🌷 Migrant Spring: Blooming across Canada

Last weekend, thousands took to the streets to demand full immigration status for all. Checkout this highlight video of all the actions across Canada on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

But the fight is not over yet. Join the Migrant Workers’ Alliance for Change TONIGHT for a Status For All Phone ZAP. Today (March 21) is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and we’ll be joining forces to call Immigration Minister Marc Miller and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. We demand they keep their promise and deliver a regularization program that leaves nobody behind.

If you are a leader of an organization, we need you to write a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau showing why we need Status for All. The Migrant Rights Network put together a primer on how to write an original and impactful Status For All Letter to our government.

Healthcare for ourselves means Healthcare for ALL

Denying health care to anyone puts everyone at risk. But last year, the Ontario government cut access to healthcare for people without insurance, including unhoused persons and undocumented workers. This means people are being forced to choose between paying out of pocket with money they don’t have or being denied the care they need.

That’s why health providers are speaking out and are calling on Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones to reinstate access to healthcare for all.

Please watch and share this video featuring Jose who, like thousands of racialized migrants, live or work in Ontario without access to our public healthcare system because of discriminatory immigration and healthcare policies.

Watch & Share on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

⚡ We touched a nerve! Public support for LCBO workers upsets Premier Ford 

Premier Ford wants to privatize the Liquor Board of Ontario (LCBO) even though it provides over $2.5 billion in revenue that funds public services like healthcare and education. That's why LCBO workers (members of OPSEU) and the community took to the streets on March 12 to fight against any privatization of the LCBO. 

Clearly, worker and community solidarity touched a nerve with Doug Ford who was forced to respond to the protests by claiming that he "will never, ever sell the LCBO." He went so far as to accuse OPSEU members of lying. 

But what does the evidence show?

• Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy in October 2023 penned a letter directing the LCBO to identify “efficiencies and savings through innovative practices.” 
  
  
• And what do Conservatives mean when they talk about “efficiencies” and “savings”? In 2019, Ken Hughes, a Ford-appointed Special Advisor, had this to say about LCBO's distribution system: "It is in the interests of everybody to have a highly efficient distribution system, so there's no reason that shouldn't involve private players … I'm sure there will be players who can provide a very cost-effective distribution of products to retail outlets."
  
  
• On the ground, OPSEU members who work at the LCBO report that the employer has already been cutting good jobs in the warehouse distribution system by giving the work to private contractors who can charge the government more for services, while paying workers less. 

Regardless of what Ford claims, we know the privatization of the LCBO is on its way – unless we unite to stop it. That’s why we’re organizing in our communities alongside OPSEU members to protect good LCBO jobs and public revenue. 

U of T workers make historic breakthroughs

At the most recent Justice for Workers organizing meeting, we celebrated the bargaining breakthroughs of workers at the University of Toronto. Five bargaining units, members of CUPE 3261 and CUPE 3902, representing 8,000 workers, built power and made historic breakthroughs in their contracts.

These wins include a $25 minimum wage for part-time workers, better health care provisions, more paid sick days, transit subsidies and better funding packages for students.

Here are 3 lessons from the U of T win:

1. There’s no substitute for worker-to-worker organizing

At U of T, CUPE members themselves chose their priority bargaining issues and built support for them by getting their co-workers to sign petitions and make their unity visible. To be sure, it is not simply names on paper that make change. Petitions are an organizing tool for political education and one-on-one organizing conversations. The goal is to bring more people into activity to fight for change.

2. Building power means building solidarity

Building solidarity among different groups of workers takes time. And it requires answering sometimes tough questions about what workers have in common and why it matters to present a united front to the employers. It means getting organized months and even years before possible strikes. Because CUPE members organized this unity in advance, the employer was forced to negotiate with all five bargaining units at the same time – something the employer had refused to do.

3. Employers are more afraid of our solidarity than we think they are

During the education workers strike in 2022, the Ontario government rammed through legislation that took away workers’ legal right to go on strike. But because we built so much community-labour solidarity, there was a real possibility of a province-wide general strike in response. Before the strike could even be announced, the Ford government backed down and canceled their own legislation.

