For immediate release

With federal COVID-19 income supports set to end on March 27 for many, workers fear the future, demand action from the federal government. 

TORONTO, ON - Workers still unable to work due to the pandemic spoke at a press conference today to bring attention to the looming financial crisis facing hundreds of thousands of people across the country. The special COVID-19 Employment Insurance and Recovery Benefits will soon run out for many. 

Essential workers say: “Compliments don't pay the rent.”

TORONTO, September 21, 2020 -- For the many poorly paid frontline heroes who keep our economy running, Ontario's minimum wage adjustment scheduled for October 1, 2020 should have provided much better financial relief.

 Instead, after Doug Ford’s 34-month freeze, Ontario’s minimum wage will still fall below Statistics Canada’s low-income measure of poverty.

"Had Ford not cancelled the $15 minimum wage, which was previously scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2019, Ontario’s minimum wage would have been $15.65 on October 1,” said Pam Frache, Coordinator of the Fight for $15 & Fairness.

“In effect, Premier Doug Ford cut the hourly wages of essential workers by $1.40/hr,” said Frache. “For a single hour worked by the more than one million minimum wage earners in Ontario, this represents a loss to workers and a windfall to corporations of nearly $1.5 million. This is a slap in the face to essential, frontline, workers who put their health and safety on the line to keep our communities clean, fed and cared for.”

According to Statistics Canada, between 1998 and 2018, the proportion of employees working for minimum wage in big businesses increased by almost 300%. By contrast, the proportion of workers paid the minimum wage at small businesses decreased over the same period.

“I feel like there’s a huge gap here between words and deeds,” said Rechev Browne, a grocery store worker in Toronto. “One the hand, Doug Ford heaps praise upon frontline workers like me, but on the other hand, he cancelled the $15 minimum wage and scrapped paid sick days. Honestly, compliments don’t pay the rent or keep us safe,” said Browne. 

For minimum wage earners in federally-regulated sectors, however, a long overdue raise, may be within reach.

"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to raise the federal minimum wage to at least $15 in 2020 and ensure annual adjustments to keep up with inflation. This promise was re-iterated by federal Labour Minister Filomena Tassi in a statement issued on Labour Day,” said Frache. “Workers from across the country will be listening closely to the throne speech to make sure our elected representatives keep their word."

Organizers from the Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign are available for comment.

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

CERB extension a relief for workers facing financial devastation, say advocates. But, given the economic impact of COVID-19, workers need more than an 8-week reprieve.  

Toronto, June 16, 2020 -- "For millions of workers who were just 3 weeks away from complete financial devastation, today's news brings a sigh of relief," said Deena Ladd, Executive Director of Workers' Action Centre. “But in just a few short weeks, workers will be in the same situation they were this morning - facing down an economic catastrophe.” 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will be extended by 8-weeks. This $2,000 per month income support for people affected by COVID-19 had an eligibility period of only 16 weeks, meaning at least 2 million people who started receiving CERB in March were set to run out of funds as early as the first week of July.

"Of the 3 million workers who are out of work right now, many are in sectors that are not scheduled to reopen anytime soon,” said Ladd. "These workers are extremely stressed about how they will manage to survive. They deserve to know whether CERB will be there for them for as long as they need it."

"Concert halls will be one of the last places to reopen, and when they finally do it will be months before they operate at the same capacity as pre-pandemic," said Christine Ilott who juggled multiple jobs in the arts sector before COVID-19 hit. "Even the workplaces that have reopened, have done so only partially. Lower capacity means fewer staff. How are we supposed to survive on a few hours of work a week?" 

Workers' Action Centre and Fight for $15 & Fairness Campaign are calling on the federal government to extend CERB by at least another 16 weeks, instead of 8, to give more financial security to workers who are just one rent cheque away from losing their housing. The federal NDP has also been calling for at least a 4-month extension to CERB.

"We are also relieved to see that bill C-17, which would have scared people back to dangerous work, will not be going ahead,” said Pam Frache, coordinator of the Fight for  $15 & Fairness. Tabled last week, this punitive legislation threatened jail time for workers who may have received CERB erroneously, leading to confusion and panic amongst many who became unemployed during the pandemic. 

