 9-to-5!”—sometimes justified with “Science should be your passion!”

This “hustle” attitude extends beyond the scientific sphere and is common in highpressure fields such as finance, computer science, athletics, and music. In fact, many high achievers often credit their productivity and satisfaction to a total immersion in their work. Spacefaring tycoon Elon Musk famously said that “Nobody can change the world on 40 hours a week”. In China, the 996 workweek—9 to 9, six days a week—has become the norm in tech, with Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma opining, “If we find things we like, 996 is not a problem … If you don’t like [your work], every minute is torture.” On the cynical side,

Youtube “wealth gurus” prey on this feelgood psychology of the hustle to market themselves and sell an unattainable lifestyle.

For this issue of IMMPress, “Work to Live or Live to Work”, I compare the culture of motivation and workaholism in our academic labs to those of other fields and conclude that hustling harder could be effective only when combined with sensitive and equally dedicated coaching and championing on the part of the faculty.

In medieval times, peasants worked from dawn to dusk—sixteen hours in the summer and eight in winter. But their work was also highly seasonal, and the calendar was filled with numerous saints’ days and holidays, so that they probably worked only 120 days per year.

Christian philosophy conceived of work as a punishment for original

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sins but also of wealth as an opportunity for generosity and charity.

Indeed, some have advanced the view that the ‘Protestant work ethic’ of the Puritans was the direct precursor to Muskian workaholism. Certainly, this subconscious attitude of self-sacrifice for a greater goal is still present in our research labs and serves as a powerful motivator through tough times.

Funnily enough, the aspiration of Marxist thinkers of the Industrial Revolution was to create a post-capitalist world in which everyone had ample leisure time for artistic, creative and scientific pursuits. The Soviet economist Kropotkin famously wrote that “After bread has been secured, leisure is the supreme aim”–but in the same essay he mentioned that “when man has the possibility of varying occupations, and especially of alternating manual with in-

tellectual work, he can remain occupied without fatigue, and even with pleasure, for 10 or 12 hours a day,” suggesting that our profession—the trade of science—is admirable and worth dedicating our lives to.

Fast forward to 2022, and our postcovid world is run by the gig economy, by Uber drivers and escooters, and by Amazon trucks—hardly the socialist utopia imagined two centuries ago.

The “Great Resignation” is seeing workers quitting en masse or switching to workfrom-home or more creative ventures. Fatigued from robotic online covid-school, Gen Z has less hope and motivation than ever for their future career prospects. What will we offer them in the scientific sphere when they come of age in five to ten years? Will we treat them like gig workers, exploiting their scientific labor for publica-

tions they will never see their names on, or will we champion them, closely invested in their immediate success?

In China, the backlash to the relentless drive to achievement— there amplified by deeply ingrained aspirations of national glory—has been extreme in another direction. The term “involution” (neijuan) describes how employees faced with impossible demands develop schemes and loopholes to hack the system.

These tactics range from humorous (think Office Space or Dilbert) to severely corrupt (think entrance exam cheaters or milk powder scandals). The term was coined in the ‘60s by an agronomist in the Dutch East Indies and describes how an increase in input does not always linearly lead to an increase in output.

Academic science in our own department also risks becoming “in-

voluted” if students end up expending most of their efforts simply to satisfy the requirements of committee meetings, reports and scholarship applications (not to minimize the importance of such things!), instead of actually performing cutting-edge science that will be appreciated by the world. At the extreme, our cult of Puritan overwork could even drive students to spend long hours in the lab with little idea of how they could effectively be working, simply out of fear of letting their professor down or out of a belief that self-sacrifice must necessarily lead to success. But of course this sort of hustling will only lead to wasted lab reagents, unpublishable data, more selfdoubt and eventual burnout.

ence graduates become professors, a result he characterized as “shocking”.

Moreover, even research topics themselves can become involuted, when stiff competition for grants and a publish-orperish mentality might prioritize incremental research in minimum publishable units. In some cases, this has led to the rise in predatory publishing houses that offer to pad CVs with low-effort papers.

The European Research Council has recently tried to break out of this habit by offering a “non-incremental” grant that rewards ambitious projects in order to rejuvenate their research scene.

However, we must not forget to support those graduates of Immunology who do intend to pursue careers as faculty members as well. Perhaps keeping some emphasis on the practical steps to achieve a career in basic research, as well as on exciting alternatives, could help stave off symptoms of aimlessness or “lying-flat”.

The most nihilistic of China’s youth go beyond pretend-working and have instead created a counterculture that fully embraces laziness. “Lying flat” (tang ping) is the philosophy of those who prefer the certainty of mediocrity over the possibility of seeking excellence and failing miserably. Their rallying cry is: “The leek that lies flat is hard to chop down”.

The Chinese government, for its part, banned the practise in August 2021 as part of their “common prosperity” campaign that aims to redistribute wealth from the country’s ultra-rich. Whether or not a “lying-flat” phenomenon exists in our country’s academia is unknown, but it certainly has parallels to the doominducing imposter syndrome with which we are all too familiar. Many students in the life sciences today have little hope for their scientific future. Only a small minority consider it possible to become a professor, and even fewer have the will to do so. Indeed, the large-scale 10,000 PhDs study by our own Biochemistry department’s Dr. Reinhart Reithmeier found that only 15% of UofT life sci-

Even some previously coveted lecturer positions at universities are becoming less secure, with some authors describing these as a “gig economy” of its own. Of course, our department has made great strides in encouraging and preparing our graduates for rewarding and exciting careers in industry, science editing, communication, journalism, technical support and sales. Our GPD course, as well as the newly debuted introductory course IMM1200, challenge students to consider the practical and professional steps they can take to build their own personalized dream job.

For example, committee members and supervisors can prioritize students’ early publication in top-quality journals, which is increasingly required for tenuretrack positions. A cursory look at the contents of Nature or Science reveals that the most impactful papers are short, well-presented, high-throughput, and above all, collaborative, with most contributors specializing in a couple of experimental techniques at most. PhD students in immunology should be allowed and encouraged to work in solidarity with other lab members to multiply their efforts and result in speedier publication, rather than working tirelessly in isolation.