Likewise, at the University of Toronto. The 8,000 workers were organized and ready for strike action across the campus. As a result, the employer met workers’ final demands within minutes of the strike deadline. This victory reminds us that employers, corporations and governments really do fear our unity. And it's why they work so hard to pit us against each other. 

If you’re inspired to keep fighting for decent work, there are local meetings taking place across the province and the next Ontario-wide online organizing meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 pm. RSVP now and invite a friend to join you! 

RSVP now for the May 7 online organizing meeting

Upcoming Actions and Events

The next Ontario Decent Work online organizing meeting will be taking place on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:00 pm and we hope you can join us!

Status-For-All Actions on March 16 and 17th

At our meeting, we’ll be hearing from migrant workers who are leading the fight for full and permanent immigration status. Now is the time to fight to make sure Prime Minister Justin Trudeau keeps his promise to protect all of us. Let us know if you can join the actions across Canada on March 16 & 17 Days of Action. 

Keep the LCBO Public and protect good jobs in our communities

March 12 is also a day of action to protect good jobs in our communities and keep LCBO outlets public!

If Premier Ford hands over the LCBO to private corporations like Loblaws or Metro, not only will we lose decent jobs in our local communities, we will also lose the $2.5 billion in revenue that funds public services like healthcare and education. We cannot let that happen! 

From 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Tuesday, March 12 workers who are members of OPSEU (Ontario Public Service Employees Union) and who do the frontline work in our local LCBO stores, will be visiting MPP offices in 11 different communities. Strong public support will help send a message to our elected representatives that workers are united in demanding good jobs and ensuring public revenue continues to support the services we depend on.

If you are available to join an action on Tuesday, March 12 between 10:00 am and 11:00 am, please RSVP right now. (Don't forget to take a photo, tag us on socials @FairWagesNow and use the hashtag #Justice4Workers so we can find and share them.) 

We'll also have a report-back from the day of action at our Justice for Workers organizing meeting that same evening at 7:00 pm.

Health providers call for Healthcare-For-All

Watch and share this video of health providers calling on the Ontario government to provide health care for all. As we learned from the COVID pandemic, none of us are safe unless all of us are safe. But by refusing to provide care for uninsured people, the Ontario government is allowing illnesses to spread in our communities and letting injured workers' health get worse. This is why health providers are demanding paid sick days, decent wages, safe working conditions, and -- crucially -- health care for all.

Watch & Share on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

Inflation: What it is and how to fight it

We're working to organize strategic conversations across Ontario to help us better understand inflation and the cost of living crisis that we're all struggling with. 

Some people say the way to address inflation is to cut government spending on public services; others say high interest rates are the best medicine. But are those the only options? Will those strategies work for workers? Do we all understand what really causes inflation? To find out and learn more, we need to have these kinds of conversations in every community we can.

The good news is that Hamilton is hosting the first set of workshops on these issues on Saturday, April 13! Please come if you can. And if you would like to host this kind of strategic planning session with your co-workers or in your community, let us know and we'll do our best to help make it happen.  

Thank you so much for all you do in the fight for decent work. Hope to see you at the next Justice for Workers event or solidarity action! And please keep scrolling down to find upcoming actions near you. 

Pam Frache

Justice for Workers

Upcoming Actions and Events

Thanks to you and many others like you, we won legislated cost of living adjustments to minimum wage rates federally and in Ontario. That means on April 1, the new federal minimum wage will be $17.30 and on October 1, the new Ontario minimum wage will be $17.20. 

By campaigning across the country we have also pushed a number of provincial and territorial  governments to raise the minimum wage. (Click here to see current minimum wage rates across Canada, then scroll down the page for a list of upcoming minimum wage rates taking effect in 2024.)

Still, it's obvious minimum wage rates are far too low -- even when adjusted for inflation. But every dollar redirected from corporate profit to workers’ pockets is an important win for us -- and a reminder of what we can do when we fight together. 

But to win even better wage increases and legislative protections that could really transform bad jobs into better ones, our movement needs to get bigger. (Learn more about the fight to raise the minimum wage in Ontario, and why we all need at least $20 an hour.)

New organizing schedule

At the January Justice for Workers organizing meeting, we agreed to adjust the pace of meetings, so that local organizers have more time to do outreach -- and follow-up. Afterall, we know those one-on-one organizing conversations are essential in activating supporters, engaging new people, and building our local capacity on the ground. 

