BREAKING: Stronger protections coming into effect for temp agency workers
Today’s Toronto Star reports a major victory for workers' rights. In response to years of grassroots organizing, the Ontario government will move to hold client companies using temp agencies responsible for workplace injuries.
Under current law, the temp agency takes responsibility (including increased worker compensation board premiums) if a temp worker gets hurt, not the company where the injury took place. Such a loophole has created a huge financial incentive for employers to hire temp agency workers to perform dangerous jobs and not provide proper health and safety training and protections. For example, at one company, Fiera Foods, 3 temp agency workers died on the job since 1999. A Toronto Star investigation revealed last year that temp agency workers placed in warehouses and factories were twice as likely to get hurt than their non-temp counterparts. Temporary agency workers have been organizing to speak out and expose these huge gaps in protections for years. This change will put the responsibility for injuries where it belongs -- the company using temp agency workers.
Now we need to put a stop to perma-temping. This has been a key demand in our Fight for $15 & Fairness.
The equal pay for equal work law that our communities won last Fall (coming into effect on April 1, 2018) and the measures announced today, will go a long way in curbing the unchecked growth of temp agency industry. The new equal pay measures, for example, will stop agencies from reaching into the pockets of workers by requiring that temp agency workers get paid the same hourly wage as their directly hired co-workers who do comparable work. But more needs to be done.
Together, we need to make sure that temporary agency jobs are truly temporary.
Last year, bakery giant Fiera Foods used temp workers to staff 70 percent of its operations. We cannot allow for companies to fill permanent positions with temp workers, sometimes years on end, without providing any decent wages, benefits and job security. The experiences of countless brave agency workers who've spoken out demonstrate that employers must be prevented from using temp workers as a strategy to increase profits by keeping workers precarious. Here is what we still need:
- Companies should not be allowed to hire more than 20% of their workforce through temporary staffing agencies.
- Temp agency workers should be converted to direct employees of the client company after 3 months on an assignment. The client company and temp agency must be required to provide just cause, if, at the end of the assignment, another worker is hired to do the work previously done by the temp agency worker.
- Temp agency and the client company should be held jointly liable for ALL employment rights of temp workers – for example, personal emergency leave and misclassification of workers
Our victories to date prove that by mobilizing across Ontario we can improve working conditions. We need your help to fight on! The temporary staffing agency lobby (including groups like ACSESS, Adecco and Randstad) has been a key backer in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce campaign to oppose a $15 minimum wage and fairness. These new measures will cut directly into temp agency profits, and the industry will do everything in its power to stop these changes.
We are building a fighting fund to spread the word about our new rights, organize workshops in neighbourhoods, hand out lawn signs and grow the reach (and muscle) of our movement. Will you contribute? Please click here to make a donation. Every little bit helps.
By making a donation, coming to a local event or publicly calling out bad bosses such as Tim Hortons, your participation makes the growth of this decent work movement possible. Thanks to your energy and commitment, we know that we will win $15 and Fairness for ALL workers, including for temp agency workers.
Speak out for Tim Hortons workers
Since the labour law reforms we won came into effect on January 1, millions have seen improvements in their wages and working conditions. While most employers are adopting these changes and respecting the spirit of the new workplace laws, there are, sadly, some greedy corporations like Tim Hortons, refusing to share the wealth.
Demand action from Tim Hortons:
Over the past weeks, we've organized an incredible series of mobilizations, first across Ontario then throughout the country in support of workers at Tim Hortons. The February 13 action alone saw more than 300 Tim Hortons restaurants visited by #15andFairness supporters to deliver valentine's greetings and labour rights information to the workers (check out the video). The pressure we've created is working!
“The public relations debacle related to the minimum wage increase in Ontario is causing tremendous downward pressure on the value of the Tim Horton’s brand,” wrote Peter Proszanski, the attorney representing an association of Tim Hortons Franchise owners -- reported CTV News.
On Thursday, March 15 let's use all social media platforms at our disposal to call attention to Tim Hortons' ongoing attacks on workers' rights. Click here right now to sign up and add your voice. If enough people join the online action, a one-time message will be sent out simultaneously from all of our social media profiles to tell Tim Hortons to treat workers better.
Together, we have the power to pressure Tim Hortons and force the corporation to do the right thing. Here is how you can help:
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Add your voice by visiting the Thunderclap March 15 Day of Action page. You can choose the platform (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr) from which you'd like your message of support to be posted. A message has been pre-drafted, but you can personalize it -- and make sure to tag @TimHortons as well as use the hashtag #RollUptheRim to jam their corporate ad campaigns.
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Change your profile picture to show your support for Tim Hortons workers and invite your friends to join the March 15 Social Media Day of Action. Click here to download the Tim Hortons workers solidarity image.
- Download posters and hang them up in your neighbourhood, campus and workplace. Let's remind Tim Hortons workers that they are not alone and we will continue to support their struggle. Click here to access 11x17 (tabloid size) Tim Hortons worker solidarity posters.