"Let's be clear, workers want to go back to work. But they want to go back to safe workplaces with decent wages. As it stands, governments are providing neither,” said Frache. 

“The best way to incentivize work is to raise the minimum wage, make pandemic pay permanent, and ensure high standards of health and safety,” said Ladd. “And by health and safety we mean real standards that include social distancing on the job and in staff quarters, employer-paid PPE, paid sick days, and - crucially - the right to refuse unsafe work.”  

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

Information urgente: 26 mars 2020

Prestations préconisées par les réponses canadiennes d’urgence : « Elles sont prometteuses, mais des améliorations s’imposent, afin que l’aide aille véritablement où l’on en a besoin », selon des organismes de défenses des travailleurs et travailleuses.

(Toronto, 26 mars 2020 )—« la prestation de $2000/mois- $500/semaine-pour tous et toutes en soutien financier d’urgence, est plus que nécessaire et grandement appréciée », affirme Pam Fache, coordonnatrice du Fight for $15 and Fairness, réagissant aux prestations préconisées par les réponses canadiennes d’urgence.

Conformément aux dernières annonces du Ministre des finances, les nouvelles prestations d’urgence prorogent les deux dispositions précédentes (Prestations d’urgence de santé et prestations d’urgence de soutiens financiers). Ces nouvelles prestations seront immédiatement accessibles à toutes personnes, directement ou indirectement affectées par la COVID-19, même celles qui ne seraient pas éligibles à l’assurance-emploi en temps ordinaire.

Pour Pam Fache, « nous sommes très soulagé-e-s de constater que le gouvernement va dans le sens de simplifier les choses aux travailleurs et travailleuses qui en ont le plus besoin. Toutefois, nous aimerions rappeler aux gouvernants que les personnes, qui avaient déjà soumis une demande de prestation d’assurance-emploi, précédemment, ne recevront que 55% de leur revenu initial-drastiquement moins que les $500/semaine. Ceci ne permettrait jamais aux travailleurs et travailleuses à salaire minimum ou à faibles revenus, de pouvoir faire face à leurs dépenses. C’est impératif donc que les personnes qui perçoivent déjà l’assurance-emploi, ou celles qui ont déjà fait leurs demandes, puissent avoir un ajustement qui les amènerait au niveau minimal des $500/semaine ».

Pour Deena Ladd, directrice exécutive du Workers’Action Centre, « c’est primordial que tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses dans le besoin et dont le nombre ne cesse de grandir, bénéficient, tous et toutes, des nouvelles prestations d’urgence canadiennes. Nous sommes très inquiets que certaines conditions de ces prestations n’excluent justement les personnes qui en ont le plus besoin. Des doléances que reçoit le Workers’Action Centre, il y en a, venant de personnes n’ayant, ni comptes bancaires, ni numéro d’assurance sociale. Nous venons en aide à des nouveaux arrivants, ainsi que des personnes n’ayant aucun historique fiscal. Nous assistons également des personnes n’ayant commis aucun crime mais se retrouvant, de force, dans le secteur informel ».

Toujours selon Madame Ladd, « nous devons nous assurer de ce que tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses, peu importe leur niveau de revenus ou peu importe leurs statuts au Canada, reçoivent toutes les aides dont ils et elles ont besoin. Ne l’oublions pas : nous devons protéger ces personnes qui assurent la propreté et la sécurité des lieux que nous-mêmes fréquentons. Nous devons protéger ces personnes qui prennent soin de nos aînés et de nos enfants. Nombreuses sont les personnes qui nous assurent la bonne tenue des services essentiels, mais qui n’ont aucune protection sociale, même pas le minimum de protections sociales, au regard des lois ».

Madame Ladd se dit « confiante que nous finirons par développer un système qui étendra sa protection à tous les travailleurs et à toutes les travailleuses qui en ont besoin. Nous devons tout faire pour ne pas regarder de haut, ces personnes qui sont des plus vulnérables, et qui courent les pires risques à tomber malades. C’est la raison pour laquelle nous invitons le gouvernement à se rapprocher des organismes, comme le nôtre, qui sont aux premières loges de soutiens à ces travailleurs et travailleuses. Il nous faut trouver une formule qui fonctionnerait pour tout le monde ».

