We’ve managed to force big changes onto the table – let’s mobilize to strengthen them & counter the corporate lobby!
On June 1, the Ontario government tabled a package of legislative reforms that – if adopted – would represent a huge victory for workers.
Bill 148, The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 contains significant steps forward on all aspects of our campaign demands: from fairer wages to paid sick days, from decent hours to respect at work, and from rules that better protect us to the right to unionize. We have worked hard to convince the government to act — and now our work has paid off!
Here are just a few of the highlights from Bill 148 (for a more detailed summary, click here):
- Raising the adult general minimum wage to $15 within 18 months, in addition to previously won annual indexation to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index. When implemented, these increases will benefit more than 1.5 million people.
- Equal pay for equal work between full-time, part-time, casual and temporary workers – including those who work for temporary help agencies.
- Three (3) hours of pay for on-call employees who aren’t called in and for any employee whose shift is suddenly cancelled. Workers may refuse shifts scheduled with fewer than four (4) days notice.
- Extension of job-protected, emergency leave to ALL workplaces, protecting an additional 1.7 million workers in smaller workplaces.
- Two (2) of these 10 days will be PAID, and no doctors’ notes will be required to access any of the paid or unpaid emergency leave days.
- Easier access to union protection, especially for those in precarious sectors like cleaners, security guards, homecare and community service workers.
- Three (3) weeks of paid vacation (after five (5) years of service).
- Increased public investment in enforcement.
- More workers will be protected by the Employment Standards Act (ESA).
- And so much more …
But Bill 148 has to pass in the Ontario Legislative Assembly before any of these measures become law. The government has referred the Bill to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Over the summer, the Committee will hold public hearings and consider amendments to the proposed legislation. We need to use the summer to mobilize to strengthen the Bill and counter the Big Business lobby.
Help us counter the Big Business lobby!
While we mobilize to support and strengthen the Bill, representatives of Big Business are trying to kill the Bill or water it down. Here are just a few of the corporate lobbyists working against the $15 and Fairness campaign: The Ontario Chamber of Commerce; temp agency lobbyists like Acsess, Adecco and Randstad; the Retail Council of Canada; Restaurants Canada; Food and Beverage Ontario; the Canadian Franchise Association with “over 600 corporate members representing many of Canada’s best- and lesser-known brands” including McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, and Burger King; the National Association of Canadian Consulting Businesses (NACCB), which represents the interests of IT services firms; and many others.
Decades of evidence shows that higher minimum wages and better working conditions create stronger economies and healthier communities for all of us. Yet we can count on Big Business to ignore the evidence and peddle the discredited narrative that helping workers harms the economy. Representatives of the 1% rarely support improvements in workers’ wages and working conditions because they don’t want to part with their vast profits. Did you know that Canada’s top CEOs earn 193 times the average worker’s salary?
Meanwhile, the corporate lobbyists campaigning against Bill 148 often claim to speak on behalf of small businesses, but we know that large corporations with 500 or more employees are far more likely to use minimum wage labour than small businesses. Fortunately, a growing number of small and modest sized businesses are telling their side of the story — that investing in their workforce makes good business sense.
$15 & Fairness Summer starts today!
While the representatives of the 1% are few in number, they have more financial resources to influence elected representatives at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government. They have more money to spend on advertising and have they much greater access to the mainstream media.
The rest of us — the 99% who will benefit from improvements in wages and working conditions — represent the majority. But we have to organize and mobilize to make sure that our voices are heard loudly and clearly. Members of Provincial Parliament need to know their re-election depends on the extent to which they are decent work champions at Queen’s Park.
Click on the image to share on Facebook!
Help us spread the word!
- Download and copy this leaflet to distribute in your workplace, community, campus or neighbourhood.
- Call or write your MPP. To find your MPP, click here. For a list of MPP phone numbers and email addresses, scroll down.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
- Contribute an article to your community or union newsletter.
- Follow our Facebook page for news, supporting evidence and updates.