Get Ready for International Women's Day
International Women’s Day – March 8 – emerged from the struggles of women workers around the world. From the multi-racial garment workers strikes in New York and Chicago at the turn of the 20th century to the women workers of Russia whose 1917 International Women’s Day strikes triggered a revolution that ended World War I, women have always been a key part of the struggle for decent work.
That’s why March 8 is a perfect opportunity to talk about why we need to keep fighting for $15 and Fairness.
- Women and workers of colour are over-represented in low-wage, precarious employment
- Nearly 60% of minimum wage earners are women
- 35% of minimum wage earners are workers of color
- Women shoulder a greater burden of family caregiving, and often must choose part-time work in order to manage these responsibilities
- Workers of colour face racism in the labour market and are all too often in part-time employment involuntarily
The labour law reforms we have achieved together are so important! Here is what we’ve won so far:
Equal Pay (in effect as of April 1, 2018)
- Equal pay for part-time, casual and temp agency workers who are doing substantially the same work as their full-time counterparts is a tremendous step forward and will go a long way toward closing the gender and equity pay gap.
Personal Emergency Leave
- 10 days of job protected emergency leave for those in workplaces with fewer than 50 employees will provide some newly gained modest security for nearly 1.7 million workers.
- That 2 of these 10 emergency leave days are paid is a significant win for millions more workers, especially for women.
- 10 days (and up to 15 weeks) of job-protected leave in the case of sexual or domestic violence -- a big step forward for women workers. The first 5 days are paid.
Easier access to unions
- Women and workers of colour have better wages and working conditions when they are part of a union and can bargain collectively in the workplace. That’s why extending access to unions is a key win.
Fairer hours – but not until 2019
- Improved scheduling provisions, including a minimum of 3 hours regular pay for on-call workers is a serious win for women workers and workers of colour. Similarly, 3 hours pay for a worker whose shift is cancelled with less than 2-days notice is also crucial.
- Likewise the improvements in the calculation of holiday pay for part-time workers are also an important victory (this is already underway, unlike the scheduling provisions which will come into effect on January 1, 2019).
A $15 minimum wage – but not until 2019
- The $15 minimum wage won’t be in place until January 2019. If a hostile provincial government is elected on June 7, they could stop the minimum wage increase and reverse our gains. In June 2017, we need to elect a government that will support a real $15 and Fairness agenda.
Saturday, March 3
Toronto: International Women’s Day Rally & March
If you are in Toronto, join the Fight for $15 and Fairness contingent at Toronto’s International Women's Day rally and march on Saturday!
We will be focusing on why the changes in Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act matter to women and workers of colour; supporting Tim Hortons workers (who are mostly women and workers of colour); and promoting the March 23 public forum with Bhairavi Desai from the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. Click here to download the leaflet.
The campaign will also have some fun placards (click here to download for your own events) and stickers that jam the Tim Hortons brand. Click here right now to let us know you'll be joining the contingent. This year, the campaign has been given space to speak at the indoor rally, so come early to get your seats! If you can't come in the morning, join us for the march. We'll be queuing up at 12:45 pm outside OISE.
11:00 am: Indoor Rally at OISE (252 Bloor Street West)
1:00 pm: March to City Hall
2:00 pm: Justice for Tina Fontaine Rally (at City Hall)
See you on the streets at International Women's Day events happening throughout the week in communities across Ontario. Together, we will win $15 & Fairness for ALL!
February 13: Show Tim Hortons workers Valentine's love
We are gearing up for another day of action in support of Tim Hortons workers!
On February 13, we hope you and a friend (or two or three) will join us to hand deliver some Valentine’s Day love to the workers at Tim Hortons. These drop-ins should take no more than 10 minutes each. Will you join us?
The action on February 13 will include hand-delivering a special Valentine’s Day card to the workers (click here to download the card in 11" x 17" tabloid size or click here to download the card in regular letter size). In addition to the card, we also have leaflets (click here to download) that can be distributed to the customers inside Tim Hortons restaurants, asking them to take action in support of workers.
Click here to register your action(s)! If you’re part of a community group, local union, student group, labour council or faith community see if your group can take responsibility for visiting a number of restaurants over the course of the day. We have also compiled a “Tip Sheet” in case you would like some tips and inspiration for your own actions, you can download it here.
Check out this 30-second video announcing the February 13 action!
Click to share on Facebook | Click here to share on Twitter
Keep Fighting for $15 and Fairness
The $15 minimum wage and the fairer scheduling provisions of Bill 148 won’t take effect until January 1, 2019 and we have a big election standing between us and these new rights. Consider ordering lawns signs and banners (download the 2-page order form here) so that we can decorate Ontario with our signs.
We know that the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party voted against Bill 148 and has said that if they form government, they will postpone the implementation of the $15 minimum wage. That’s why we must keep fighting for $15 and Fairness until every worker has it. When the PC Party formed government in the mid-1990s, it gutted workers’ legal protections under the law.