Renchérissant, Madame Fache dit que, « peu importe que nous ayons des statuts légaux, peu importe que nous soyons éligibles ou recevions l’assurance-emploi, ou peu importe que nous soyons partie prenante du système macro-économique, nous devrions, tous et toutes, avoir droit à une assistance à un revenu. S’il y a une leçon à tirer de cette pandémie, c’est que, nous protéger, nous-mêmes, passe d’abord et aussi par la protection de tous et de toutes ».

Les procédures pour les Prestations préconisées par les réponses canadiennes d’urgence seront lancées en ce début du mois d’avril et les documents, officiels, promettent que les travailleurs et travailleuses devraient recevoir leurs premières prestations, dans les dix jours suivant la demande. Au fur et à mesure que le programme se précisera, les détails s’y rapportant seront disponibles.

Le Fight for $15 and Fairness continue sa campagne pour un minimum de 21 jours de revenus garantis pour tous les travailleurs et pour toutes les travailleuses, dont 7 jours en permanence et 14 jours supplémentaires en cas de pandémies. Ceci devient particulièrement important, étant donné que Prestations préconisées par les réponses canadiennes d’urgence déterminent que, seules les personnes, restées sans emploi pendant au moins 14 jours, y seront éligibles. Il faudrait également une amélioration drastique à l’assurance-emploi, tant au niveau des conditions d’éligibilités que du montant des prestations. Il s’agit là d’une nécessité de premier ordre, dont, entre autres, la réduction, pour tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses, à 360 heures, du temps de travail nécessaire pour y être éligibles.

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Pour des renseignements supplémentaires, ou pour avoir un rendez-vous :
Contactez Nil sendil
Coordonnateur des communications Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 26 de Marzo del 2020

El Beneficio en respuesta a la Emergencia Canadiense: ʺPrometedora, pero se necesitan mejoras urgentes para llevar apoyo donde más se necesita”- dice una defensora del trabajador

 (Toronto,26 de Marzo del 2020) -- ʺ Los $2,000 de cantidad fija por mes-$500 por semana en ingreso de apoyo por emergencia es un paso-urgente necesario en la correcta dirección” dijo Pam Frache, coordinadora de Fight for $15 and Fairness (Lucha por $15 y Justicia)

De acuerdo con la publicación emitida por el Ministerio de Finanzas, el Nuevo Beneficio de Urgencia combinará las dos medidas anunciadas previamente(los beneficios de  Cuidado de Emergencia y Apoyo de Emergencia) y estarán disponibles para aquellos afectado directa o indirectamente por el COVID-19, incluyendo a aquellos que no califican para el Seguro de Empleo.

ʺEstamos esperanzados al ver al gobierno moviéndose para simplificar el proceso para los trabajadores que necesitan ayuda”, dijo Frache. ʺ Sin embargo, queremos recordarles que muchos trabajadores que ya han aplicado al Seguro de Empleo estarán recibiendo solo el 55% de su ingreso previo- considerablemente menos de $500 por semana. Estas cifras no son suficientes para pagar las cuentas para los trabajadores que tenían un salario de empleo bajo o mínimo.  Para aquellos que ya están recibiendo el soporte de ingreso de EI o que ya han aplicado,es absolutamente crucial que sus beneficios semanales de EI no sean menos de $500 por semana”, dijo Frache

 “Es de suma importancia que el Beneficio de Emergencia llegue al número creciente de trabajadores en situaciones realmente precarias”, dijo Deena Ladd, Directora Ejecutiva de Workers’Action Centre (Centro de Acción de los trabajadores). Estamos muy preocupados que los detalles del programa establecido puedan excluir a trabajadores que ahora están en una real crisis. En el Centro, estamos escuchando a  gente que no tiene cuentas bancarias o números de Seguro Social; estamos ayudando a nuevos inmigrantes sin un historial de empleo o registros de impuestos; y trabajamos con gente que ha sido arrastrada dentro de la economía informal y no por su culpa.”