Nevertheless, students who overwork for five to seven years but never think of their career prospects and goals are doomed to come up short after graduation. Students should be coached on strategy for selecting postdoctoral labs and on communication with leading experts in other countries, before being allowed to defend their thesis. In that way, our department could produce worldclass scientists who are, in practical terms, real contenders for top spots in academia in Canada and around the

world. Otherwise, Canada may see its students abandoning the field of science or “lying flat”, especially since degrees in the creative subjects, business and computer science may be a better investment.

The Olympic Winter Games have reminded us that another class of students are also dead-set on success: those amateur athletes that strive for excellence in the physical sphere. These games have brought out the worst and the best in humanity: from the social Darwinism of the Russian figure skating team to the success stories of Nathan Chen, Su Yiming, Max Parrot and Eileen Gu. Certainly, all the entrants have hustle and drive, but if there is one thing that distinguished these two extremes, it is the presence of authentic, loving, dedicated coaches: accomplished athletes in their own right with a vested interest in championing the success of their protégés.

So maybe we ought to ask ourselves, what can we learn from these role models? Do we provide the support necessary to generate graduates that can compete at the highest levels—on par with the Bostons and San Diegos of the world? Can we become a research powerhouse in the next decades? If we want to, for sure all we students need to keep hustling. But I think we will also have to seriously nurture our talent in the same way Rafa Arutyunyan mentors Nathan Chen—selflessly, practically, with a focus on publication and a care for the student’s career over the professor’s—rather than like Eteri Tutberidze, whose factory for churning out child figure skating stars leads to their burnout at the age of 17 and to countless tears and scandals.

The point of this essay is not to accuse or demoralize, since the concepts mentioned are emergent properties of large social systems. Instead, I hope to inspire a broader perspective in both students and professors, to look to the horizon rather than involuting, to imagine what our university could be rather than get bogged down in its problems. As the prayer goes, “Look not on our sins but on the faith of thy church”. After all, the successes of our future students will reflect on us all.

- Ryder Whittaker Hawkins IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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W

hen you hear a notification ping from your phone, can you guess who it’ll be from? Maybe it’s a friend sharing a meme or parents checking in?

Maybe it’s your boss asking a question or reminding you about an upcoming deadline? The fact is, the digital workplace that’s been creeping into our lives for several years suddenly became the norm once the pandemic forced many workers to go remote.

While many may appreciate the increased flexibility that working from home provides, this new work culture has made it increasingly challenging to disconnect from one’s job. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance has been made harder than ever as the line between workplace and home has started to blur. A 2021 report from Statistics Canada found that many Canadians experience negative physical

Maintaining a healthy worklife balance has been made harder than ever as the line between workplace and home has started to blur.

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and mental health effects from not being able to “switch off” after work due to cognitive and emotional overload from constant connectivity.

Women in particular face challenges in achieving a work-life balance, often working more unpaid overtime and performing additional work activities compared to men. Women are also more likely to work in professional and office-based environments, where burnout from being always connected is more common.

In response, “right to disconnect” laws began appearing in Europe in the late 2010s: France in 2016, Italy in 2017, and Spain in 2018, and were designed to protect an employee’s right to not respond to calls and messages from work outside of regular working hours. The hope was that these rules would deter employers from overreaching into their employees’ private lives. These laws also made it clear that workers couldn’t be penalized for logging off by being denied raises or promotions. Some companies have also taken it upon themselves to introduce policies that protect the right to disconnect. As far back as 2011, Volkswagen began disabling its e-mail servers between 6:15 pm and 7:00 am to try to dissuade “crackberry” behaviours.

At first glance this act seems like a victor y for workers’ rights, but in reality it remains doubtful whether it will actually change anything.

Inspired by these actions in Europe, the Ontario government introduced Bill 27 last year that, among other amendments to labour law, introduced right to disconnect legislation. The bill (now part of law and officially called the Working for Workers Act, 2021) mandates companies to prepare disconnection policies by June of this year. These policies must outline when employees can disconnect from work, defined as “not engaging in work-related communications, including e-mails, telephone calls, video calls or the sending or reviewing of other messages, so as to be free from the performance of work.”

At first glance this act seems like a victory for workers’ rights, but in reality it remains doubtful whether it will actually change anything. The wording of the law does not require businesses to uphold the right to disconnect, but only that they must create policies regarding their attitudes towards disconnecting from work. A policy that requires disconnection during evening hours would be just as valid as a policy that states “employees may never disconnect”.

This law may even have a negative impact, as companies can tout their right to disconnect policies to job applicants without making meaningful changes to their work culture.

Even if these laws were fairly implemented by businesses, other significant hurdles remain. Legislation would have to explain how they prevent employers’ bias against employees who choose to disconnect. This bias is de facto outlawed in Bill 27, but it remains to be seen how the government will prevent this de jure. The law may not affect all workers equally, either. Workers that would benefit most from right to disconnect policies are those who work clearly defined and regular hours. This excludes people who enjoy flexible working hours that vary day by day.

In 2018, 15% of working Canadians were self-employed, up from 12% in the 1970s. A study that year found that people were making the switch to self-employment for more flexible hours, to balance family life and work, and for more independence and control over their career. This change in addition to the rise of the gig economy and the many people now working from home, indicates that the structure of Canadian workplaces are diversifying rapidly. This may suggest that workers’ rights protections will be increasingly difficult to enact across the board. As the definition of work changes in light of the pandemic, Canada needs a national definition of work to reduce ambiguity. In Quebec, a person is “at work” when they are assigned work at the workplace or waiting for an assignment, on a break period granted by their employer, or travelling or training as required by their employer. Unfortunately, most provinces and territories don’t have this distinction. Once we have a better understanding of what it means to be working, we determine how to healthily stop working.

While the right to disconnect has gained increasing interest over the past few years, the implementation, enforcement, and impact of these laws on the average worker haven’t yet been fully realized, and more research into meaningful solutions is needed.

- James Pollock

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To be in Academia or Industry

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– That is the question M

any researchers find themselves having to decide between pursuing a career in academia or industry. For some graduates, the choice is obvious, but others may find it difficult to pick one path over the other. But what exactly is the difference between these two disparate career paths?

Research conducted in academia tends to be more discovery-driven, and the focus is mainly on learning instead of developing clinical applications. In addition to conducting self-directed research, an academic scientist needs to apply for grants, publish papers and mentor students. Industry scientists conduct applied research with direct clinical impact and as a result, they tend to approach research with a business mindset, though that is not to say that discovery research does not happen. A career in industry includes a broad range of research activities, such as working for a biotech startup or a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Industry researchers might provide consulting services, assist with product development, or carry out quality control.