Meanwhile, the situation facing workers at Tim Hortons shows how much more work we have to do to ensure workers have decent wages and working conditions, even with the gains made under Bill 148. We want to make sure we use the weeks ahead to campaign for additional laws to better protect workers against bad bosses. Imagine if the law provided a paid 15 minute break for every three hours worked, if workers could join unions across a franchise or if workers were protected under the law when they organize to enforce their rights.
That’s why your role in this campaign – from fighting for better labour laws to supporting workers at Tim Hortons – is so crucial. It’s also why you should be incredibly proud of everything we have been able to accomplish together.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Join one near you!
There are numerous actions and events being organized across Ontario! If you don’t see an action in your area, let us know how we can help you get one going!
Tuesday, Feb 6
MISSISSAUGA
Action - Tell Tim Hortons to treat its workers fairly!
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Tim Hortons (151 City Centre Drive, Mississauga) | Click here for a map
Come out to tell Tim Hortons: Reverse the clawbacks! Restore workers’ wages & benefits! We love the workers at Tim Hortons but we hate bad bosses.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
OTTAWA
Fight for $15 & Fairness Ottawa Organizing Meeting
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | 25One Community, 251 Bank St, 5th Floor | Click here for a map
Ottawa $15 & Fairness supporters have organized successful solidarity rallies and outreach at Winterlude in support of Tim Hortons workers. But some other local businesses have also been attacking workers' wages and benefits. We're organizing a response to support those workers coming forward. Plus we've got Know Your Rights workshops and IWD to plan for. Come out and join the action (meeting at the 5th floor)!
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Sunday, Feb 11
OSHAWA
We Are Oshawa General Meeting.
2 PM | 61 Charles St, Oshawa Room 216 | Click here for a map
Join We Are Oshawa's first meeting of 2018 to discuss further organizing around $15 and Fairness, future Tim Hortons actions and more! The year has kicked off with an incredible solidarity for workers under attack by bad bosses, help us build on this.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Monday , Feb 12
EAST YORK
Sign Making Party to Prep for Tim Hortons Action!
5:30 PM - 9 PM| Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), 2nd floor | Click here for a map
Join the Ontario Federation of Labour on Monday evening to help make signs for the February 13 day of actions at Tim Hortons stores! We will provide materials for sign making, we will also give you the materials for the action on Tuesday and do a quick training on how to pull off the action if you're leading one! Everyone is welcome!
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Tuesday, Feb 13
ONTARIO
Action - Show Tim Hortons workers some Valentine's Day love
THROUGHOUT THE DAY | A Tim Hortons restaurant near you!
On February 13, we are going to hand deliver some Valentine’s Day love to the workers at Tim Hortons. This time, the goal is to visit as many restaurants as possible in smaller groups involving 2 or more people. If you think you can visit a Tim Hortons restaurant on February 13.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Tuesday , Feb 13
TORONTO
Toronto-Wide Organizing Meeting
5:30PM – 8:00PM | 720 Spadina Ave, Suite 223 | Click here for a map
There is a provincial election coming up in June and we know that the Conservative Party and the corporate lobby are already organizing to roll back the labour law reforms we've won. That's why we must stay mobilized to win $15 & Fairness for ALL workers. Come to the next city-wide Fight for $15 and Fairness organizing meeting!
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
January 19, National Day of Action: Stand with Tim Hortons Workers
Anger continues to grow in response to the news that Tim Hortons has been slashing workers' tips, breaks and benefits. That’s why we have called a National Day of Action on Friday, January 19. Are you with us?
Even the business press agrees that attacking their own employees has created a public relations disaster for Tim Hortons. More and more Canadians are demanding justice. A massive public outcry from coast-to-coast could pressure the corporation to reverse the clawbacks on workers’ wages and benefits.
This Friday, the Fight for $15 & Fairness, together with the Ontario Federation of Labour and Leadnow, are hosting more than 50 actions outside Tim Hortons restaurants throughout the country.
Scroll down to find an action near you. Can’t see one in your neighbourhood? Click here to host your own event.
For leaflets to distribute on the Day of Action, download them from here. If you are hosting an action, click here for a few tips and tricks. Can’t make it out on Friday? Be sure to sign and share the petition to CEO Daniel Schwartz, who pockets over $6 million in salary and perks every single year, while Tim Hortons workers barely make ends meet.
Join us on Friday, January 19. Together we will send a clear message that Tim Hortons workers deserve better.