 “ Necesitamos asegurarnos que todos los trabajadores, sin importar el nivel de ingreso y estatus migratorio, obtengan la ayuda que necesitan”, dijo Ladd. “Recuerden que, necesitamos proteger a la gente que sigue manteniendo los edificios limpios y seguros para todos nosotros, repartiendo comida y los que están cuidando de nuetros ancianos y nuestros niños. Muchos trabajadores que están proporcionando servicios esenciales en estos momentos, no tienen una red de seguridad social ni siquiera protecciones mínimas bajo la ley.”

 “Estoy optimista que podemos desarrollar sistemas que le lleven ayuda a los trabajadores que lo necesitan.” dijo Ladd. “ Pero no debemos pasar por alto a aquellos que están en situaciones desesperadas y que son más vulnerables de enfermarse. Es por eso que, estamos insistiendo que el gobierno consulte con organizaciones que están en primera línea brindando apoyo a estos trabajadores. Necesitamos, encontrar soluciones que funcionen para todos.”

Frache está de acuerdo. “Ya sea,si somos indocumentados, si no calificamos para recibir EI, o si somos parte de la economía independiente, todos merecemos un acceso inmediato a los beneficios de ingreso. Si hay una cosa que hemos aprendido de esta pandemia, es que no podemos protegernos a nosotros mismos a menos que protejamos a todos.”

El proceso de aplicación al Beneficio en Respuesta de la Emergencia Canadiense (CERB en inglés) estará disponible a comienzo de Abril y los documentos del gobierno dicen que los trabajadores deberían estar recibiendo su primer pago dentro de 10 días de su aplicación. Mas información de los detalles acerca del programa serán emitidos a medida que las normas se desarrollan.

The Fight for $15 and Fairness continua exigiendo por 21 días de licencia por emergencia pagados para todos los trabajadores- 7días pagados permanentemente y 14 días adicionales pagados durante pandemias. Esto es especialmente fundamental ya que el Beneficio en Respuesta a la Emergencia Canadiense( CERB) parece estar disponible solo para aquellos trabajadores que han estado sin trabajo por 14 días. Se necesitan drásticas mejoras para el acceso y la cantidad del ingreso proporcionado por el EI (Seguro de Empleo) que son todavía necesarias y deben ser prioridad, incluyendo la cantidad de horas de aplicación necesarias a 360 para todos los trabajadores.

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Para más información o para organizar entrevistas contactar a:
Nil Sendil

Coordinadora de Comunicaciones de Fight for $15 & Fairness

[email protected] l 647-710-5795

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canadian Emergency Response Benefit: “Promising, but urgent improvements are needed to get support where it’s needed most,” say worker advocates

(Toronto, March 26, 2020) -- “The $2,000 per month flat rate - $500 per week - in emergency income support is an urgently-needed step in the right direction,” said Pam Frache, coordinator of the Fight for $15 and Fairness, who was responding to the announced Canadian Emergency Response Benefit. 

According to the news release issued by the Ministry of Finance, the new Emergency Benefit will combine the two previously announced measures (Emergency Care and Emergency Support benefits) and will be available to those affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, including those not eligible for Employment Insurance. 

“We are heartened to see the government moving to simplify the process for workers needing assistance,” said Frache. “However, we want to remind them that many workers who have already applied for Employment Insurance will be receiving only 55% of previous income - significantly less than $500 per week. These rates are not enough to pay the bills for workers who were in low- or minimum-wage employment. For those who are already receiving EI income support or who have already applied, it’s absolutely crucial their EI weekly benefits be no less than $500 per week,” said Frache. 

“It is vital the new Emergency Benefit reaches the growing number of workers in really precarious situations,” said Deena Ladd, executive director of the Workers’ Action Centre. “We are really worried that some of the stated program details may exclude workers who are in crisis right now. At the Centre, we are hearing from people who don’t have bank accounts or social insurance numbers; we are assisting newcomers without employment history or tax records; and we work with people who have been forced into the informal economy through no fault of their own.”

