After June 3: Keep the momentum going!

June 3 was a fantastic Day of Action, as thousands across Ontario sent a clear message to Premier Doug Ford that “Enough is Enough.”

It’s clear we need real action to address the cost of living crisis. This means:

• Higher wages, livable social assistance, and adequate income support; 
• Strong publicly-funded health care, education, and other social services; 
• Real rent control and good public housing; 
• Protection of Ontario’s Greenbelt and climate justice; 
• Banks and corporations pay their fair share in taxes and in wages.

The organizing we did together for June 3 paid off! There were nearly 30 local actions across the province and more than 1,000 new people signed up to keep fighting for decent work. 

But we can't stop here. After all, if we’re serious about June 3 being just the beginning of a movement that can beat the Ford government, we need to use the weeks ahead to accelerate or kick-start local organizing. One great thing about summer is the warmer weather for picnics, outreach events, and even outdoor movie nights!

Read on for upcoming actions where you can plug into the fight for justice. And if you’re looking for inspiration for your own local organizing, please email us at [email protected]. 

Big win for migrant students - but the fight isn't over

International students who were scammed by education recruiters and threatened with deportation had their deportations postponed!

This is an incredible victory was only possible because those students organized and built broad-based support. For 18 days, they led a 24/7 permanent protest outside immigration enforcement headquarters in Mississauga. As a result, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser was forced to postpone the deportations. 

While this is a major victory, the fight is not over. The deportations have only been postponed temporarily – and the government can still try to deport some of the students down the road. Let's be vigilant and ready to take action if that happens. (For more information, read the statement published by Migrant Workers' Alliance for Change.)

Status for all. Regularization now!

The experiences of international students show that migrants are vulnerable to exploitation, and are fighting back.

In 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to implement a regularization program for undocumented migrants. But this promise remains unfulfilled. As a result, undocumented migrants continue to be at far greater risk of exploitation, workplace injury and death. [1]

With the parliamentary summer break just days away, it's urgent we all raise our voices to demand action from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

Even if you've already taken action, we urge you to send another email and make another phone call.

This past week, the Migrant Rights Network (comprised of undocumented migrants and migrant-led organizations) hosted an emergency assembly to discuss the importance of the fight for regularization. They are calling on all of us to act before Parliament adjourns on June 23. A recording of the discussion is available to watch and share. 

June 19: Take action to support child care & education workers

June 19 is a day of action organized by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario, to demand decent pay and better working conditions. This is the only way to address the staffing shortage that is preventing parents from accessing quality, affordable child care.

Join us on Monday, June 19 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm for an emergency phone action.

Upcoming Justice for Workers Events

We’re pausing our monthly Ontario organizing meetings for July and so our next online meeting will be on August 29 at 7:00 pm. We hope this will give you more time to organize locally in your workplaces and communities. At the August meeting, we’ll be excited to hear about all your summer decent work activities. 

Please don’t hesitate to ask for support if you want to organize a local event in your community. If you need some inspiration, we also have a handy toolkit and resource guide. And if you need materials, our leaflets and posters are also available to download.

Thank you for being part of the movement for decent work. Thanks to you, we are stronger, better organized and better situated to win justice for all workers.