- Spread the word on Twitter and Facebook #15andFairness #MakeitFair #ONPoli #WorkFairON #DecentWork
Scroll below for the full list of Members of Provincial Parliament in Ontario:
Hon Laura Albanese
York South–Weston
Phone: 416-243-7984
[email protected]
Granville Anderson
Durham
Phone: 905-697-1501
[email protected]
Teresa J. Armstrong
London–Fanshawe
Phone: 519-668-1104
[email protected]
Ted Arnott
Wellington–Halton Hills
Phone: 519-787-5247
[email protected]
Robert Bailey
Sarnia–Lambton
Phone: 519-337-0051
[email protected]
Yvan Baker
Etobicoke Centre
Phone: 416-234-2800
[email protected]
Hon Chris Ballard
Newmarket–Aurora
Phone: 905-750-0019
[email protected]
Toby Barrett
Haldimand–Norfolk
Phone: 519-428-0446
[email protected]
Lorenzo Berardinetti
Scarborough Southwest
Phone: 416-261-9525
[email protected]
Gilles Bisson
Timmins–James Bay
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-461-9878
[email protected]
James J. Bradley
St. Catharines
Phone: 905-935-0018
[email protected]
Patrick Brown
Simcoe North
Phone: 705-326-3246 or 705-526-8671
Sarah Campbell
Kenora–Rainy River
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-465-8501
[email protected]
Hon Michael Chan
Markham–Unionville
Phone: 905-305-1935
[email protected]
Hon Bob Chiarelli
Ottawa West–Nepean
Phone: 613-721-8075
[email protected]
Raymond Sung Joon Cho
Scarborough–Rouge River
Phone: 416-297-5040
[email protected]
Steve Clark
Leeds–Grenville
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-267-4408
[email protected]
Lorne Coe
Whitby–Oshawa
Phone: 905-430-1141
[email protected]
Mike Colle
Eglinton–Lawrence
Phone: 416-781-2395
[email protected]
Hon Michael Coteau
Don Valley East
Phone: 416-494-6856
[email protected]
Grant Crack
Glengarry–Prescott–Russell
[email protected]
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-355-9666
Hon Dipika Damerla
Mississauga East–Cooksville
Phone: 905-238-1751
[email protected]
Bob Delaney
Mississauga–Streetsville
Phone: 905-569-1643
[email protected]
Hon Steven Del Duca
Vaughan
Phone: 905-893-4428
[email protected]
Nathalie Des Rosiers
Ottawa–Vanier
Phone: 613-744-4484
[email protected]
Vic Dhillon
Brampton West
Phone: 905-796-8669
[email protected]
Joe Dickson
Ajax–Pickering
Phone: 905-427-2060
[email protected]
Cheri DiNovo
Parkdale–High Park
Phone: 416-763-5630
[email protected]
Han Dong
Trinity–Spadina
Phone: 416-603-9664
[email protected]
Hon Brad Duguid
Scarborough Centre
Phone: 416-615-2183
[email protected]
Victor Fedeli
Nipissing
Phone: 705-474-8340
[email protected]
Catherine Fife
Kitchener–Waterloo
Phone: 519-725-3477
[email protected]
Hon Kevin Daniel Flynn
Oakville
Phone: 905-827-5141
[email protected]
Cindy Forster
Welland
Phone: 905-732-6884
[email protected]
John Fraser
Ottawa South
Phone: 613-736-9573
[email protected]
Jennifer K. French
Oshawa
Phone: 905-723-2411
[email protected]
Wayne Gates
Niagara Falls
Phone: 905-357-0681
[email protected]
France Gélinas
Nickel Belt
Phone: 705-969-3621
[email protected]
Hon Michael Gravelle
Thunder Bay–Superior North
Phone: 807-345-3647
[email protected]
Lisa Gretzky
Windsor West
Phone: 519-977-7191
[email protected]
Ernie Hardeman
Oxford
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-265-4046
[email protected]
Michael Harris
Kitchener–Conestoga
Phone: 519-954-8679
[email protected]
Percy Hatfield
Windsor–Tecumseh
Phone: 519-251-5199
[email protected]
Randy Hillier
Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington
Phone: 613-267-8239
[email protected]
Ann Hoggarth
Barrie
Phone: 705-726-5538
[email protected]
Andrea Horwath
Hamilton Centre
Phone: 905-544-9644
[email protected]
Hon Eric Hoskins
St. Paul’s
Phone: 416-656-0943
[email protected]
Hon Mitzie Hunter
Scarborough–Guildwood
Phone: 416-281-2787
[email protected]
Hon Helena Jaczek
Oak Ridges–Markham
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-531-9551
[email protected]
Sylvia Jones
Dufferin–Caledon
Phone: 519-941-7751
Phone: 905-951-9382
[email protected]
Sophie Kiwala
Kingston and the Islands
Phone: 613-547-2385
[email protected]
Monte Kwinter
York Centre
Phone: 416-630-0080
[email protected]
Hon Marie-France Lalonde
Ottawa–Orléans
Phone: 613-834-8679
[email protected]
Hon Jeff Leal
Peterborough
Phone: 705-742-3777