“We need to ensure all workers, regardless of income level and immigration status, get the support they need,” said Ladd. “Remember, we need to protect the people who are keeping buildings clean and safe for all of us, delivering food and who are caring for our seniors and our children. Many workers who are providing essential services right now, have no social safety net or even minimum protections under the law.”  

“I’m optimistic we can develop systems that will get the support to workers in need,” said Ladd. “But we must not overlook those in the most desperate situations and who are most vulnerable to getting sick. That’s why we are urging the government to consult with organizations that are on the frontlines in providing supports for these workers. We need to find solutions that will work for everyone.”

Frache agrees. “Whether we are undocumented, whether we are eligible for or receiving EI, or whether we are part of the gig economy, we all deserve immediate access to income supports. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this pandemic, it’s that we can’t protect ourselves unless we protect everyone.” 

The application process for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit will be available in early April and government documents say workers should be receiving their first payment within 10 days of applying. More information about the program details will be released as the regulations are developed.

The Fight for $15 and Fairness continues to call for 21 paid emergency leave days for all workers – 7 paid days permanently and an additional 14 paid days during pandemics. This is especially crucial since the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit appears to be available only to those workers who have been without work for 14 days. Dramatic improvements in access to and the amount of support provided by Employment Insurance are still necessary and must be a priority, including reducing the hours threshold to 360 for all workers.

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

The full list of protective measures demanded by the Fight for $15 & Fairness Campaign and Workers' Action Centre are available here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Federal measures for COVID-19 still fall short in addressing the emergencies facing workers as economic crisis worsens for those in the most vulnerable positions

(TORONTO, Mar 18, 2020) -- The Fight for $15 and Fairness and the Workers' Action Centre are calling on the federal government to ensure a weekly minimum payment of $573 for all financial support programs during the pandemic, whether administered through EI regular and special benefits, the Emergency Care Benefit or the yet-to-be released COVID-19 Emergency Support Benefit for workers who can’t access EI. $573 is the maximum weekly benefit under current EI rules.

“The Federal government’s new Emergency Care Benefit sounds promising,” said Pam Frache, Coordinator of the Fight for $15 and Fairness. “But if it is administered along the lines of EI, providing only a portion of previous wages, it will be meaningless for the workers who need it most. Providing only 55% of a minimum wage is a disaster.” The Emergency Care Benefit announced earlier today is intended for those who must stay home from work for illness, self-isolation, or to look after children. 

“Canada – and the provinces – should be following the lead of Quebec that is providing $573 weekly assistance for workers who must self-isolate,” said Deena Ladd, Executive Director of the Workers’ Action Centre. “Federal and provincial governments keep saying they will spare no expense to look after workers, well now is the time to put money where their mouths are.”

“We have real concerns about the length of time workers will be without income,” said Ladd. “Workers living paycheque to paycheque can’t afford to lose a day’s pay, let alone a week’s pay. We need the federal government to waive the one-week waiting period for all EI regular and special benefits – not just for sickness benefits due to COVID 19.” 

“Our centre is also being inundated with phone calls from workers who are saying they can’t get through on the EI hotline,” added Ladd. “This reflects chronic understaffing of our EI system. We need a dramatic increase in EI staff – and we urgently need information to be made available in multiple languages online and over the phone.”

“There’s another potential crisis looming as well,” said Frache. “The government’s website says that applications for COVID 19 Emergency Support Benefit – the benefits that are intended to help those who can’t get EI – won’t be available until April with no guarantee of turnaround time for workers in the most desperate situations and who urgently need money now” 

“One thing is becoming increasingly clear: this chaos – borne by people in the most vulnerable situations – stems directly from the absence of paid emergency leave rules at both provincial and federal levels,” said Ladd. “Had we had policy in place that mandated at least 7 paid days of emergency leave for all workers, provincially and federally, and had these policies provided for an additional 14 days of paid emergency leave during a pandemics like COVID-19, we wouldn’t have the financial desperation facing millions of people across Canada.”  