A recent survey published in Nature examining salaries and job satisfaction found that many scientists in academia are transitioning over to industry. The survey also revealed that those researchers working in industry are more satisfied and better paid than academic scientists. Survey respondents were composed of 3,200 scientists, 65% of which work in academia, 15% in industry and the remainder work for the government or non-profit organizations. Further understanding the differences between academia and industry might shed some light on the survey’s findings.

One key point that likely comes to mind regarding job satisfaction would be the salary differences. Industry researchers are typically paid 30% more than academic scientists.

The Nature article points to labour-market economics as a potential explanation for the greater satisfaction and higher salary. Due to new companies emerging on a regular basis, industry employers find it challenging to fill vacancies. To attract strong candidates, they offer high salaries and benefits.

The reality is that the academic sector is simply unable to compete, thereby fueling the shift to industry.

The consequences of the pandemic might also explain the higher satisfaction of industry scientists. Another survey of 1,000 UK faculty and staff conducted at the University of Bristol revealed a perception that university leaders were using the pandemic as an excuse to implement cost-cutting measures. Such cuts have led to the cultivation of fear among academics and the general sentiment that leadership in universities is becoming more autocratic.

Some other important distinctions between the two pathways can also clarify the survey’s findings. Scientists working within academic settings have some flexibility in planning their schedules, including choosing when they teach or carry out research. Industry scientists lack such flexibility as their work schedule is more structured, with employees mostly work 9 am to 5 pm during weekdays. Those working industry jobs need to meet specific deadlines, leading to a faster turnaround time for projects. Therapies developed by pharmaceutical companies are also quickly brought into clinical practice, allowing industry scientists to observe the direct impact of their work on patient lives.

One hindrance that academics have to deal with is access to funding, something that commercial scientists don’t need to be actively concerned about. Another major component of academia is teaching, whether that is acting as an instructor or assisting with running a course. Some graduate students might be uncomfortable with teaching, which may be another reason why they opt for a career outside of academia.

Of course, there are scientists that have successful and fulfilling careers in academia. They enjoy the flexibility that academic research offers and find satisfaction in pursuing knowledge for its own sake. Nonetheless, the increasing number of researchers leaving behind academia is concerning. University leaders must implement changes within academia to attract and retain the next generation of scientists.

Some concepts that can be borrowed from industry and applied to academia involve maintaining a work-life balance and focusing on career-development. Trainees in academia should be encouraged by advisers to explore various career paths. Engaging in transparent conversations about professions in research would be of great benefit to graduate students, resulting in a more positive learning experience. An important aspect would be to bridge these two sectors, allowing individuals to easily move between the two. Such fluid movement is only possible if academia evolves to compete with the booming industry sector.

Researchers torn between industry and academia should first understand the distinguishing features of these two sectors. Scientists should then take a moment to consider their strengths as certain qualities would be more valuable in one setting over the other. Being willing to explore various career avenues would also be useful for recent graduates caught facing the common dilemma.

- Ammarah Naseer

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A Look Into Intellectual Property Law An Interview with Micheline Gravelle

The interview was removed at the request of the alumni.

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Mergers and acquisitions in research: who wins?

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f you follow the business section on the news, you may have noticed the frequency of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), particularly in the biotechnology industry. As an example, we have seen Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo) grow tremendously in the last decade. Thermo was initially formed through a merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific in 2006. Steadily acquiring a broad and diverse profile of products, Thermo is now a household name in the scientific world, being the parent company of the vast majority of reagents used in laboratories. The rapid need for COVID-19 testing and research has driven their growth and revenue in the past year, fueling their strategic M&As. Most recently, Thermo has completed the biggest buyout of 2021, closing the deal at $17.4 billion to acquire PPD, a global pharmaceutical contract research organization.

From the perspective of both employees and companies, there are pros and cons to buyouts and mergers. Often, more established corporations acquire smaller companies or startups. For the acquiring firm, a strategic merger offers entry into a new market or acquisition of intellectual property. It provides an opportunity to fill gaps in a product line or services, saving time in company growth and development. Theoretically, this is a win-win for both parties, providing financial backing for the smaller firm to drive the evolution of their innovation. In particular, production scale up, manufacturing, and investment in inventory are all steps in growth that require a large amount of capital. Startups often fail without strategic acquisitions. Many ideas never come to fruition due to lack of experience in company management, understanding the customer base, marketing, and investment capital.

Driven by the initial idea, entrepreneurs often fail to properly research the field and pivot the product accordingly to capture the market. This is where a strategic M&A could drive the growth of a startup or even free up the key innovator to be able to gain returns, exit the startup, and work on new ideas. Furthermore, M&As can drive competition between large corporations, preventing the monopoly of a market.

However, good ideas and products can be lost after buyouts of startups. There are many reasons that lead to a failure in growing an idea, product, or service after M&A – some of 20 IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

which are driven by the power differentials in acquisitions. In some instances, companies are acquired merely for financial benefits rather than the idea. In other instances, a startup may offer a portfolio of products, but are acquired for only one key technology. However, the major reason for failed M&As is due to poor transitions, post-merger integrations, and retention of employees. The amount of work required in integrations alone can be distracting for senior staff, taking away from the focus on the company's vision. This distress is further exacerbated by shifts in corporate culture that may be challenging adjustments. This includes changes in daily work culture, expectations, and transparency which can be detrimental for team morale. Even without vast change, M&As are disruptive for employees, stirring up anxiety in the lack of certainty in their roles and job stability. Despite this, there are many successful M&As. M&As have great potential to be beneficial to both parties – as long as there is transparency to employees during the transition and resources dedicated to guiding a smooth integration.

- Siu Ling Tai

Th e Gig Econo my Exploitation of Innovation?

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ould you rather decide your own working hours, be your own manager and decide which projects to pursue? More than 8% of Canadians workers do.

Such unconventional jobs have increasingly gained popularity over the past decade owing to a surge in advancements in digital communication and their incorporation into businesses across the globe. This has given rise to what is called the “gig” economy.

