Letter to the Editor
Rather than being trivialized and mocked, workplace stress, sickness and mental health are serious issues that warrant meaningful analysis and insight. As workplace health experts have outlined, this is particularly true with respect to the Treasury Board report on these issues within the federal public service.
Unfortunately, Kelly McParland's column distorts statistics and ignores crucial factors such as worker demographics, unique on-the-job challenges and what experts describe as a hostile, even debilitating work environment created by the Harper government.
The Harper government's role in this serious issue might be more thoroughly examined, rather than denigrating an entire group of dedicated public servants who, like all workers, should not be vilified for requiring sick leave for stress, sickness and mental illness.
Ken Neumann
National Director
United Steelworkers