“We continue to be shocked that no level of government has prioritized adequate minimum paid emergency leave days,” said Frache. “All the medical evidence shows that paid emergency leave policies of not less than 7 days, pay for themselves by allowing sick workers to stay home or look after sick kids, and by containing the spread of flu and other contagious diseases. In the context of coronavirus, paid emergency leave laws provincially and federally would have better protected public health – and bought the federal government time to roll out an effective, comprehensive plan to stabilize the economy.”

“We continue to demand action on paid emergency leave provincially and federally, and we look forward to additional announcements that will ensure that long term and temporary measures provide workers with adequate financial support to protect themselves, their families and their communities,” said Ladd. “As we have been saying, there’s not a moment to lose.”

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE
Les nouvelles mesures fédérales dans le cadre de la lutte contre le coronavirus sont très en deçà des nécessités d’urgences auxquelles font face les classes travailleuses les plus vulnérables

(TORONTO, Mars 18, 2020) -- Le « Workers’ Action Centre » ainsi que le « Fight for $15 and Fairness » demande au gouvernement fédéral d’assurer un salaire hebdomadaire de $573 minimum, à tous les travailleurs et à toutes les travailleuses qui ont besoin d’assistance financière, durant toute la période de la pandémie, peu importe que ces travailleurs ou travailleuses soient éligibles à l’assurance-emploi ou non, ou que ces travailleurs ou travailleuses soient éligibles à un programme d’aides gouvernementales ou non. $573 par semaine est le minimum prévu par la loi, en guise d’assurance-emploi.

Selon la coordonnatrice du « Fight for $15 and Fairness », Pam Frache, le nouveau programme d’aide d’urgence du fédéral semble prometteur. Toutefois, si cela demeure arrimé au programme traditionnel d’assurance-emploi, les travailleurs et travailleuses qui en ont le plus besoin risquent d’en pâtir. N’offrir que juste les 55% du salaire minimum serait un désastre. Le nouveau programme d’aide d’urgence du fédéral, dont l’annonce a été faite aujourd’hui, est destinée à des travailleurs et travailleuses, qui devront rester à la maison, soit parce qu’ils ou elles sont déjà malades, soit parce qu’ils ou elles doivent s’auto-confiné(e)s, soit simplement parce qu’ils ou elles doivent s’occuper de leurs enfants que la fermeture des écoles confine à la maison.

Pour la directrice exécutive du « Workers’ Action Centre », Deena Ladd, le fédéral, de même que toutes les autres provinces, devraient suivre l’exemple du Québec, et garantir un revenu hebdomadaire de $573 minimum, à quiconque devra s’auto-confiner. Le fédéral et les provinces promettent inlassablement ne vouloir faire économie d’aucun effort, pour protéger les travailleurs et travailleuses. C’est le moment de le prouver.

« Nous nous inquiétons énormément, quant à la durée où les travailleurs et travailleuses devront rester sans salaire », affirme Madame Ladd. Pour Madame Ladd, « Lorsque sa vie est régulée, de chèque de paye à chèque de paye, l’on ne peut se permettre le luxe de perdre, ne serait-ce qu’une seule journée de paye. Nous demandons, au gouvernement fédéral, d’exonérer de la période de transition d’une semaine avant le début des prestations d’assurance-emploi, non pas juste pour la période de la pandémie, mais pour toute prestation d’assurance-emploi ».

« Le manque criard de personnels devant gérer les dossiers de prestations d’assurance-emploi, se répercute sur notre centre, en termes de volume d’appels que nous recevons chaque jour, de travailleurs et de travailleuses ne pouvant joindre personne des services d’assurance-emploi. De plus, il faut, de toute urgence, embaucher du personnel multilingue, pouvant répondre aux inquiétudes des travailleurs et travailleuses, que ce soit au téléphone ou en personne », affirme Madame Ladd.

Selon Madame Frache, « il y a également un arbre qui cache la forêt : le délai qui nous sépare de maintenant à avril, moment où le site web du gouvernement indique la disponibilité des fonds, risque d’être fatal à nombre de travailleurs et travailleuses qui sont, déjà, dans une grande précarité. C’est ici et maintenant que l’on a besoin de l’aide d’urgence d’accompagnement des travailleurs et travailleuses, dans le nécessaire effort de tous, de limiter les risques de propagations massives du coronavirus ».