So instead of meeting provincially every four weeks and organizing additional local in-person meetings, we decided to try alternating provincial meetings with local meetings. In other words, we will have an online provincial meeting one month and next month, we’ll have a local in-person meeting or event. Of course, if you already have a successful routine of monthly or bi-weekly local events, don’t change a thing! 

In 2024, the provincial meetings will take place on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm ET on the following dates: March 12; May 7; August 27; October 22; and December 10. For the full schedule, and to RSVP for upcoming events, visit our meetings and event page.

Let us know if you would like support to organize a local meeting, event or outreach blitz! We can also help you get a local Justice for Workers chapter off the ground. Email us at [email protected]. 

If you missed the January organizing meeting, you can listen to the recording here.

Attention health workers!

Ontario's healthcare system is in crisis. Poor working conditions and system-wide under-funding is threatening the safety of health workers and patients alike. If the Ford government moves ahead with its plan to further privatize healthcare services, access to care and health worker burnout will only get worse.

On Saturday, February 24 at 12 noon ET, the Decent Work and Health Network is inviting health workers from across the province to a crucial online forum to strategize about how we can link the movement for decent work with the fight to defend and improve public healthcare. We'll hear from the following guest speakers:

• Birgit Umaigba, nurse, clinical instructor, and public speaker
• Debra Slater, personal support worker and coordinator of Empower PSW Network
• Doug Allan, researcher with Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)

All health workers and students in the field of health are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Local organizing

> Wednesday, February 7 | 10:00 am

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Student Worker Alliance

On February 7 at 10:00 am, the TMU Student Worker Alliance will be hosting a Wall of wages outside the Hub Cafe in Jorgenson Hall (380 Victoria Street, 1st floor, TMU).  

Drop by the Wall of Wages to see where your hourly earnings fall compared to Loblaws billionaire Galen Weston or the TMU President Mohamed Lachemi. While you're at it, sign the petition for decent work and wages and learn more about this new student club at TMU!  Please RSVP here.

> Tuesday, February 13 | 6:00 pm

Toronto

Join the Toronto chapter of Justice for Workers for our first in-person local organizing meeting of 2024. At the meeting, we’ll be hearing from Uber drivers and Amazon workers and together we’ll strategize about how we can support each other as we take on bad bosses. We’ll be hearing from health workers and learn why the fight against privatization is also the fight to protect and extend decent work in all our communities. Help us make a plan about what we want to organize together in the months ahead. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the meeting starts at 6:00 pm. Please RSVP here.

> Tuesday, February 13 | 6:00 pm

Sudbury

Calling all workers and advocates for fair labor practices! Mark your calendars for February 13th at 6pm at The Sudbury Workers Education & Advocacy Centre. Join us for our upcoming Justice for Workers Sudbury Meeting, where we're diving deep into crucial issues affecting workers' rights. From wages to hours to leaves, we're addressing it all and empowering you with the knowledge and resources you need to advocate for change. Please RSVP here.

> Saturday, February 17 | 12:00 noon

Hamilton

If you’re a decent work fighter in Hamilton, let's do lunch!  The Hamilton chapter of Justice for Workers will be hosting a get-together at 12-noon on Saturday, February 17, where we can break some bread, beef about bad bosses, and brainstorm about what we want to accomplish in 2024! We’ll be meeting at Solidarity Place at 51 Adair Avenue South (L8H 1B5). Please RSVP as soon as you can so we can bring enough food and beverages for everyone! Please RSVP here.

> Sunday, February 18 | 3:00 pm

Guelph

The fight for justice at work is connected to the fight for justice in society. On Sunday, February 18, the Guelph chapter of Justice for Workers is hosting a discussion and organizing meeting in the Community Organizing Space at 42 Carden Street. At the meeting, we'll be discussing what it will really take to win decent work and a decent life for everyone, as well as what next steps we can take to make it happen. Please RSVP here.

> Tuesday, March 5 | 12:30 pm 

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Student Worker Alliance

"Can I be fired for taking a sick day?", "Is it legal to be paid in cash"?, "Can they make me take training shifts but not pay me?" We’ll answer these and other questions at this Know Your Rights workshop. Join us in the Social Work Lounge at 12:30 pm on March 5. Together, we’ll learn what our rights are, how we can enforce them and push the government to create laws that better protect all of us.  Please RSVP here.

