Montreal Manifesto :
A manifesto on precarious work, workforce diversity, international migration, and occupational health and safety.
Numerous issues related to employment and working conditions make certain groups of workers more vulnerable to the risks of occupational injuries, long-term work disabilities, and deterioration in their quality of life. These issues pose both obstacles and challenges for the planning of services and public policies.
Objectives
Adopt an inclusive approach adapted to the diverse realities of workers in situations of vulnerability and precariousness, with special attention to immigrants, temporary migrants, and Indigenous people.
Strengthen awareness and training in occupational health and safety (OHS) in workplaces, emphasizing the specific needs and realities of these workers.
Increase collaboration among different stakeholders (governments, public health authorities, social services, third-party payers, employers, unions, and community organizations), to develop and implement more effective prevention and rehabilitation policies and programs.
Issues
All workers residing in a given territory under the jurisdiction of a national, federal, regional, municipal, or other form of government, such as an Indigenous government, have the right to equal protection in terms of occupational health and safety, food security, housing, and transportation, as well as protection against precarious employment, regardless of their migratory status and identity.
Protection Systems and Fundamental Rights
All workers residing in a given territory under the jurisdiction of a national, federal, regional, municipal, or other form of government, such as an Indigenous government, have the right to equal protection in terms of occupational health and safety, food security, housing, and transportation, as well as protection against precarious employment, regardless of their migratory status and identity.
States should guarantee the right to equality and the protection of fundamental rights for irregular migrants by establishing mechanisms for their permanent regularization. Specifically, states should address the precarious employment and living conditions of migrants, particularly those who:
Precarious Employment and Living Conditions
States should guarantee the right to equality and the protection of fundamental rights for irregular migrants by establishing mechanisms for their permanent regularization. Specifically, states should address the precarious employment and living conditions of migrants, particularly those who:
States should develop new approaches to transnational governance to better regulate and structure international worker mobility programs and adopt intergovernmental agreements to eliminate inequalities in treatment across different programs. This includes programs concerning Indigenous peoples or aboriginals, and those under national, provincial, municipal, or international jurisdictions.
Transnational Governance
States should develop new approaches to transnational governance to better regulate and structure international worker mobility programs and adopt intergovernmental agreements to eliminate inequalities in treatment across different programs. This includes programs concerning Indigenous peoples or aboriginals, and those under national, provincial, municipal, or international jurisdictions.
Recognition of Degrees, Skills, and Qualifications Obtained in Another Country or Jurisdiction
A significant portion of immigrant workers are overqualified or see their qualifications devalued. States that rely on immigration should facilitate the establishment of mechanisms to support affected workers in their efforts to have their degrees obtained in their country of origin or elsewhere recognized as equivalent. This allows them to fully contribute, based on their skills and qualifications, to the development and dynamism of their host society. Prospective immigrants should be duly informed about issues of credential recognition before undertaking immigration processes.
Acquisition of Professional and Language Skills
States should ensure equal access to skill development for all immigrant workers, regardless of their migratory status, to combat the marginalization of migrant labor. Insufficient proficiency in the languages used in the country of residence can be a significant indicator of the precariousness of these workers. Various governments should create the best conditions and means for these individuals to learn the official language or the working language of the company. Qualifying training programs, as well as immersion, pairing, and mentoring programs, should be developed for this purpose.
Immigrant Workers' Trajectories
Recognition of Degrees, Skills, and Qualifications Obtained in Another Country or Jurisdiction
A significant portion of immigrant workers are overqualified or see their qualifications devalued. States that rely on immigration should facilitate the establishment of mechanisms to support affected workers in their efforts to have their degrees obtained in their country of origin or elsewhere recognized as equivalent. This allows them to fully contribute, based on their skills and qualifications, to the development and dynamism of their host society. Prospective immigrants should be duly informed about issues of credential recognition before undertaking immigration processes.
Acquisition of Professional and Language Skills
States should ensure equal access to skill development for all immigrant workers, regardless of their migratory status, to combat the marginalization of migrant labor. Insufficient proficiency in the languages used in the country of residence can be a significant indicator of the precariousness of these workers. Various governments should create the best conditions and means for these individuals to learn the official language or the working language of the company. Qualifying training programs, as well as immersion, pairing, and mentoring programs, should be developed for this purpose.
The Right to Regular Medical Examinations in Sectors and Professions Exposed to Various Risks
Relevant organizations should facilitate a better understanding of high-risk professions and the concentration of precarious and more vulnerable labor in these professions to offer services or interventions tailored to the workforce profile. These workers should have the right to regular medical examinations at the workplace, if possible, or externally, without losing wages or using their sick leave. No worker should be penalized, harassed, reprimanded, or threatened for exercising their right to refuse dangerous tasks or report a work-related risk.