Pour Madame Ladd, « l’absence de mesures, tant au fédéral que dans les provinces, pour des prestations d’urgence et immédiates, fait planer le chaos, sur la tête des travailleurs et travailleuses déjà dans la précarité. Si les provinces, de même que le fédéral, mettaient en place une politique commune de prestation d’urgence de 7 jours minimum à tous les travailleurs et à toutes les travailleuses, majorée de 14 jours en cas de pandémies du type du Covid-19, des millions de Canadien-ne-s ne seraient pas dans le désespoir financier dans lequel ils ou elles se trouvent actuellement ».

Quant à Madame Fache, elle se dit encore sous le choc, qu’aucun palier de nos gouvernements, n’ait encore pensé faire sa priorité d’une assurance de prestations minimum garanties, en cas de congés d’urgence. « Toutes les études démontrent qu’un système d’une assurance de prestations minimum garanties, s’autofinancerait, si tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses pouvaient se permettre un congé-maladie, en s’auto-confinant, pour éviter la propagation de la grippe, ou d’autres maladies contagieuses. Dans ce contexte de Covid-19 par exemple, une telle législation aurait mieux protégé notre réseau de santé publique. Cela aurait, sûrement, donné davantage de marges de manœuvres au gouvernement fédéral, afin qu’il puisse penser à un meilleur programme de protection de notre économie ».

« Nous continuons d’exiger de nos gouvernements, tant provinciaux que fédéral, une législation pour une assurance de prestations minimum garanties, en situations d’urgence. Nous continuons d’espérer que de nouvelles annonces se feront, dans le sens de mesures, à plus ou moins long termes, pour assurer, aux travailleurs et aux travailleuses, des protections financières adéquates, pour eux et elles-mêmes et pour leurs familles », soutient Madame Ladd. « Comme nous le constatons, nous ne devons perdre aucune seconde ».

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The full list of protective measures demanded by the Fight for $15 & Fairness Campaign and Workers' Action Centre are available here.

(TORONTO, Mar 16, 2020) —As the effects of the coronavirus unfold, it's clear that millions of workers across Canada are losing income, losing jobs and are being forced to go to work sick.

“It is simply staggering that in a context where millions of people could be infected with COVID-19, there has been no movement by the federal government -- or any province in the country -- to provide adequate paid sick days and job protection for workers who need it in order to stay home when they’re sick,” said Pam Frache, Coordinator of the Fight for $15 and Fairness. On Wednesday, federal health minister Patty Hajdu said between 30 and 70 per cent of the population could acquire COVID-19.

“The disaster facing workers is being compounded by public policy measures that fail to address the needs of workers,” said Deena Ladd, Executive Director of the Workers’ Action Centre. “Hundreds of thousands of workers will be without wages as schools and universities close and as public events are cancelled. Neither the Ontario nor federal government has moved to protect workers in this time of crisis.” 

On Thursday, the Ontario government announced that schools will be closed for an additional two weeks following March break. “But who will bear the burden of school closures?” asked Ladd. “Parents who work – including single parents – will be scrambling for child care while frontline workers will be under enormous pressure to sacrifice their own health to fill the gaps created by these closures.”

“We are very worried about the health consequences for grandparents who step in to help with child care,” said Carolina Jimenez, who is a registered nurse and coordinator of the Decent Work and Health Network. “We have heard reports from Italy that the unintended consequences of school closures was spreading COVID-19 to the elderly.” 

“In the context of a pandemic, we can’t rely on the usual sources of support such as grandparents or neighbourhood collective care,” said Jess Lyons of the Ontario Parent Network. “When education workers were taking action to protect our public school system, parents were working together to provide “solidarity camps” to ease the gap in child care. That’s simply not possible in light of coronavirus. Parents will need to stay home with their kids. And they desperately need adequate financial support to do so.”