January 19, National Day of Action Events
TORONTO
Hosted by OPSEU Region 5
8:00 - 9:00 AM
Southwest corner of Dundas & University
438 University Ave, M5G 2K8
Hosted by Workers’ Action Centre
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Southeast corner of Broadview & Danforth
91 Danforth Ave, M4K 1N2
Hosted by East End Solidarity
8:00 - 9:00 AM
Tim Hortons at 2575 Danforth Ave, M4C 1L4
Hosted by West Toronto $15 and Fairness
8:00am to 9:00 AM
Tim Hortons, 1094 Bloor St W, M6H 1H5
one block east of Dufferin & Bloor
Hosted by Toronto & York Region Labour Council
8:00 AM: Midland & Steeles (4228 Midland Ave)
8:00 AM: Kingston & Midland (2294 Kingston Rd)
8:00 AM: Rexdale & Hwy 27 (116 Queens Plate Dr)
8:00 AM: University & Edward (481 University Ave)
8:00 AM: College & Spadina (455 Spadina Ave)
4:00 PM: Yonge & Eglinton (2245 Yonge St)
Hosted by Unifor Local 414
9:00 AM
Tim Hortons at 2294 Kingston Road, M1N 1T9
Hosted by West Toronto $15 and Fairness
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
2150 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6S 1M8
Hosted by Jane Finch Action Against Poverty
10:00 AM
Tim Hortons at Jane Finch Mall (entrance from outside the mall),
3981 Jane St, North York, ON M3N 2K1
Hosted by Scarborough $15 & Fairness
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Northeast corner of Midland & Eglinton
(2500 Eglinton Ave East, ON M1K 2R5)
Hosted by U of T $15 & Fairness
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tim Hortons at Sidney Smith Hall, St George Campus,
100 St. George St, Toronto, M5S 3G3
Hosted by York $15 & Fairness
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tim Hortons at Central Square
(near Curtis Lecture Halls), 4700 Keele St.
Hosted by Decent Work & Health Network
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
700 University Ave, M5G 1Z5
Hosted by Regent Park $ 15 & Fairness
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Northeast corner of Parliament & Dundas, 335 Parliament St, M5A 2Z3
Hosted by Center for Spanish-Speaking Peoples/ El Centro Para Gente De Habla Hispana
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Jane and Fallstaff, 2029 Jane St, North York, ON M9N 2V4
Hosted by Parkdale Community Legal Services
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Tim Hortons at Jameson & Queen
1480 Queen St West, M6K 1M4
ONTARIO
Barrie
Hosted by Barrie and District Labour Council
8: 00 AM - 9:00 AM
Tim Hortons at 4 Fairview Rd, L4N 7Y8
Burlington
Hosted by Leadnow
4:30 PM
1170 Guelph Line, Burlington, ON L7P 2S9
Brampton
Hosted by Brampton $15 & Fairness
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Peter Robertson & Dixie
624 Peter Robertson Blvd, L6R 1T5
Cambridge
Hosted by Waterloo Regional Labour Council
& Fight for $15 & Fairness Kitchener Waterloo
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
275 Water St North
Guelph
Hosted by Guelph & District Labour Council
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tim Hortons at 28 Wellington St East
Hamilton
Hosted by Fight for $15 and Fairness Hamilton &
Hamilton & District Labour Council
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tim Hortons at 65 Ottawa St N, L8J 3Y9
Hosted by Leadnow
10:00 AM
473 Concession St, Hamilton, ON L9A 1C1
Kincardine
Hosted by Grey Bruce Labour Council
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tim Hortons at 303 Broadway St off Queen Street, N2Z 2S9
Kingston
Hosted by Kingston Fight for $15 & Fairness
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Tim Hortons at 681 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1E8
London
Hosted by London Common Front and London & District Labour Council
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
172-174 DUNDAS ST, London, Ontario N6A 1G7
Markham
Hosted by Toronto & York Region Labour Council
8:00 AM
Leslie & Hwy7 (9005 Leslie St)
Mississauga
Hosted by Peel Region Labour Council
12:00 PM
Tim Horton's at 6767 Airport Road
(Airport Road, south of Derry, by the International Centre)
Newmarket
Hosted by Toronto & York Region Labour Council
8:00 AM
Yonge & Millard (17310 Yonge St)
Niagara
Hosted by Niagara Regional Labour Council
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Tim Hortons at 495 York Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake
(York Road and Glendale Ave)
North Bay
Hosted by North Bay District Labour Council
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
25 Lakeshore Drive, North Bay
Oshawa
Hosted by We Are Oshawa
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Tim Hortons at 1361 Harmony Road North
Oakville
Hosted by Oakville District Labour Council
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Tim Hortons 515 Maple Grove Dr, L6J 4W3
(Between Maple Grove and Cornwall Rd)
Ottawa
Hosted by Fight for $15 & Fairness Ottawa &
Ottawa and District Labour Council
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
585 Montreal Road
Sudbury
Hosted by Sudbury and District Labour Council
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
2689 Kingsway, Sudbury, ON P3B 2G1 (Levesque and Kingsway)
Vaughan
Hosted by Toronto & York Region Labour Council
8:00 AM
Langstaff & Weston (3650 Langstaff Rd)
Windsor
Hosted by Windsor District Labour Council
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tim Hortons 525 University Ave West, N9A 5R4
NATIONAL ACTIONS:
ALBERTA
Calgary
Hosted by Leadnow
11:45 AM
4307 130th Ave SE, Unit 5
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Maple Ridge
Hosted by Leadnow
11:30 AM
Tim Hortons, 11811 224 St, V2X 0P1
Surrey
Hosted by Fight for $15 Now Surrey Working Group
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Tim Hortons on King George Hwy, 9595,
(Corner of 96th Ave & King George Blvd)
Vancouver
Hosted by Fight for $15 East Vancouver
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
Tim Hortons, Langara College A Building Cafeteria
100 W 49th Ave, Vancouver
Hosted by Leadnow
9:00 AM
Tim Hortons, 865 W Broadway, V5Z 1J9
Hosted by Fight for $15 East Vancouver
5: 30 PM - 6:30 PM
Tim Hortons Vancouver Downtown
230 Seymour South of Cordova
British Columbia Federation of Labour &
Hosted by Vancouver Socialist Alternative
5: 00 PM - 7:00 PM
Commercial Drive and 1st Avenue
QUEBEC
Montreal
Hosted by 15plus.org
Campagne pour le salaire minimum à 15$/h et l'indexation au coût de la vie
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tim Hortons métro Place-d'Armes / Place-d'Armes Metro
159 St Antoine Ouest Local C-21, Suite 165, Montreal, QC H2Z 1H2
NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax
Hosted by Halifax & District Labour Council
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Halifax Central Library
(on the sidewalk/courtyard in front of the building)
5440 Spring Garden Road
SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatoon
Hosted by Fight for $15 Saskatchewan
8:30 AM -10:00 AM
Midtown Plaza Saskatoon
201 1st Ave South, S7K 1J9
Regina
Hosted by Leadnow
9:30 AM
1800 Scarth Street
$14 kicks in, onward with the fight!
