Vol. 6, Issue 4, June 28, 2018
Hamilton's Labour Market Connection
Your weekly news & updates from WPH!
In this week's edition: Findings from a PEPSO survey uncover who is being left behind in the labour market; the top trends in Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Hamilton; The Smoke-Free Ontario Act and its affect on your workplace.
Getting Left Behind: Who gained and who didn't in an improving labour market
Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO), McMaster University, Social Sciences, and the United Way Greater Toronto presented a forum on precarious employment on June 19th at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

Working Precariously: Causes and Consequences released the findings of a PEPSO research project which surveyed 2000 workers across Hamilton and in the Greater Toronto area in 2017. This is the third and final research project completed by PEPSO.

Key findings include:

  • When comparing 2011 to 2017 data wages didn't increase during this time period, but productivity went up by 7.2%
  • There was more secure employment during this time period however if one was privileged in 2011 one is even more so in 2017
  • White men and women with degrees and racialized men with degrees have work that is less precarious
  • Fewer racialized women with degrees have permanent employment
  • More mental health issues have arisen

To test to see if you are working in precarious employment visit www.pepso.ca/jobprecarityscore

More more information on the PEPSO project and to view their publications visit www.pepso.ca.
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The top trends in Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Rental and Leasing in Hamilton

The release of new Census data (2016) has uncovered trends in this sector that will be of interest to job seekers and employers. In Hamilton over 11,000 workers are employed in this sector, which accounts for 6% of Hamilton's total workforce.

Top trends include:

  • The Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Rental and Leasing (FIRE) sector has seen a solid growth of 10% over the ten year period of 2006-2016 in Hamilton
  • Technology will play a major role in this industry in the future, which could affect employment
  • The majority of businesses in this sector are self employed, due to the largest sub-industry, which is Real Estate
Smoke-Free Ontario Act changes affecting workplaces 
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in enclosed public places and workplaces. 

Beginning July 1, 2018, smoking of medical cannabis and the use of electronic cigarettes (including those containing medical cannabis) in enclosed public places and workplaces (including work vehicles) is also prohibited. 

Employers have several obligations under this legislation including: 

• Ensuring compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act 
• Giving notice to employees or patrons that these areas are smoke and vape-free 
• Posting no smoking and no vaping signs 
• Ensuring no ashtrays are present in the smoke-free areas 
• Ensuring person(s) who do not comply do not remain in the area 

Read the complete Smoke-Free Ontario Act here and the Regulations here.

Free no smoking and no vaping signs are available from Public Health Services. 

For more information or to order signs for your workplace, contact the Tobacco Hotline at 905-540-5566, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.hamilton.ca/tobacco 
Labour Force Information, Hamilton -
May 2018
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Workforce Planning Hamilton | 905-521-5777| [email protected] | www.workforceplanninghamilton.ca