As opposed to being employed full-time, gigs provide flexibility to the worker in terms of time spent on each assignment, working under multiple employers and switching jobs readily to name a few. But as they say, “for everything you win, there is something lost.”; Working in the gig economy has its disadvantages. From not receiving health insurance, being subjected to questionable wages, not having paid sick leave and all in all, facing strenuous working conditions, the state of the gig economy begs the question — is this an exploitation of innovation?

Companies like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart rely heavily, if not entirely, on gig workers who have been at the forefront of our response to the pandemic while still being taking advantage of, like in 2019 when it was discovered that some companies were using tips to make up their base pay.

While most of these companies categorize their gig workers as “independent contractors”; this categorization is largely ambiguous and vastly generalizes the nature of work involved in different type of gigs. While freelance artists, Uber drivers and delivery agents are one of the first people that come to mind when one thinks of the gig economy, there is a substantial population of gig workers that work behind the scenes, such as domestic help and caregivers that are typically dominated by women and individuals belonging to racially marginalized communities. It is important to highlight the varied experiences of these workers instead of putting them under one loosely defined label.

In March 2021, a year into the pandemic, the Canadian federal government requested a consultation asking gig workers about their experiences in an attempt to better understand their motivations and challenges, and potentially formulate better labor regulations. This consultation reaffirmed important issues pertaining to working in the gig economy from low employment security to lack of payment transparency. The Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee also advised the provincial government to create a new designation for gig workers by categorizing them as “dependent contractors” which would provide basic employment rights to the workers while maintaining a distinction between salaried employees and contractors.

Employers of gig workers argue that the flexibility of working on a contract basis is a huge part of the appeal that these jobs offer. Reclassifying gig workers as employees would take this appeal away. While the workers themselves do not seem to deny that the flexibility of gig work is desirable, the price they must pay is their health and security.

Additionally, the employers also remark that such a reclassification would require funds that would punch a hole in the consumers’ pockets. This argument coming from some of these gig giants sounds like they are not willing to take a cut on their hefty profit margins in the name of labor rights. On the contrary, would such a reclassification suffice, or would it turn counter-productive, creating legal loopholes that would sabotage the rights of existing full-time workers? These questions remain debatable.

The innovation of the gig economy has made aspects of our lives more convenient than ever before, but it has also revealed grey areas in our labor laws that enable businesses to exploit workers under the guise of freedom and flexibility, impacting the everyday lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

- Manjula Kamath

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FOOD D ELIV ERY LIFE SAVING OR PREDATORY?

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ost of us have taken advantage of food delivery apps such as UberEats on those days and nights when we‘re feeling too lazy to go out or craving something across town. Within the last decade, the world has seen a drastic evolution in the food delivery market. Now, it has become an integral part of our lives, especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Online Food Delivery” have surged worldwide since 2020.

In Canada, food ordered through online platforms increased by 36% in March 2020 compared to the previous year. With online food orders amounting to $4.7 billion in 2019, the entire market is projected to reach US $85.54 billion by 2024. SkipTheDishes, which holds the most significant market share in Canada, doubled its business in 2020.

The rise of online food delivery

The growing “convenience economy” also calls for collaboration from various fields, creating more job opportunities in e-commerce, software development, customer services and finance. Contrary to the belief of inevitable automation and displacement of workers, the growth of the convenience economy has created more job opportunities in areas including fulfilling and delivering orders. With unemployment rates reaching a record high in Ontario in March 2020, and employment in food services dropping 55.8%, we saw an influx of unemployed workers into the delivery business, partly due to its low barrier for entry and partly due to rising demands with a larger population working from home. On the other end, food delivery apps had served as the lifeline for many restaurants since the pandemic, primarily when COVID-19 related restrictions were being implemented, and indoor dining was restricted. It was reported that around 20% more of the revenue from restaurants was generated via delivery in April 2020 compared to April 2019.

Online food delivery services were established not long after the advent of the Internet; however, they only started to get more attention with the increased usage of smartphones starting in 2010. That was also when soon-tobe successful services like SkipTheDishes and UberEats were launched. The market experienced excessive expansion and collapse in the following ten years, with numerous start-ups being founded, shut down, and acquired.

In 2020, three companies, DoorDash, UberEats and SkipTheDishes, constituted more than 80% of the Canadian market share, forming a monopolistic market.

Food services during COVID-19 The food delivery business has bloomed since the pandemic. Restrictions on restaurants across the world, while negatively impacting restaurants that heavily relied on dine-in patrons, significantly boosted the popularity and usage of food delivery services.

Google searches for

Altogether, the delivery apps, restaurants, and workers seeking flexibility in work hours and extra cash have formed a seemingly three-way beneficial co-dependent relationship.

Yet, colossal delivery service providers like UberEats have been increasingly criticized as “unethical” on many levels.

Restaurants’ perspective Despite the drastic growth in revenue for delivery app companies, over 85% of food services and drinking places in Canada experienced a decrease in revenue in 2020, and half suffered a decline in revenue of 40% or more. The loss

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in revenue was not only due to restricted capacity but also the use of online ordering services. One of the problems at the heart of the conflict between restaurants and delivery apps is the exceedingly high commission fees that the restaurants have to pay for each transaction, which used to be as high as 30%. However, some areas have recently become temporarily limited due to pressure from restaurants and governments.

Over 70% of restaurant owners have rated online delivery services as “not or only slightly profitable” and commented that the revenue generated from such services could hardly compete with the conventional dine-in services with all the fees that app companies charge. With the profit margin for full-service restaurants being so low already, some restaurant owners struggle to maintain a sustainable business relying on delivery apps.

At present, take-out and delivery services have become an integral part of life for many of us, and it looks like they are here to stay as part of the “new normal.” Around 50% of the population intend to continue ordering online post-pandemic. The question of whether or not to use delivery apps has become a dilemma for many: on the one hand, we want to support our favourite restaurant while enjoying the convenience brought by delivery apps; on the other hand, we want most of the earnings to go to restaurants and delivery drivers, not to feed the machine. While relevant regulations may be put forward in the future, currently, with limited alternatives at hand, the only things that consumers can do is pay markedup fees or opt to pick up or eat in whenever possible.

