Toronto Star project a finalist for 2017 Michener Award
Yearlong investigation Temp Nation recognized
The Toronto Star has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2017 Michener Award honouring excellence in public service journalism, for its yearlong investigation into the use of temp workers.
“Temp Nation,” by journalists Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Brendan Kennedy, revealed how companies turn to temp agencies to limit their liability for workplace accidents, reduce employers’ responsibility and cut costs.
The series showed how some of the most vulnerable segments of the population are ex- posed to dangerous, and even fatal, working conditions. “When we embarked on this project, we really wanted to shed light on a workforce whose issues and challenges are often invisible,” Mojtehedzadeh said. “We feel hugely grateful to everyone, especially workers themselves, who stepped up to change that, often risking their livelihoods to do so. Their courage has led to temp workers in Ontario having some of the strongest protections on the continent.”
As part of the investigation, Mojtehedzadeh spent a month working undercover at Fiera Foods, an industrial bakery where Amina Diaby, a 23-yearold temp worker, died in 2016.
Using freedom of information requests, the Star’s series also highlighted the rise of temp work across the province and showed how temp workers were twice as likely to be injured on the job than their nontemp counterparts.
“As reporters, we were lucky to have so much support in pursuing this story and to be surrounded by colleagues who make our journalism better,” Mojtehedzadeh said. “It’s an honour to be part of a newsroom that is dedicated to investigating social justice issues.”
The other nominees for the Michener include Cogeco Media, CBC Edmonton, the Globe and Mail and the Vancouver Sun.
“It’s really humbling to be nominated alongside such stellar journalism from across the country,” Kennedy said.
“Mine and Sara’s names are the only ones on the nomination, but it took a team of editors, designers and data analysts to make it happen. This project was time-consuming and expensive, and it speaks to the Star’s investment in investigative reporting that leads to meaningful change.”
The Star’s series strengthened provisions to outlaw pay discrimination, and led to new laws holding workplaces accountable for temp workers’ injuries on the job. Fiera Foods committed to an independent audit of its health and safety practices.
“Journalism that makes a difference is the highest achievement for newsrooms,” said Star editor Michael Cooke. “We’re thrilled for Sara, Brendan and all those who worked on this project for the Star, and also applaud all the organizations nominated for such a clear, strong commitment to public service journalism.”
The series won a Canadian Association of Journalists award for labour reporting earlier this month.