Action items of November J4W Meeting

We had a great Decent Work organizing meeting on Tuesday evening, with over 200 people in attendance! In case you missed it, here's a quick recap of the action items. 

1. Paid Sick Days

The growing number of respiratory infections - especially among children - has worsened the crisis in Ontario's health care. Everyone must be able to afford to stay home when they or their child is sick to minimize the spread of illnesses.

The NDP’s Bill 4 ‘Stay home if you are sick Act’ will be debated on November 24 and put to a vote November 28. If passed, the Bill would make sure every worker had 10 paid sick days each year plus 14 more during public health emergencies.

Make your voice heard at our Social Media Blitz on Monday November 28 and send a email message to your MPP.

2. Education Workers

On Wednesday, CUPE education workers were forced to serve notice to strike on November 21 if a fair deal has not been reached. As we prepare this email, regional solidarity rallies and social media actions are being planned. RSVP now and we'll send you an email with details for rallies as they are confirmed. 

At our Decent Work organizing meeting, we also agreed to step-up our "Paint the Province Purple" campaign. We want to decorate our communities to show the support for education workers is still growing. Download or order posters and learn more.

3. Early Childhood Educators

A child care staffing shortage, driven by low wages and poor working conditions, is threatening the accessibility of child care for our families. Across Ontario, child care centres are closing rooms and limiting enrolment because they cannot retain staff in their programs.

Justice for Workers will co-host a Phone Zap on Wednesday, November 30 at 7:00 pm. And if you're in the Greater Toronto Area, please join the 10:00 am Childcare rally at Queen's Park. 

4. Canadian Hearing Services

CUPE 2073 workers support the Deaf and hard of hearing community as counselors, audiologists, interpreters and more. About 25% of the 200 workers are deaf. These workers are fighting for decent work and working conditions and job security. 

But while the CEO’s pay has increased by 155% since 2015, front-line workers face wage restraint and demands for concessions. At our organizing meeting, we agreed to support these workers by sending an email to the Ontario government to protect services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Inspired by our Justice for Workers meeting, CUPE 2073 workers organized immediately to send a video of solidarity to Education Workers and support the demand to legislate at least 10 paid sick days for all workers.

Watch the CUPE 2073 Solidarity video on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

5. Ontario Contract Faculty

Contract faculty across Ontario teach the majority of students, yet receive a fraction of the funding. They face precarious short-term contracts often without benefits. At Tuesday's meeting, we learned that many contract faculty earn less than $25,000 a year. Since the Tuesday meeting, Laurier Contract Faculty announced a tentative deal, but the fight for decent work continues on college and university campuses across Ontario.

6. University of Toronto Service Workers

University of Toronto administrative continues to contract out good jobs and replacing them with precarious low-wage contract work. Tell UofT that we want Good Jobs at U of T.

Jared Ong on behalf of Justice For Workers.

P.S. If you missed the meeting, we recorded it, so you can re-watch it here!