- Evey Zheng

(Non-) Workers’ perspectives Drivers serve arguably the most critical link on the chain between restaurants and customers; yet another controversial topic revolving around delivery apps is the lack of regulation regarding delivery drivers. Platforms such as UberEats have been criticized for treating drivers as individual contractors, not employees, hence not providing them with benefits or even minimum wages. Laws in some states in the US, for example California, now dictate contractors be treated as employees, yet such matters remain unclarified in Ontario under the Ontario Employment Standard Act. Complaints exposing companies taking cuts from tips for the drivers and giving unacceptably low rewards for long drives are not uncommon.

Compression of reward rates by companies during the pandemic has also been reported, despite the workers already previously earning less than minimum wage.

Consumers’ perspectives Last but not least, items tend to cost more in apps compared to dining in at restaurants. According to a New York Times article, the markup in delivery apps can be as high as 91%.

This ridiculously high price results from both marking up the original price and also applying all kinds of service and delivery fees. These apps might be convenient, but the convenience definitely comes at a cost.

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Hopeless W

ake up. Work. Sleep. Repeat. 5 days a week, 50 some weeks a year. Such is the life of an average employee in Canada trying to get by in the face of ever-increasing inflation and an uncertain economy. For some, a 9-5 job provides stability and security in their lives, offering structure to an otherwise chaotic life.

For others, the mundane and unfair tasks demanded during day-to-day work combined with the financial discrepancy between the oligarchy and the working class serve to disenfranchise one’s view of the working system as we know it.

This is the case for many subscribers of the subreddit, r/antiwork, an online community comprising of a conglomerate of likeminded working-class individuals disgruntled about their jobs and working conditions. Boasting over 1.7 million members, this burgeoning community has burst into the public sphere spurred on by a wave of worker dissatisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Popular posts in this online forum receive upwards of 100,000 “upvotes” and thousands of comments centering around one main point – people want systemic change.

At its core, the myriad of issues presented in r/antiwork can be boiled down to a few topics, namely the presence of overbearing upper management, undesirable working conditions, discrepancies in worker salaries, and uncontrollable inflation. The first three topics deal with the financial and power gap that exists between upper management and the working class, while the latter is a commentary on the hopeless-

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and Disgruntled

The Case for the Anti-Work Movement

ness many millennials and generations thereafter feel about the state of the economy and financial markets as a whole.

Although these issues are not unique to the current working generation, they do present a growing realization that change is warranted and necessary for future productivity.

First and foremost, workers are sick of unfair treatment coming from their supervisors. A number of the subreddit’s posts consist of text or email chains highlighting abusive behaviour of bosses towards their employees. Commonplace are demands for workers to come in to work outside of their scheduled shifts, workers being fired for seemingly ridiculous reasons, and unreasonable workloads and deadlines requested by employers. It is no wonder that the rate of American workers quitting their jobs was at an all time high in late 2021, particularly in the accommodation and food services industry where this abuse of power appears to be more common.

Along with these accounts of workplace mismanagement, another common source of discontent comes from the recent push to return to the office and reduce workfrom-home shifts by employers due to waning pandemic restrictions. Many posters swear by the notion that their productivity is similar or improved at home compared to at work, citing an increase in comfort and mental health being the driving forces behind higher productivity. Surveys from Statistics Canada seem to back this claim, with 58% and 32% of remote workers indicating similar and more productivity at home, respectively. Nevertheless, many employers are urging a return to the office, presenting another disconnect between upper management and their employees.

Additional issues brought up in r/antiwork primarily revolve around the large wage discrepancy that exists between workers and their employers. According to a report by the Economic Policy Institute, CEO’s can make over 350 times more than the average worker, with the salaries of top management increasing over 1000% versus 18% for the typical worker since the 1970s. Many r/antiwork members comment about this unbalanced distribution of wages, resonating with the opinion that workers should be more fairly compensated for their efforts. Posters decry companies hoarding profits rather than paying employees, express frustration over competitors offering better pay, and discuss about how workers are being paid below the realistic cost of living. One popular post featuring a piece by cartoonist Nick Anderson aptly summarizes the overwhelming sentiment on wage disparity. The cartoon shows a worker protesting for a higher minimum wage being ironically lambasted for being too greedy by a CEO standing on a pile of money, presenting a satirical commentary on

wage gaps. Overall, workers simply feel like they aren’t being paid enough, and the stats seem to back up this sentiment.

Perhaps what makes low salaries more unpalatable for the average worker is the rising threat of inflation and its effect on the economy. Dealing with soaring gas and grocery prices that have only been exacerbated by the distribution of financial stimulus provided by governments across the world during the pandemic, workers are finding it increasingly hard to live paycheck to paycheck. Indeed, the American Consumer Price Index (which provides a weighted average of the cost of consumer goods and services) increased by 7% last year compared to about 5% increase for the average American salary, indicating that inflation is outpacing wage increases. And workers are feeling it. With expensive groceries, overpriced gas, and rising rent and living costs, the current working generation can barely get by, let alone save up for retirement. This lack of control over financial stability and overall economic uncertainty contributes to the feelings of despair and frustration workers have over their working situations, providing an additional explanation for the anti-work movement.

At the end of the day, r/antiwork is not a group of lazy people that don’t want to work. Rather, it’s a movement that highlights the perceived growing injustices that the working class has to experience in their daily lives. With that being said, studies have shown that morale and worker satisfaction have a major effect on productivity, suggesting that accommodating the front line may actually be an effective way to boost profits. So what can be done to alleviate the negative morale and frustrations workers harbor in their jobs?

Several groups have offered suggestions on how to improve worker satisfaction. Cultivating a supportive climate that promotes encouragement of hard work and personal achievement can go a long way in remedying some of the complaints that the average worker has. As such, enrolling supervisors and managers in courses that build interpersonal communication, management, and leadership skills can be quite effective in fostering an efficient and motivated workplace environment. Furthermore, implementing bonuses and incentives for hard working employees to bridge payroll gaps and offering inflation-matched compensation can help to encourage productivity and reduce any financial anxieties workers may face in an uncertain economy. Overall, much can and needs to be done to change the ever-growing negative sentiment the current working generation has towards work, and the best way to start is from the top down.

- Matthew Wong IMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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Work er Exp l oitation: A Global Issue

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orker exploitation is extremely common worldwide, and its prevalence has only been exacerbated by the arrival of COVID-19. During the pandemic, many adjustments were imposed to accommodate the new “normal” and one of the biggest changes has been within our work environment. Many of these changes have put people in unfair and difficult situations, including being forced to work extra hours, accept lower wages, and compromise for worse working conditions. As such, it is crucial to understand what can be considered exploitation and how worker exploitation takes place.

