Joining a Union can be good for your Health and your Safety:
You can negotiate stronger Health and Safety language to protect yourself when you are on the job. This also protects you from government changes to the Health and Safety Act (the right to refuse unsafe work has been changed in Ontario).
You can form your own health and Safety Committee.
You can obtain scholarships to become certified Health and Safety Instructors through the Ontario Health and Safety Centre. You will receive training from workers, not management-oriented companies or private consultants who are paid by management.
You can increase the number of certified people involved your Committee.
Once you have a Union, you can have actual enforcement of health and safety laws. You can discuss these at your monthly meetings instead of quarterly, or not at all. You can also do accident investigations, workplace inspections and much, much more.
Build a network of resources between locals and others involved in the fight for Health and Safety.