Today, the general minimum wage increases to $14 an hour! And next January 2019, the wage will increase to $15 an hour. After that, the minimum wage will be adjusted on October 1 each year, to keep up with the rising cost of living.
Also, effective today: workers will have two (2) paid days of emergency leave and an additional eight (8) days of unpaid leave. A worker need only to have worked for one (1) week before being eligible for this new emergency leave provision.
The new law makes it illegal for employers to misclassify workers as independent contractors. Furthermore, in the case of wagetheft, the new law makes it easier for workers to recover unpaid wages.
Employers can also no longer insist on high heels for work, unless higher heels are required for health and safety reasons.
And it is now a bit easier for all of us to join unions, thanks to some important changes.
But make no mistake; our Big Business opponents are already gearing up to spread misinformation as part of their campaign to oppose decent work.
Challenge the Chambers
A vocal opponent of the Fight for $15 and Fairness has been the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), through its “Keep Ontario Working” campaign of fear mongering. This campaign has been roundly criticized for relying on out-dated and sloppy research methodology to make exaggerated and unproven claims about the impact of decent wages. Such claims fly in the face of seven decades of peer-reviewed research that shows rising wages do NOT cause job loss or price inflation.
Ontario’s public colleges and universities are members of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and give undisclosed amounts of money to the Chamber for its lobbying efforts. If you believe our public colleges and universities should not be associated with questionable research practices or campaigns that run contrary to the interests of students, staff and faculty, then please sign and send an email now.
Sign the letter: http://fairnessnow.ca/
The OCC’s Keep Ontario Working campaign is backed by some of the most notorious Big Business lobbyists that include:
- Temporary agencies and their lobbyists like: ACSESS, ADECCO, and Randstad;
- Food, restaurant, hotel and tourism lobbyists like: the Canadian Franchise Association, Restaurants Canada, Food and Consumer Products of Canada, Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association, Food and Beverage Ontario, and Tourism Industry Association of Ontario;
- Retail and grocery store lobbyists like: Retail Council of Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers; and
- Information technology lobbyists and forest products companies like: Association of Canadian Consulting Businesses and Ontario Forest Industries Association.
As you can see, we will be up against some powerful interests in 2018. But we know that with your support, we can make sure that 2018 is the year we protect – and extend – $15 and Fairness to all.
If you haven’t done so already, please give to our Fight On! Fund (click here to donate) and help us stop the Big Business lobby from de-railing the $15 minimum wage and other important improvements in labour law.
Help us fight on!
What an incredible year 2017 has been! Together, we’ve made a huge difference in the lives of workers across Ontario – but our work is not done.
Progressive Conservative Party leader Patrick Brown has already pledged to delay the implementation of the $15 minimum wage, taking the side of corporate groups over workers in this province. And we must expect his party will also seek to delay and roll back other aspects of Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, such as scheduling, equal pay and emergency leave provisions as well as union rights.
That’s why we are asking you to help build The Fight On! Fund by making an immediate donation of $15 – or whatever amount you can manage. Click here to donate now. The Big Business Lobby may have access to the kind of financial assets we can only dream of, but our movement has the numbers! By pooling our resources and grassroots power, we can continue to beat them back.
We know that building a strong and vibrant campaign on the ground is key to organizing workers in every corner of this province so that we can defend our gains and push for more. That’s why we need our own fighting fund. We need to produce thousands more buttons, stickers, leaflets, posters, window signs, and more. And all of this, costs money.
So, over the holidays while you are thinking about the year past and the year ahead, we hope you will be able to make a financial contribution to the Fight for $15 and Fairness. All donations to The Fight On! Fund, no matter how small or large, will be put to excellent use.
Of course, we will never forget that the most important contribution anyone can make is the gift of time and energy that you give to the Fight for $15 and Fairness every day. Your efforts made 2017 an extraordinary year for all workers in Ontario.