Worker or labour exploitation refers to situations where employees are made to work under unfair and/or unfavorable conditions. These workers are forced to comply, often working for long hours in hazardous environments with little to no pay, which can be accompanied by threat of punishment if they decide to look for better opportunities or voice their concerns about safety. In 2016, it was estimated that 24.9 million people worldwide were participating in forced labour – with 16 million exploited in the private sector, 4.8 million in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million in state imposed forced labour. While these issues may seem distant and far away for many of us, in reality, there are many cases of worker exploitation that are much closer than we know.

In Canada, over 1,708 incidents of human trafficking have been reported, which is commonly associated with labour or sexual exploitation. Of these incidents, young migrant workers are the most susceptible and vulnerable groups, making up a large percentage of exploited individuals – 28% fall under the age of 18, while 45% fall between the ages of 18 to 24. These statistics only report incidents that are brought to police attention, suggesting a much larger and deeper system of exploitation. A report from United Food

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and Commercial Workers Canada revealed that migrant workers are in fact the most common group to be targeted in Canada. Unfortunately, this is unsurprising, given that many migrant workers experience barriers in seeking help. A vast number of workers keep problems to themselves for fear of receiving punishment, after which the workers could be “sent packing”. In 2019, a human trafficking case was discovered in Barrie involving 43 Mexican workers who worked as cleaners at hotels. Paid less than $50 a month, with that pay being controlled, they were forced to live in unsanitary conditions without hot water or medical access, and were kept under false promises of opportunities for fair work. While the Ontario government is implementing legislation and procedures to monitor these cases of worker exploitation, these cases offer only a small glimpse into the exploitation that takes place and will require time and concerted effort to fully eradicate.

Modern slavery continues to this day, albeit disguised in the form of the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. This amendment abolished all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude, except for the punishment of a crime. Unfortunately, this loophole has been exploited to take advantage of incarcerated individuals who have become prime targets for worker exploitation. For example, during California’s wildfires in 2018, the state employed prisoners to combat fires, where they were given “the toughest assignments” with little to no formal training. These inmates carried out 24 hour shifts and were compensated at only $1 an hour. They combatted the fire alongside salaried firefighters, who instead earn an annual wage of $74,000. In Texas, prisoners are forced to participate in all forms of production, including farm work, clothing manufacturing, and facilities maintenance. These prisoners are forced to work for free for upwards of 12 hours a day, where refusal leads to punish-

ment and longer incarcerations. While difficult to believe, it is an unfortunate truth that prison labour remains one of the most prominent and abused forms of labour exploitation worldwide.

Worker exploitation occurs in other countries beyond North America, with the shared goal of exploiting prisoners in an attempt to keep production costs low. In China, prisoners are infamously forced to peel garlic which is supplied to Jinxiang, responsible for 80% of the world’s garlic export.

Forced to work from 5 AM to 9 PM, these prisoners are also key manufacturers of goods such as handbags and washing machines. Similarly, in Angola, inmates perform labour in multiple sectors, ranging from Victoria’s Secret undergarments to military weapons, and refusal to cooperate can lead to solitary confinement. In Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the kafala sponsorship system requires a migrant worker to have a local sponsor, who is subsequently responsible for the workers’ visa and legal status. This system gives employers massive control over employees, and has resulted in numerous cases of workers becoming trapped, isolated, and unable to escape the harsh and cruel conditions imposed by their employer. While overwork is the most common complaint in the kafala system, more extreme cases of abuse have been reported, including food deprivation, sexual and psychological abuse, and physical punishment. Currently, some steps are being taken to restore rights for these migrant workersand hold perpetrators accountable.

Given the global state of worker exploitation, one may wonder how COVID-19 has impacted this problem. Unfortunately, populations that are marginalized and experience discrimination have suffered more acutely during the pandemic, and are also commonly targeted by those seeking to exploit workers. Furthermore, many workers do not have the luxury of being able to work from home or in COVID-safe conditions. Combining these pressures with pre-existing systems of worker exploitation leads to a widening of the already disproportionate power imbalances between the employed and their employers.

In Canada, over 30% of surveyed migrant workers reported losing their jobs, and of those who did manage to keep their jobs, nearly half had to work for extended hours. Furthermore, more than 40% of those surveyed were not paid for these extra hours, with many describing underlying racism taking place in their workplaces, and being treated as vectors of disease.

In the United States, given the shortages of labour that accompanied the COVID-19 outbreak, many industries once again turned towards prison and immigrant labour to cut costs. For example, Russell Stover utilized prison labour to man the production lines, where workers are paid $14 an hour with no time off, and 25% of the pay is deducted for room and board. Due to surge in global demand, inmates have also been recruited to produce face masks and hand sanitizer — an ironic situation considering the poor sanitary conditions that prisoners experience.

Given the difficulty of detection and general unwillingness for victims to report, the elimination of worker exploitation is a massive and difficult issue that must be addressed. Governments are actively targeting these dishonest employment practices, and in cooperation with organizations such as the International Labour Organization, are dedicated towards reducing and ultimately eliminating these forms of worker exploitation to ensure all workers are operating freely and without vulnerability.

- Martin Mak

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Labour Unions:

the good, the bad, the ugly.

Labour u ni o ns a re o rg a n iz at io n s t h at c o lle c t iv e ly b ar gain with empl oyers f o r the p ro te c ti o n o f w o r k e r s ’ e c o n o m ic s t at u s an d wo rk in g condi ti ons. I n thi s a rti c l e , the h is t o r y o f C an ad ian lab o u r u n io ns , th eir benef i ts an d d ra w ba c ks, a n d t h e c h an ge s t h at n e e d t o b e mad e to c u rre nt l a bo r u ni o n p r ac t ic e s w ill b e d is c u s s e d .

History of Labour Unions in Canada: he history behind labour unions in Canada began as early as the 1800s.

One of the most prominent events in Canadian labour history was the organized strike by the Toronto Typographical Union for a shorter workday in 1872.