[email protected]
Hon Dave Levac
Brant
Phone: 519-759-0361
[email protected]
Hon Tracy MacCharles
Pickering–Scarborough East
Phone: 905-509-0336
[email protected]
Jack MacLaren
Carleton–Mississippi Mills
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-267-1020
[email protected]
Lisa MacLeod
Nepean–Carleton
Phone: 613-823-2116
[email protected]
Harinder Malhi
Brampton–Springdale
Phone: 905-495-8030
[email protected]
Amrit Mangat
Mississauga–Brampton South
Phone: 905-696-0367
[email protected]
Michael Mantha
Algoma–Manitoulin
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-831-1899
[email protected]
Cristina Martins
Davenport
Phone: 416-535-3158
[email protected]
Gila Martow
Thornhill
Phone: 905-731-8462
[email protected]
Hon Deborah Matthews
London North Centre
Phone: 519-432-7339
[email protected]
Hon Bill Mauro
Thunder Bay–Atikokan
Phone: 807-623-9237
[email protected]
Jim McDonell
Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry
Phone: 613-933-6513
[email protected]
Hon Kathryn McGarry
Cambridge
Phone: 519-623-5852
[email protected]
Hon Eleanor McMahon
Burlington
Phone: 905-639-7924
[email protected]
Ted McMeekin
Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Westdale
Toll Free Phone: 1-888-566-6614
[email protected]
Monte McNaughton
Lambton–Kent–Middlesex
Phone: 519-245-8696
[email protected]
Peter Z. Milczyn
Etobicoke–Lakeshore
Phone: 416-259-2249
[email protected]
Norm Miller
Parry Sound–Muskoka
Toll Free Phone: 1-888-267-4826
[email protected]
Paul Miller
Hamilton East–Stoney Creek
Phone: 905-545-0114
[email protected]
Hon Reza Moridi
Richmond Hill
[email protected]
Phone: 905-884-8080
Julia Munro
York–Simcoe
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-206-1373
Hon Glen R. Murray
Toronto Centre
Phone: 416-972-7683
[email protected]
Hon Indira Naidoo-Harris
Halton
Phone: 905-878-1729
[email protected]
Hon Yasir Naqvi
Ottawa Centre
Phone: 613-722-6414
[email protected]
Taras Natyshak
Essex
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-265-3909
[email protected]
Rick Nicholls
Chatham-Kent–Essex
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-265-3992
[email protected]
Sam Oosterhoff
Niagara West–Glanbrook
Phone: 905-563-1755
[email protected]
Randy Pettapiece
Perth–Wellington
Phone: 519-272-0660
[email protected]
Arthur Potts
Beaches–East York
Phone: 416-690-1032
[email protected]
Shafiq Qaadri
Etobicoke North
Phone: 416-745-2859
[email protected]
Lou Rinaldi
Northumberland–Quinte West
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-263-3980
[email protected]
Hon Liz Sandals
Guelph
[email protected]
Phone: 519-836-4190
[email protected]
Peggy Sattler
London West
Phone: 519-657-3120
[email protected]
Laurie Scott
Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-424-2490
[email protected]
Mario Sergio
York West
Phone: 416-743-7272
[email protected]
Jagmeet Singh
Bramalea–Gore–Malton
Phone: 905-799-3939
[email protected]
Todd Smith
Prince Edward–Hastings
Toll Free Phone: 1-877-536-6248
[email protected]
Hon Charles Sousa
Mississauga South
Phone: 905-274-8228
[email protected]
Peter Tabuns
Toronto–Danforth
Phone: 416-461-0223
[email protected]
Harinder S. Takhar
Mississauga–Erindale
Phone: 905-897-8815
[email protected]
Monique Taylor
Hamilton Mountain
Phone: 905-388-9734
[email protected]
Hon Glenn Thibeault
Sudbury
Phone: 705-675-1914
[email protected]
Lisa M. Thompson
Huron–Bruce
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-396-3007
[email protected]
John Vanthof
Timiskaming–Cochrane
[email protected]
Phone: 705-567-4650
Daiene Vernile
Kitchener Centre
Phone: 519-579-5460
[email protected]
Bill Walker
Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-461-2664
[email protected]
Jim Wilson
Simcoe–Grey
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-268-7542
[email protected]
Soo Wong
Scarborough–Agincourt
Phone: 416-297-6568
[email protected]
Hon Kathleen O. Wynne
Don Valley West
Phone: 416-425-6777
[email protected]
John Yakabuski
Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke
Phone: 613-735-6627
[email protected]
Jeff Yurek
Elgin–Middlesex–London
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-265-7638
[email protected]
Hon David Zimmer
Willowdale
Phone: 416-733-7878
[email protected]