This holiday season, let’s celebrate the work we have undertaken together and let’s commit to ensuring that 2018 is the year we protect – and extend – $15 and Fairness for all.
We wish you a merry workplace and a very bright New Year!
$15 & Fairness victory for Ontario workers
“The $15 minimum wage will put money where it is deserved and most needed, into workers’ pockets,” said Navi Aujla, who is an organizer in Brampton with the Fight for $15 & Fairness campaign and a former temp agency worker. “Together with paid emergency days, fairer scheduling and equal pay for equal work measures; $15 will make a real difference for our communities who fought so hard for this victory.”
- Raise Ontario’s general minimum wage to $14 by January 1, 2018, $15 by January 1, 2019 and implement annual cost of living adjustments thereafter.
- Extend 10 days of job protected, emergency leave to all workers, of which 2 will be paid -- a first in Canada.
- Provide equal pay for equal work for full-time, part-time, casual and temporary agency workers.
- Introduce fairer scheduling, including 3 hours of pay for on-call employees who aren’t called in, and for workers whose shifts get cancelled with less than 48 hours of notice.
- Make it easier for cleaners, security guards, homecare and community service workers to join unions. And these workers will also have better protection against contract flipping.
“Let’s be clear. Delaying $15 means only one thing and that is keeping workers in poverty. It is shameful for any politician to defend the interests of corporations over working families,” said Deena Ladd, coordinator of the Workers’ Action Centre. “The Fight for $15 & Fairness campaign organized tirelessly to make Bill 148 as strong as possible, our job is not done until all workers have at least $15 an hour and fairness at work.”
The Fight for $15 & Fairness Campaign launched on April 15, 2015 with a province-wide day of action demanding a $15 minimum wage, as well as sweeping labour law reforms. Since then, a broad coalition of health providers, faith leaders, students, unions, economists, teachers and community groups, have led this growing movement for decent work.
BREAKING: New labour law is coming!
Bill 148 – has officially finished the amendment process and will now be going for 3rd reading. We expect the final vote to take place on Wednesday, November 22, probably quite early in the day.
Together, we made this happen.
We had to fight for every millimetre of gained ground – especially after the legislation was first tabled back in May. We knew that Bill 148 wasn’t perfect, but we fought to make it better.
Today, after the final round of amendments, we can proudly announce there were no additional concessions to Big Business. That in itself is a huge accomplishment. But beyond that we were able to reverse the rollback granted to Big Business last August when the government agreed to define seniority by hours of work, rather than the date of hire for the purposes of equal pay.
To top it all off, we were able to strengthen the equal pay language, tighten scheduling provisions, and improve workers’ access to union protections.
What an accomplishment!
Now, Bill 148 is nearly complete. But the struggle for decent work is far from over. We need to keep fighting for everything we didn’t win in this round. And crucially, we must fight to protect our gains.
That the government didn’t concede a longer phase-in time on the $15 minimum wage is a testament to the strength of our movement.
We know that paid emergency leave, equal pay, fairer scheduling and so many other provisions of Bill 148 were not handed to us. We pried them from the hands of government.
And make no mistake. It could all be taken away in the June 2018 provincial election if Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown gets his way.So let’s take a moment to be proud about how far we’ve come. Then let’s rest up so that we can redouble our efforts to win $15 and Fairness for everyone in 2018.
- We were successful in getting equal pay for equal work between full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary workers – including those who work for temporary help agencies – into the original draft of Bill 148.
- But we wanted to strengthen the equal pay language to make it harder for employers to avoid paying workers equally.
- By organizing to expand the definition of what jobs are comparable for workers to get equal pay, we won a small – but important – change clarifying that jobs do not have to be identical for the purposes of equal pay.
- We were also able to get rid of a loophole, added last August, that would have allowed employers to use seniority systems on the basis of the number of hours worked that would have put part-time workers at a permanent disadvantage compared to full-time workers.
- But we must work hard to enforce equal pay for as many workers as possible once the bill has passed and become law.
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We were successful in getting three important commitments to fairer scheduling in the original version of Bill 148:
- 3 hours of pay for on-call employees who aren’t called in
- 3 hours pay of any employee whose shift is cancelled with less than 2 days’ notice
- The right to refuse shifts scheduled with fewer than 4 days’ notice.
- But in August, employers convinced the government to amend the bill to provide exemptions from these provisions. Since then we campaigned to tighten up loopholes and remove exceptions. We were successful in winning some small amendments. For example, we were able to get a vaguely-worded exemption more clearly defined so it will be less prone to abuse by employers.
- Still we will have to be vigilant to ensure employers don’t win further exemptions after the bill has been passed.We are at a crucial stage in the legislative process for Bill 148.
- Unions had been pushing for 10 paid leave days for domestic and sexual violence leave. The government introduced 5 paid days leave.
- The Labour Relations Act was also amended to improve access to information during organizing drives and combination of bargaining units.
- Importantly, these improvements in the Labour Relations Act will come into effect on January 1, 2018.