2024 is upon us and it's already off to a busy start.

That's why we're hoping you can join us on Tuesday, January 16 at 7:00 pm for a short, one-hour provincial check-in. At the meeting, we'll discuss some of the issues coming at us and get organized to meet the challenges.

Please RSVP now and we'll send you the Zoom link via email. 

Since we last met, we've done a lot together!

We've been:

>  Building solidarity for striking grocery store workers who took on grocery store giant Sobeys – and won! It took a seven-week strike, but the workers at Sobeys-owned Pete's Frootique in Halifax, Nova Scotia won their first collective agreement;

>  Organizing to support truck drivers who are fighting back against misclassification and wage theft;

> Organizing status for all migrants by sending holiday cards to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Marc Miller. Together we're demanding the government honour its promise to implement a comprehensive regularization program and to stop deportations; 

>  Campaigning alongside long-term care workers for decent work and better staffing; 

>  Organizing on post-secondary education campuses;  

>  Demanding health care for everyone living in Ontario. If you haven't had a chance to send an email to your Member of Provincial Parliament, please take a moment to do so now.

Thank you for everything you do to fight for decent work and justice for all workers. 

Sunday September 17th: Regularize Everyone

Communities across Canada are joining forces with migrant workers, international students and their families to demand #StatusForAll. Permanent resident status means all of us will have equal rights under the law. It means access to basic protections from bad bosses and access to basic services like healthcare.

That’s why Justice for Workers is making a special effort to join the rallies organized by the Migrant Rights Network this weekend. We hope you can join us at a local event in your community: 

Migrants are not to blame for the affordability and housing crisis

Corporations at the top (and politicians like Doug Ford and Pierre Poilliervre who are influenced by them) are trying to blame migrants for the affordability crisis we are in.

But let’s be clear:

• The Conservative Ontario government cut our minimum wage and passed laws to prevent public sector workers from bargaining decent wages. This same government also deliberately underfunded the public services we depend on, like health care [1] and education [2] and even fire-fighting. [3]
  
  
• All levels of our government have abandoned their duty to invest in public housing. They also gutted laws that could have prevented predatory rent increases. As a result, while there is not enough affordable, rent-controlled, and public housing, there is also no supply shortage of predatory for-profit housing. [4] This helps explain why Doug Ford and his government are helping their developer friends by opening up previously protected and environmentally sensitive lands for commercial use. [5] 

No economic justice without migrant justice, climate justice, and Indigenous sovereignty.

So while we are working hard to support Status for All, we also want to encourage everyone to hit the streets whenever and wherever they can to make the links and to send a strong message to politicians and corporations: we will not be divided. Across the country, people like us are standing up for migrant justice, climate justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and against hate. This is the only way we will ever achieve economic justice. For a current listing of local events, please check out our events listing page here and join an action near you. 

There are only 10 weeks left in this Parliamentary session in Ottawa. It is urgent we act now to make sure Prime Minister Trudeau makes good on his 2021 promise to create a regularization program that provides permanent residency status for all migrant and undocumented people.

Permanent residency status is needed for migrants to access the basic and equal rights that all of us deserve. That’s why, to protect migrant and undocumented workers and their families, we need a regularization program that is uncapped without exclusions. And it must grant permanent residency status instead of exploitative temporary permits.

This weekend, to mark the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we need you to join an action to tell Prime Minister Trudeau: we demand #StatusForAll!

Edmonton – Sunday, March 19, 2023
1:00 pm, Alberta Legislature Grounds

Montreal – March 18 to 19, 2023
Starting at 7:30 pm on March 18, and ending at 9:00 am on March 19, Guy-Favreau Complex

Niagara – Sunday, March 19, 2023
2:00 pm, Niagara Falls City Hall

Ottawa – Sunday, March 19, 2023
2:00 pm, MP Yasir Naqvi's office, 1066 Somerset St W

Sudbury – Saturday, March 18, 2023
2:30 pm, Main Public Library, 74 MacKenzie Street. 