Upwards of 10,000 supporters rallied despite the illegality of this activity, resulting in a response from Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. The outcome of this movement was the introduction of the Trade Union Act. This Act freed unions from charges of conspiracy for gathering to protest for increased wages and lower work hours. This movement also saw changes to picketing, which was no longer seen as an act of intimidation. Union supporters believe this strike was a pivotal moment in Canadian labour union history as it galvanized the labour movement.

Despite these advancements, the implementation of the federal Industrial Disputes Investigation Act of 1907, which required employee-employer disputes to be reported to a board of conciliation and mediation, was not favoured by the union movement. This act required that the board complete its investigations of the dispute prior to any strikes taking place, essentially delaying work stoppage in hopes that both employees and employers could “cool-off” during this time. These legal changes, the reduction of income due to wartime inflation, and the overall shortage of work at the time created tension that led to several strikes throughout 191819 that unfortunately did not lead to favourable outcomes for workers.

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Despite this, the labour movement did not lose momentum, and several pivotal events took place that resulted in many gains for the worker. Developments included the founding of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) which unified several unions to promote a stronger voice for workers (1956). Additionally, the right to safety at work saw to the passing of the Industrial Safety Act which made up the foundation of the Canada Labour Code (1960s). In 1971, parental benefits were introduced through unemployment insurance and shortly after, unions negotiated an extension of paid parental leave that included salary top-ups by employers.

Approximately 30% of working Canadians are part of a labour union as of 2021. Labour unions continue to advocate for their workers by negotiating for better benefits that improve wages and benefits, in addition to improving workers’ access to affordable childcare and early childhood education for their families.

Benefits of Labour Unions: It is clear that labour unions were pivotal in improving conditions for workers in Canada. As the needs of society changes, so do the benefits offered by labour unions. Ultimately, unions provide benefits to employees that are not always made available to nonunionized workers.

Safety and Security. Labour unions work to provide safety and security for workers by ensuring they are not victims of unlawful termination. Knowing they have job security; workers are more likely to air grievances about their employer.

Labour unions regularly advocate for proper training for workers as a necessity to ensure a safe working environment. This was further apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic as labour unions advocated for the implementation of paid sick days and adequate access to PPE. Addressing Discrimination. Unions continue to modify their policies to protect workers from discrimination in the workplace due to their race, religion, gender identity and expression, or sexuality. The CLC, the largest labour organization in Canada, acknowledged the role that Canada’s unions must play to promote equity in the workplace. Regularly releasing informational materials and campaigns to inform on several issues, such as the necessity for the federal government to address the systemic racism experienced by Black workers in Canada, emphasizes the awareness that some labour unions have in these times. By educating employers and union members on issues pertaining to worker equity, the CLC and other labour unions are hoping to improve the inclusivity of the workplace. In fact, it is the decline in unionization over the last several decades that is cited as one of the reasons why there is an expansion of the Black-White employee wage gap.

Drawbacks of Labour Unions: General Drawbacks. Despite the many benefits that labour unions provide, several drawbacks must be considered. The most obvious drawback is the annual fee associated with being a member of a union. While some of these fees offset worker wage increases, they are also used to pay union leader salaries and the allocation of the money is not always agreed upon by all workers. Relatedly, there is a loss of autonomy in joining a union — if a unionized worker does not agree with the decisions made by the union, they are bound by these decisions. While many consider seniority a benefit of unions, this is a drawback for newer workers.

Unfortunately, if employers must layoff unionized workers, seniority is considered and newly hired workers are often the first to be laid off, even if they are more productive than their more senior colleagues.

Workers United, the union representing two Starbucks store locations, claim this is an example of a union busting act, as 5 out of 7 of the terminated employees were union leaders in the Memphis store. In addition to firing employees, employers such as Walmart have a history of closing retail locations in retaliation for labour activism and attemps at unionization.

Employer Retaliation Against Unionization. Although not a direct drawback of labour unions, the act of unionizing has been a disadvantage for many workers. There are numerous examples in very recent months of employers threatening, intimidating, and harassing their employees to prevent them from exercising their rights to form a union. Most recently, a Starbucks store in Memphis terminated 35% of their employees, citing violations in “corporate security and safety policies” as the reason for termination. However, SB-

- Baweleta Isho

Detrimental Societal Impacts of Labour Unions. Some labour unions have come under fire for several years due to their decision to protect groups of workers that hold authoritative power over the general public. An example of such unions that have been publicly criticized are the police unions. Police officers often exert authoritative social and political power that is regularly met with minimal repercussions due to the existence of their protective labour unions. Numerous protests demanding police reform have been spurred as a result of the brutal murders of several people, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, by police officers in the United States. The protection of police officers by their labour unions is also found in many cities in Canada. The issues of police unions and the need for police reform is discussed in more depth in a supplemental blog post found on immpressmagazine.com.

Conclusions: Overall, labour unions have historically reformed labour laws for the benefit and protection of the worker. Labour unions must consider that the demands of modern workers continue to change as society progresses and should always remain open to the idea of reforming or changing policies so as to not fall behind.

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Are People More Productive Working from Ho me?

O

ver the past few years, many workplaces have had to temporarily shift to an online format to comply with the increased safety measures established to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. The development of file sharing and video calling applications as well as improved internet speeds have helped make the transition to remote work possible. Strikingly, many people have now found that working from home has boosted their workplace productivity. Ninety percent of Canadians that are now working from home find that they are at least as productive as their usual workplace and approximately one third find that they are completing more work per hour at home.

Not having to commute to work could be one of the main reasons why many Canadians are finding working from home to be more productive. In Toronto, the average commuter generally spends over an hour traveling to and from work, which can consume important time that otherwise would be used to complete personal responsibilities outside of work and generate an improved work-life balance. Additionally, trying to manage all one’s responsibilities in addition to commuting can impact the amount of time available to sleep. Several surveys have reported that approximately 12-27% of people would sleep if given an extra hour in the day, suggesting that many people could be overworking and require more time to recharge for the next day. Commuting itself can also be mentally taxing, especially for the many workers who normally commute during rush hour. Bumperto-bumper traffic and packed buses can leave workers emotionally drained before they even arrive to work.