It’s GO TIME for #15andFairness!
12,000 Ontario public college faculty are on strike for fairness! These members of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) are standing up for equal pay for contract faculty, job security and academic freedom so that faculty have a stronger voice in the public college system. These issues are about ensuring that students have quality education in the classroom and decent jobs when they graduate.
The vast majority of Ontarians believe in decent work and equal pay for full-time, part-time, contract and temporary workers. The fight for equal pay for contract faculty is directly connected to the fight to improve Bill 148. We need strong contract language and strong labour laws to ensure that women, workers of colour, newcomers and all those who face barriers in the labour market aren’t paid less for doing similar work.
Friend, take a moment right now to send a message (click here) to the College Employer Council and elected representatives at Queen’s Park in support of equal pay, job security and academic freedom for college faculty. Then click here to watch and share the video of college students supporting college faculty.
CIick here to share the video on Facebook | Click here to share the video on Twitter
By supporting Ontario college faculty demands for equal pay, job security and academic freedom, we are also building support for strong legislation that will protect all workers. Grab $15 and Fairness placards and join a picket line in your community to support these courageous workers. To find a picket line in your area, click here. To download and print a placard, click here. To download and print our new leaflets in support of the college faculty strike for fairness, click here.
Don’t forget to snap a photo and post it using the hashtags #StandWithFaculty and#15andFairness so that we can find them easily and re-tweet them.
If you are in Toronto on Thursday, November 2, join the rally (12:00 noon at Queen’s Park) in support of quality education and decent work in Ontario’s public college system. Click here to RSVP and share on Facebook.
It’s GO TIME for Bill 148
Final Consultations and Amendments
We are at a crucial stage in the legislative process for Bill 148. On October 19, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act passed 2nd reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs for consultations and amendments.
This is our last chance to strengthen the equal pay and scheduling provisions within the legislation. Consultations are underway right now and the Committee will consider final amendments on November 16. In reality, all the decisions regarding Bill 148 are being made right now. If you haven’t sent an email to Premier Kathleen Wynne, please do it now! (click here). If you have already emailed the Premier, then please encourage your co-workers and friends to do so as well.
November 3 DEADLINE to endorse the $15 & Fairness Submissions
Written submissions on Bill 148 will be accepted by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs until 5:00 pm on Friday, November 2. We are encouraging individuals and organizations to endorse the submissions made by the Workers’ Action Centre, Parkdale Community Legal Services and the Ontario Federation of Labour.
Help us spread the word on social media!
On Thursday, November 2, the final day of consultations will be live streamed. You can watch the proceedings here. Please help us amplify our message over social media and use the hashtags: #15andFairness #Bill148 #ONPoli so that we can easily find them and share them.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Join one near you!
There are numerous actions and events being organized across Ontario! Click here for our Facebook events listings. If you don’t see an action in your area, let us know how we can help you get one going!
Thursday, November 2
TORONTO
Faith Leaders’ Forum: Election 2018 – Voting to end poverty
9:00 AM – 3:30 PM | Queen’s Park, Rooms 228/230 | Click here for a map
Join faith leaders and representatives from diverse religious groups at Queen’s Park to discuss concrete solutions to address growing poverty faced by our communities. At this crucial moment, Ontario’s Members of Parliament are debating whether to change labour laws to create pathways out of poverty for workers and their families, or maintain the status quo. Let’s come together and speak clearly about our vision for a poverty-free Ontario, and our expectations from elected officials in the lead up to the 2018 election. Click here to download the poster.
TORONTO
Defend Quality Education & Decent Work – Support College Faculty
12:00 noon to 1:15 pm | Queen’s Park Legislative Buildings | Click here for a map
Courageous college faculty have been forced out on strike by a College Employer Council that refuses to bargain fairly. On November 2, college faculty from across Ontario will be rallying to defend quality education and decent work in our public college system and for future generations of workers.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
OTTAWA
November Fight for $15 & Fairness Organizing Meeting
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM | 25oneCommunity 251 Bank Street | Click here for a map
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will be voting on amendments (clause by clause) on November 16. All decisions about strengthening Bill 148 are being made right now! We need to mobilize to make sure Bill 148 is strengthened and not weakened by the Big Business lobby. We will also be planning our solidarity efforts with college faculty at Algonquin College.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Friday, November 3
KINGSTON
Kingston Fight for $15 & Fairness Supports College Faculty
12:00 noon | St. Lawrence College 100 Portsmouth Avenue (main entrance) | Click here for a map
Join the picket lines at St. Lawrence College to send a message that we support equal pay for contract workers! To download and print a placard, click here. To download and print our new leaflets in support of the college faculty strike for fairness, click here.
To share the information on Facebook, click here.
OSHAWA
Picket Line Pizza Party
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM | Durham College 100 Portsmouth Avenue (main entrance) | Click here for a map
Come by OPSEU’s picket line to talk to faculty members at both Durham College and UOIT about the state of their respective negotiations. Faculty members should not have to go on strike in order to demand better quality education for their students. Let’s call on the College Employer Council and UOIT to reach a fair deal with OPSEU and the UOIT Faculty Association! To download and print a placard, click here. To download and print our new leaflets in support of the college faculty strike for fairness, click here.