Toronto – Sunday, March 19, 2023
2:00 pm, Christie Pits Park

Vancouver – Sunday, March 19, 2023
12:00 pm, CBC Plaza

Victoria – Sunday, March 19, 2023
1pm, 50 Burnside Rd

Can’t make it or don’t see a city near you? Here is how you can show your support:

1. Poster your Member of Parliament's office: Use this MP specific poster and head over to the closest Member of Parliament office to poster up their office. Make sure to take a photo with the MP’s name visible and post on social media and tag your MP  together with the hashtag #StatusForAll.
   
   
2. Call and leave a message for Prime Minister Trudeau: Tell him that you are joining the call for permanent resident status for all without exclusions. Click here for an easy-to-use tool that’ll help you make your call.

The clock is ticking on our Employment Insurance system. If you missed our pan-Canadian Fix EI Phone ZAP this week — or if you joined us and are ready to take more action — then today's the day! And if you can't join us today, our next big online organizing meeting is Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Read on for deets! 

Fix Employment Insurance Now 

All across the country, workers are stepping up the fight for an EI system that is there for us when we need it. Here's how you can plug in:

• Spread the word on social media
  Amplify this red-hot 90-second message from a hospitality worker who summarizes many of our shared experiences with EI. 
  • To share on Twitter
  • To share on Instagram
  • To share on Facebook

• Visit your local MP office
  Drop by your local Member of Parliament’s office and ask for a meeting. While you’re at it, print this Fix EI poster to drop off or put up outside their office. If you can, snap a photo and post it on social media. Remember to tag your MP and use the hashtags: #Justice4Workers #FixEI so we can find your post and share it.

• Let Prime Minister Trudeau know you're watching
  Send a message to Prime Minister Trudeau, Employment Development Minister Carla Qualtrough, and other key members of the federal cabinet. (And if you’ve already sent an email, ask 3 of your friends to send an email as well). You can also call your elected representatives to demand they #FixEI now. 

Don't miss our March 14 organizing meeting

After our fantastic Beat the Bosses Bootcamp in February (you can check out our fabulous video here), let's keep the momentum going in our fight for decent work. 

We'll be meeting via Zoom next Tuesday at 7:00 pm and we need every decent work fighter to be there. Can you come?

Here’s what we’ll be discussing at the Tuesday meeting:

• Paid Sick Days: Premier Doug Ford’s temporary and inadequate paid sick leave scheme is set to expire on March 31. This will make it harder for workers to protect themselves from illness and add more pressure to Ontario’s overburdened health system. 
  
  
• Solidarity with nurses: Bargaining has broken down for nurses, but the fight isn’t over. This is why we need to keep painting the province PINK and make sure the Ford government understands that decent work is central to publicly-funded and publicly-delivered healthcare.
  
  
• Solidarity with education workers: School boards across the province are tabling austerity budgets that could result in thousands of job losses for the very education workers who led the successful fight against Bill 28.
  
  
• Enough is Enough: With the affordability crisis in full swing, we need to win real wage increases, starting with a $20 minimum wage and an end to wage-suppression laws (like Bill 124) that cap our wages below inflation. The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Enough is Enough campaign has the potential to link all our struggles together. From good jobs and decent wages to strong public services and healthy communities and from Ontario Works to Ontario Disability Support programs that should allow everyone to live with dignity, we stand united to say “Enough is Enough." And if we organize effectively, we have a chance to show our power in mass actions across the province on June 3. 

• Status for All Rally on March 19:  Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre fear our unity and solidarity. They want to deflect our legitimate anger at crumbling social services and low wages by blaming migrants for the crisis in healthcare and education and for the rising cost of living. But this is rubbish, designed to weaken our movement as Syed Hussan explains in this article published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. That's why we’ll be joining the Regularization and Status for All Day of Action on March 19 – and we hope you will, too!

With so much at stake and so many opportunities to build our movement, it's never been more urgent to organize – and win.

Hope to see you at the Justice for Workers organizing meeting on Tuesday. 

This Valentine's Day weekend, show your love for workers with our special “Order-In” action!

Sign up to help food delivery workers know their rights and connect with other couriers organizing to improve wages and working conditions.

When you sign up, you'll receive a printable valentine to share with your courier, along with information and posters to show your support. You'll also receive social media graphics to help spread the word online.

From now until February 15, let’s spread Valentine's Day love—and solidarity—to all the workers who make this time of year so special. 

