Meeting recap: solidarity, strikes, and next steps for action

This week, about 120 organizers and leaders met over Zoom at the most recent Justice for Workers organizing meeting. We heard how governments are passing laws that weaken workers’ rights, take away Indigenous rights, cut jobs, and deepen inequality—all while making the rich even richer.

At the meeting, we all saw how deeply connected our issues really are and how powerful we can be when we stand together. Read on for the meeting highlights, or watch the full meeting here.

September 26 to 28: Organizing for Power Assembly

From September 26 to 28, Justice for Workers is hosting a weekend organizing conference. Leaders and organizers like you will come together at the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Centre to build relationships, share skills, and strengthen our determination to build a strong workers’ movement.

Let us know you’re coming by completing this form right away. 

We have a small number of hotel rooms reserved at a special, discounted rate for Assembly participants. These rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. We also need to know what support you need to have a fantastic weekend. So please complete the form as soon as possible. Bonus points if you can complete the form before September 4! 

Stand with Grassy Narrows: No permit for Kinross Gold

Kinross Gold is a Toronto-based company that has already been fined for over 3,500 water violations in the US. Now it wants approval to dump inadequately treated industrial wastewater into rivers that flow to Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation). For decades, the Grassy Narrows First Nation has been fighting for justice to address the intergenerational impacts of mercury poisoning caused by Dryden Chemicals Ltd. dumping mercury into the local river in the 1960s. It is one of the worst environmental disasters in Canadian history. Now, the Grassy Narrows First Nation has been forced again to fight to protect the land and its inhabitants. Please stand with Grassy Narrows First Nation and sign the petition to say no to Kinross Gold.

September 20 Global Day of Action

Deena Ladd, from the Workers’ Action Centre, joined us to talk about the September 20 Global Day of Action. It’s an opportunity to show governments and employers that working people are united across struggles: for migrant justice, Indigenous rights, decent jobs, and for climate and economic justice. Corporations and government representatives have been targeting migrants, newcomers, and international students, trying to blame us and divide us for the crises they have created.

Actions are taking place across Canada on September 20, to send a clear message to all levels of government. To endorse the day or to learn more about how you can organize an action in your community, visit the Draw the Line website here. As Deena said, this day is our chance to connect every fight and make our collective power visible. 

The racism and scapegoating by governments and corporations has emboldened far-right elements in our communities, but we are all organizing and resisting.

In Toronto, there's an important community rally against racism taking place on Saturday, September 13 at Christie Pits Park (rally starts at 12:00 noon). More information is available on Facebook here and on Instagram here. Please come if you can, and invite others to this family-friendly event.

October 1 Minimum Wage

Pam Frache, from Justice for Workers, reminded participants that fighting to improve labour laws has resulted in higher minimum wage rates federally as well as in provinces and territories. On April 1, 2025, the minimum wage rate for workers in federally-regulated industries became $17.70, thanks to a united fight across the country.

Winning annual cost-of-living adjustments in legislation means minimum wage rates are adjusted each year to reflect rising prices. 

In Ontario, the adult minimum wage will be $17.60 on October 1. Although minimum wage rates are still far too low, fighting to improve Ontario’s minimum wage has resulted in a 60% increase between 2015 and 2025 - higher than the 36% average increase experienced by other workers over the same time period. To see current and upcoming minimum wage rates, visit our resource page here. 

Airline Workers’ Victory

Shanyn Elliott, a flight attendant and member mobilizer in CUPE’s Air Canada Component, gave an update on how flight attendants built power, defied a government back-to-work order, and stood firm against wage theft. Their defiance forced the government to launch an investigation into unpaid labour in the airline sector. If workers in federally-regulated industries fight together to broaden the scope of the investigation, it’s a chance to put wage theft and misclassification on the political agenda right across Canada. This could potentially unite all airline workers, alongside truck drivers, postal workers, gig workers in federal sectors, and other workers from banks to railways covered by the Canada Labour Code. As Shanyn put it, this is not just a win for the CUPE airline workers—it’s a working-class victory that has inspired workers right across the country. CUPE Air Canada Component workers will be voting on a tentative agreement this week, but no matter what happens with the vote, the fight to end wage theft must continue—and grow! To learn more, visit Unpaid Labour Won’t Fly.

Colleges and Public Services

Christine Kelsey is a long-time college support staff worker, who is the president of OPSEU Local 416 & Chair of CAAT-S bargaining team. (CAAT-S stands for Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, Support Staff.) Christine spoke about the impact of years of underfunding and mismanagement on Ontario's 24 community-based colleges. Ontario’s college system makes post-secondary education more accessible for students from northern and rural communities (who don’t have to travel so far to go to school). These public institutions also provide good jobs in local communities. Workers with decent wages are also local customers for small businesses and help make local economies thrive. 

Unfortunately, the Ontario government is handing more than a billion dollars over to private companies for niche training, while cutting programs, campuses, and jobs in the public college system. The announced job cuts are the largest mass layoff in Ontario’s history. College support staff are fighting back and have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action if the government does not address the funding crisis and ensure college workers have fair pay and decent work. Let’s use the first weeks of September to make support for Ontario colleges visible in every community. More information is available on the Save Our Colleges website. 

Labour Day 

Find a local Labour Day event in your community. Visit the Canadian Labour Congress website here. 

Thanks for a great meeting! Don’t forget, you can watch a video of it here.

In the meantime, We hope to see you in person at the September 26, 27, and 28 Building Power Assembly in Toronto or at any of the upcoming events this September!