To share the information on Facebook, click here.
TORONTO
Fair Play, Fix the Bill – Party
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 1652 Keel St | Click here for a map
Join latinx organizers of the $15 & Fairness campaign for a night of story-telling, organizing and celebration. Thank to thousands of workers taking action across Ontario we forced important labour laws changes to the table, let’s stay mobilized to make sure the strongest possible reforms are adopted. Lxs trabajadrxs de la Provincia de Ontario estamos cansadxs de los abusos y sobre explotacion, queremos cambios de Ley que protejan nuestros derechos humanos basicos, con salarios dignos y leyes claras, funcionales y aplicables. Fix and Pass the Bill.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Monday, November 6
TORONTO
$15 & Fairness Phone Banking Party with LeadNow
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM | 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 223 | Click here for a map
Toronto activists are partnering with LeadNow to organize a phone banking party. We want to connect with our supporters across Ontario and make sure that everyone has a chance to make their voices heard at this critical time. The more people who can help us make call, the stronger will be our influence at Queen’s Park. Every caller will need a cell phone & a computer to make the calls (minutes won’t be charged to your phone). If you are able to, please bring along your cell phone and laptop, if not we will make sure there are extras. Let us know you are coming so we can make sure there is enough equipment and pizza for everyone. Click here to register for the event!
To spread the word on Facebook, click here.
Tuesday, November 7
TORONTO
Toronto-wide Organizing Meeting
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM | 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 223 | Click here for a map
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will be voting on amendments (clause by clause) on November 16. All decisions about strengthening Bill 148 are being made right now! We need to mobilize to make sure Bill 148 is strengthened and not weakened by the Big Business lobby. We will also be planning our solidarity efforts with college faculty. Please RSVP so we know how many snacks to provide! To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Wednesday, November 8
$15 & FAIRNESS DAY OF SOLIDARITY FOR COLLEGE FACULTY
All day, ONTARIO-WIDE | Click here for a list of picket lines in your community
We want to help keep up moral for the brave college faculty who are fighting for equal pay, fairness and decent work for all of us. Grab a $15 & Fairness placard and head on down to a picket line. Even better, organize a $15 and Fairness contingent in your community to visit the line together. Grab a $15 and Fairness placards and join a picket line in your community to support these courageous workers. To download and print a placard, click here. To download and print our new leaflets in support of the college faculty strike for fairness, click here.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
OTTAWA
Public Forum: College Faculty Strike Back
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM | 25oneCommunity 251 Bank Street | Click here for a map
The strike by Ontario College Faculty, now in its third week, is taking place in a context of precarious work, attacks on workers’ rights (including through back to work legislation), and austerity cuts to public services. Join us for a look at what’s at stake and a discussion about what we can all do to defend workers’ rights and public services during this strike and beyond. To download and print a placard, click here. To download and print new leaflets in support of the college faculty strike for fairness, click here.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Friday, November 10
BRAMPTON
$15 and Fairness on the doorstep!
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM | Ray Lawson Blvd and Cherrytree Drive | Click here for a map
Join the Fight for $15 and Fairness in Brampton as we go door to door to people about Bill 148 and ask if they would like to put up lawn signs! Over the past few weeks, we’ve had very positive responses at the doorsteps, with many community members taking up lawn signs. We will also be getting letters signed to deliver to Premier Wynne telling her to: Strengthen Bill 148!
To share the information on Facebook, click here.
Wednesday, November 15
CHALLENGE THE CHAMBERS! ONTARIO-WIDE CAMPUS DAY OF ACTION
Surprisingly, Ontario colleges and universities are members of Ontario Chambers of Commerce — the organization that is spearheading the campaign against decent work. Students, staff and faculty will be joining forces calling on post-secondary institutions to distance themselves from the OCC campaign against a $15 minimum wage and better labour law. Let’s make sure our post-secondary system is representing the needs of students, staff and faculty, not the Big Business lobby.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
TORONTO
Outreach Blitz! Decent Work & Health Network University of Toronto
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Health Sciences Building, 155 College Street (main entrance) | Click here for a map
Health workers and students can be a powerful voice of support to ensure that the bill is passed in its strongest form and then implemented. Please join us to learn more and spread the word about how health workers and students are participating in the movement for decent work! We will be talking to students in the Health Sciences Building about how to get involved.
To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.
Saturday, November 18
TORONTO
OFL Young Workers’ Assembly
9:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Sheraton Centre, Civic Ballroom North, 123 Queen St West | Click here for a map
Young workers can lead the labour movement to create decent work and push back against hate. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear from young leaders who have been leading campaigns to ensure fairness for all. This assembly is OPEN TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, whether you are a member of a union or not. Please register (free admission) today to claim your spot, and don’t forget to mention if you need childcare or accommodation for an accessibility issue, in the registration form.
To register (free admission), click here. To spread to word on Facebook, click here.