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Distractions during work hours can also cause suboptimal productivity. A recent survey compared distractions faced by office and remote workers and identified that the average hours lost per week due to distractions was the same between both groups. Working from home reduced unplanned conversations with coworkers by an average of almost two hours per week but created distractions exclusive to working from home such as household chores and caring for pets. This suggests that working from home to reduce distractions depends on the individual’s household circumstances. For instance, parents working from home that have to deal with their children face 10% more distractions. However, in many cases remote workers generally have more control and flexibility over their environment and have a greater potential to minimize distractions.

Currently, eighty percent of new Canadian remote workers would like to have at least half of their working hours be at home. Many workers seem to be in favour of not returning to work, at least not for the majority of the week. Only once restrictions are permanently lifted will we able to see the number of companies that want to commit to remote work.

Notably, it has been estimated that about eighty-five percent of Canadians working in professional, scientific, and technical services can work from home. The past few years have served as a trial run for at-home work for many employees and employers and the long-term benefits and consequences of working from home besides productivity have not yet been fully materialized.

- Daniel Zangrando

IN THE WORKPLACE

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n the last 2 years, the world has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the pandemic, massive cultural shifts, political unrest, natural disasters, a global refugee crisis, war and settler regime violence have only compounded the negative effects on our mental health.

ality, especially when compounded with the inability to disconnect from the workplace. In fact, one study reported that 49% of participants have quit their jobs due to stress, while another 29% stated that they would take unpaid leave of absences if they could due to extreme stress.

For most of us, decompressing and de-stressing from work includes seeing friends, travelling, exercise and participating in hobbies. And yet even as we gave up so many of the things that make up our lives outside of work, work was expected to continue. For those lucky enough to work from home, the lines between professionalism and personal life became more blurred than ever as our home became our workplaces. However, in a world where “productivity” is so important that it follows us to our bedrooms during a global health crisis, where does mental health fall on the scale of importance?

selves in a position to help employees cope with these new mental health challenges. One silver lining that came out of all of this is that the stigma surrounding mental health challenges has been reduced. In one survey, 54% of employees reported that since the start of the pandemic, their employer has been more open and willing to talk about their mental health struggles.

With our work and personal lives evitable that feelings ofisolation and loneliness will rise. One study by the American Psychiatric Association showed that since working from home, 66% of employees felt lonely or isolated sometimes, and 17% felt this way all the time. Burnout and the accompanying mental and physical exhaustion has also reached an all time high in this new work-from-home re-

Since working from home, 66% of employees felt lonely or isolated sometimes, and 17% felt this way all the time.

However, one stressful aspect of the work-from-home phenomenon that has gone unacknowledged is the

ting. This equity issue is especially exaggerated in academic institutions, with universities and accommodations closed and their associated amenities unavailable to students subsisting on unlivable wages.

Lastly, workplace culture needs to change to accommodate conversations surrounding mental health and solutions for mental health challenges.

Global culture has undergone major changes in the last 2 years, and workplace culture needs to change with it in a way that stops treating mental health struggles as an individual issue, but as a collective challenge instead.

As we start to chip away at the stigmas surrounding mental health and how it relates to work, let’s ensure that workplace support becomes the new norm. For a long time, workplaces told us what we could do to improve our mental health while the capitalist framework we existed within remained standing. “Exercise, eat well, sleep enough”, these were all band-aid solutions. As we enter this grey almost “post-pandemic” era, let’s shift the focus to reforming the labour system instead.

- Salma Sheikh-Mohamed

ther couldn’t afford or didn’t have the were forced to procure these items to maintain productivity in the home setIMMpress Vol. 10 No. 1 2022

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WORKPLACE RIGHTS, RECOURSES AND RESOURCES As an employee, individuals are afforded many rights under both provincial and federal laws.

It is the duty of the employer to uphold these rights and exercise responsibility towards their employees. As a worker, you have a right to be treated fairly at work, to work in a safe workplace, to be properly trained to deal with workplace hazards, and to join a trade union.

The most important first step to protecting your rights is to be informed about them.

ONTARIO WORKERS RIGHTS

CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACT

Occupational Health and Safety Act: shorturl.at/iyL39

Further, the Canadian Human Rights Act dictates that discrimination in employment and services are prohibited and that Canadians are protected from discrimination when employed under federal jurisdiction.

Employment Standards Act which details the rights of employees to get paid at least minimum wage, to be paid for overtime and for public holidays, and to have a right to vacation time: shorturl.at/xIRZ4 Labour Relations Act: shorturl.at/lpryX Pay Equity Act: shorturl.at/ckpCO

RECOURSES If you feel that your worker rights have been violated, a complaint should first be able to be filed through your employer or departments within your organization that deal with these complaints.

If the issue is about health and safety, within the workplace this can usually be discussed with the employer, a health and safety representative, and/or the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). If the employer does not resolve the concern, then the Government of Ontario has several recourses. For an immediate safety concern, the Ontario government’s Safety Contact Centre can be reached at 1-877-202-0008. If the concern is not immediate, a form can be filed at the following site which can also be used for workplace harassment concerns: shorturl.at/lmDT3 On the other hand, if the problem is about a human rights violation, a worker can first contact the employer, Human Resources, and/or another appropriate department within their workplace. If the employer does not respond or does not resolve the issue, a worker can file a report with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario: shorturl.at/wBU48

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Canadian Human Rights Act: shorturl.at/rwyC5

RESOURCES There are a number of alternative resources available to workers for information, understanding their legal rights, and dealing with infringements on these rights.

The workers’ action centre has information for knowing your rights in several languages, particularly for workers who are in precarious jobs: shorturl.at/ejzCV Cleo Connect has online legal information regarding worker rights and employment law in Ontario: shorturl.at/jwPTX The city of Toronto has resources for information on workplace violations, harassment and discrimination: shorturl.at/hnqCP The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has resources for individuals facing discrimination on the basis of mental health: shorturl.at/hpLO3 Full links available at our website: immpressmagazine.com

- Meghan Kates

Immpress Is Recruiting!

Are you interested in honing your writing and graphic designing skills?

IMMpress is looking for new talent to contribute as writers and designers for our next issues. If you are interested, contact us.

Website: www.immpressmagazine.com immpressmagazine@gmail.com Gmail:

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Department of Immunology University of Toronto 1 King’s College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 1A8 Canada

James Ham speaking at a press conference regarding the release of his 1976 Royal Commission Report on Health and Safety of Workers in Mines. (c1976).

Photo Credits: University of Toronto Archives.