Early childhood educators are really worried about the impact of school closures in Ontario. “I'm a substitute registered early childhood educator for my local school board,” said Brandi Wilson who works in Sault Ste Marie. “I work every single day, but I'm not technically on a long-term contract. If my child care centre closes, I won’t get paid for those weeks.”

Another early childhood educator, Laura Lepper, who works in a private, for-profit child care centre, has already used all her paid sick days as a result of an outbreak in her workplace in January. She is now facing the prospect of another two weeks of lost pay. “How am I supposed to pay my bills?”

“What about the impacts on live-in care workers?” added Ladd. “Many live-in care workers are without full citizenship. They are already vulnerable because of inadequate employment protections. They will be under even more pressure to fill gaps in child care and household responsibilities. Who is looking out for the health and well-being of these workers?”

As for Friday’s announcement by federal finance minister Bill Morneau, Frache said: “It is unbelievable the federal government has provided $10 billion for banks and corporations, but not a single additional penny for workers.”

“The federal government’s decision to ease access to EI work sharing and waive the one week waiting period for benefits means nothing for the 60 percent of unemployed people who do not receive EI when they need it. We need an emergency fund for all workers who can’t get EI and who are impacted directly or indirectly by COVID-19,” said Frache. “And we need to make it easier for workers to get EI by reducing the eligibility requirement to 360 hours. This is vital for the vast numbers of workers in precarious, part-time and contract work across Canada.”

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2019 – Community and labour leaders began an indefinite occupation of Premier Doug Ford’s constituency office at 823 Albion Road in Etobicoke today, demanding his signature on Section 83(4) of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) to prevent further workplace deaths in Ontario. To ensure that companies using temp agency workers are held financially responsible for workplace deaths and injuries under WSIB, regulations were drafted in 2018, but still await the Premier’s signature to be implemented.   

Today’s occupation comes following the death of Enrico Miranda, the 57 year-old father of two, who was killed on September 25 at Fiera Foods. Miranda was the 5th temporary agency worker to die on the job at Fiera Foods, and the 2nd since Premier Doug Ford took office.

WHAT: A media briefing with community and labour leaders
WHEN: Wednesday, October 16 at 5:00 pm (the occupation has begun, and will continue indefinitely)
WHERE: Doug Ford’s constituency office at 823 Albion Road in Etobicoke
VISUALS: Signs bearing the names of the five temp agency workers who were killed at Fiera Foods, flowers, candles, an oversized poster of Section 83(4) for Premier Doug Ford to sign, community and labour leaders who will share stories of how this issue impacts them. 

“Premier Doug Ford has left us with no other choice, but to start this occupation today,” said Chris Buckley, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour. “Had Ford implemented Section 83(4) of WSIA, companies like Fiera Foods would be held fully financially responsible for the injuries to temp agency workers. This tragic death could have been prevented. It is time for companies like Fiera Foods to be held accountable.”

In Ontario, temp agency workers are twice as likely to get hurt on the job, compared to directly hired employees. This is due to an ongoing loophole that shields companies from the cost of injuries suffered by the temp agency workers they hire.

“Legislation already exists to stop companies from treating temp agency workers’ lives as disposable,” says Deena Ladd, Executive Director of the Workers’ Action Centre. “All Premier Ford needs to do is to add his signature so it can be enacted. This is a matter of life and death.”

Last week, the Ontario Federation of Labour, Workers’ Action Centre, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty and Fight for $15 & Fairness issued an open letter to Premier Doug Ford demanding he immediately enact of Section 83 (4) of WSIA. To date, there has been no response.

Ford’s refusal to take action to prevent further workplace deaths in Ontario has provoked this indefinite occupation of his office today, with the support of Unifor, CUPE Ontario, Elementary Teachers of Toronto, Ontario Network of Injured Workers, and the Toronto York Region Labour Council, among other community and labour groups.

For latest action updates, look for #OccupyFord on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Nil Sendil
Communications Coordinator, Fight for $15 & Fairness
[email protected] l 647-710-5795              

Meagan Perry
Director of Communications, Ontario Federation of Labour
[email protected] l 416-894-3456