Right to Stay in the Country During Medical Treatment and Follow-Up
No temporary migrant worker should face or be threatened with deportation or expulsion when reporting a workplace health or safety incident, a work-related accident, or a contagious disease. This rule applies to all workers, regardless of their migratory or professional status. Workers who suffer from an occupational injury should not fear retaliation or anticipate dismissal or expulsion; they must be treated with dignity and respect for their condition and provided with all necessary care for their recovery or the development of their work capacity.
Health and Social Services, Rehabilitation, and Return to Work
The Right to Regular Medical Examinations in Sectors and Professions Exposed to Various Risks
Relevant organizations should facilitate a better understanding of high-risk professions and the concentration of precarious and more vulnerable labor in these professions to offer services or interventions tailored to the workforce profile. These workers should have the right to regular medical examinations at the workplace, if possible, or externally, without losing wages or using their sick leave. No worker should be penalized, harassed, reprimanded, or threatened for exercising their right to refuse dangerous tasks or report a work-related risk.
Right to Stay in the Country During Medical Treatment and Follow-Up
No temporary migrant worker should face or be threatened with deportation or expulsion when reporting a workplace health or safety incident, a work-related accident, or a contagious disease. This rule applies to all workers, regardless of their migratory or professional status. Workers who suffer from an occupational injury should not fear retaliation or anticipate dismissal or expulsion; they must be treated with dignity and respect for their condition and provided with all necessary care for their recovery or the development of their work capacity.
In a context of diversity, particularly linguistic and cultural diversity, existing protection systems should offer health and rehabilitation services that are culturally sensitive and adapted to the linguistic diversity of the affected population.
Adaptation of Services and Development of Intercultural Competencies
In a context of diversity, particularly linguistic and cultural diversity, existing protection systems should offer health and rehabilitation services that are culturally sensitive and adapted to the linguistic diversity of the affected population.
Employers have a crucial responsibility in safeguarding the well-being and rights of workers. They must establish policies and procedures that prioritize the protection of these individual workers, regardless of their employment contract, and comply with health and labor standards and laws in the countries where their business operates.
Responsibility of Local Employers
Employers have a crucial responsibility in safeguarding the well-being and rights of workers. They must establish policies and procedures that prioritize the protection of these individual workers, regardless of their employment contract, and comply with health and labor standards and laws in the countries where their business operates.
The occupational health problems faced by Indigenous people are little documented in scientific writings, unlike migrant or minority populations in general. The few studies carried out in Canada highlight the structural and systemic issues that can perpetuate social inequalities in the health of Indigenous people compared to other people residing on the territory of Quebec. Addressing occupational health and safety issues by taking into consideration the reality of indigenous peoples constitutes a significant challenge, because it involves new partnership and collaboration approaches between businesses, governments and indigenous communities, and the development of new intercultural skills concerned with the development of culturally adapted intervention strategies. The Montreal Manifesto constitutes a call in this direction, a starting point to guide the in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities related to OHS among Indigenous people, while taking into account their different geographic and cultural, social and historical contexts. unique. This includes understanding the challenges that all stakeholders face on a daily basis, such as the fight against discrimination and racism, the dynamics of cohabitation, cultural security, communication, intercultural dialogue, access to different services concerning prevention and compensation for work accidents and occupational diseases.
Indigenous Peoples
The occupational health problems faced by Indigenous people are little documented in scientific writings, unlike migrant or minority populations in general. The few studies carried out in Canada highlight the structural and systemic issues that can perpetuate social inequalities in the health of Indigenous people compared to other people residing on the territory of Quebec. Addressing occupational health and safety issues by taking into consideration the reality of indigenous peoples constitutes a significant challenge, because it involves new partnership and collaboration approaches between businesses, governments and indigenous communities, and the development of new intercultural skills concerned with the development of culturally adapted intervention strategies. The Montreal Manifesto constitutes a call in this direction, a starting point to guide the in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities related to OHS among Indigenous people, while taking into account their different geographic and cultural, social and historical contexts. unique. This includes understanding the challenges that all stakeholders face on a daily basis, such as the fight against discrimination and racism, the dynamics of cohabitation, cultural security, communication, intercultural dialogue, access to different services concerning prevention and compensation for work accidents and occupational diseases.
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A manifesto on precarious work, workforce diversity, international migration, and occupational health and safety.
