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Fear Factory: Retaliation and Rights Claiming in Alberta, Canada

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  • Jason Foster
  • Bob Barnetson
  • Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull

Abstract

Fear of retaliation poses a significant barrier to workers exercising their employment rights and claiming statutory benefits. This study of 2000 workers in the western Canadian province of Alberta found modest overall levels of worker fear (16%) of retaliation. Much higher fear levels (>40%) are reported in the most dangerous workplaces. Fear levels also escalated as the exercise of rights became more active, concrete, and potentially costly and disruptive for the employer. Workers who did not claim workers’ compensation benefits or refuse unsafe work flagged fear of retaliation as a significant factor. These findings raise serious questions about the effectiveness of making workers primarily responsible for triggering the enforcement of employment rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Foster & Bob Barnetson & Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull, 2018. "Fear Factory: Retaliation and Rights Claiming in Alberta, Canada," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(2), pages 21582440187, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:8:y:2018:i:2:p:2158244018780752
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244018780752
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frances J. Milliken & Elizabeth W. Morrison & Patricia F. Hewlin, 2003. "An Exploratory Study of Employee Silence: Issues that Employees Don’t Communicate Upward and Why," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 1453-1476, September.
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    3. Janice Fine & Jennifer Gordon, 2010. "Strengthening Labor Standards Enforcement through Partnerships with Workers’ Organizations," Politics & Society, , vol. 38(4), pages 552-585, December.
    4. Susan Hart, 2010. "Self-regulation, Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Business Case: Do they Work in Achieving Workplace Equality and Safety?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(4), pages 585-600, April.
    5. Vivienne Walters & Ted Haines, 1988. "Workers' Use and Knowledge of the 'Internal Responsibility System': Limits to Participation in Occupational Health and Safety," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 14(4), pages 411-423, December.
    6. Bob Barnetson & Jason Foster & Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull, 2018. "Estimating Under-Claiming of Compensable Workplace Injuries in Alberta, Canada," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 44(4), pages 400-410, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Janki Shankar & Daniel Lai & Shu-Ping Chen & Tanvir C. Turin & Shawn Joseph & Ellen Mi, 2022. "Highly Educated Immigrant Workers’ Perspectives of Occupational Health and Safety and Work Conditions That Challenge Work Safety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-18, July.

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