Are you ready to show some love?

Beat the Bosses Bootcamp

Don’t miss the 2023 Beat the Bosses Bootcamp taking place in Toronto from February 24 to 26. 

If you’re ready to take on the bosses, then this weekend's Bootcamp will be just the thing to hone your organizing skills, charge your batteries, and build your confidence. If you haven't seen it yet, the preliminary program is online and you can download a printable copy here. Are you going to be there?

LOVE health care? SUPPORT nurses and health workers! 

We’re painting the province PINK to support publicly-funded and delivered patient care and decent working conditions for all.

When we have safe and healthy work, there’s less workplace contagion, fewer injuries, and more time to recover from illness. Decent work saves everyone money and takes the pressure off our public health care system.

That’s why those who keep our health care system working (from hospitals to home care and clinics to long-term care) are saying Enough is Enough - we’re ready to fight for: 

• More staffing and better patient care;
• Decent working conditions and less burnout; and
• Publicly-funded and publicly-delivered health care for all.

4 easy steps to paint the province PINK:

1. Download these posters (tabloid & letter) and put them up around hospitals, long-term care homes, and health centres. OR, you can put them up in your own neighourhood, in high traffic areas, and outside MPP offices. 
   
   Can't print them? No problem. Complete this order form to let us know how many posters you need and where to send them.  
   
   
2. Post Solidarity Selfies. Print the posters and take a photo with them to share them on social media. Whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok - let's turn the internet pink for nurses and healthcare workers! Download this shareable to post on all your socials.
   
   Please tag your own MPP and use these hashtags so we can find your post and amplify it: #Justice4Workers #BetterCare #SupportNurses #EnoughisEnoughON. 
   
   
3. Show your support for nurses. On February 23, nurses will be picketing outside hospitals and MPP offices. Let's make sure they have lots of community support. RSVP now and we'll share location details as soon as we have them.
   
   On March 2, in Toronto, nurses will be rallying for public health care and decent work and wages outside the Sheraton Centre (123 Queen Street West) between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm. 
   
   
4. Join a street postering blitz. On February 12 at 2:30 pm, we'll be putting up posters around Michael Garron Hospital in east Toronto. On February 13 at 6:00 pm, we'll be postering along Hospital Row near College and University. Please RSVP to let us know to expect you. 

Have you had enough? Are you sick of lousy wages and working conditions? Are you ready to take on the bosses at work and in the streets?

Then the upcoming Beat the Bosses Bootcamp is for you!

From February 24 to 26, decent work fighters from across Ontario–and elsewhere–will be coming together to share skills, experiences, and strategies to build a multi-racial, working class movement that's unstoppable. The full program is available here.

Over the course of the weekend, participants will be able to choose 5 workshops from 20 different sessions. And of course, throughout the weekend, we'll have lots of occasions to come together with everyone.

Please click the button below to let us know you're coming, then fill out the registration form to indicate what support you may need to participate.  

More information

Beat the Bosses Bootcamp is taking place at the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Centre. We will provide light refreshments on Friday evening, as well as lunch on Saturday and Sunday. We'll also provide continental breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday.

There are no registration fees for community members.

For union members or others who can manage it, we encourage a sliding-scale, solidarity contribution of $100 to $200 (or contribute what you can) to help offset the costs of hosting the conference and helping others attend. We want every decent work fighter to attend the Bootcamp and we will never let money be a barrier to participation.

However, due to our extremely limited resources, we ask those who require financial assistance or who have other particular needs to please register no later than Monday, February 6. 

For those who want hotel accommodation, the Workers' Action Centre has kindly arranged availability for 20 rooms at a discounted price of $209 per night at the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown Toronto. These rooms will be on hold until February 6. However, these rooms will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early if you know you'll need a hotel.

When you register, please let us know if you need any support organizing travel or making arrangements to stay overnight on Friday and/or Saturday. Otherwise, participants will be responsible for making their own hotel reservations by calling Marriott Reservations directly at 1-(800) 847-5075 no later than Monday, February 6, 2023. Credit cards are required to book hotel rooms.

February 6 is also the registration deadline for all those who need other special accommodations such as American Sign Language interpretation, financial support for child care, enlarged text, mobility support, interpretation, or any particular food requirements. If you need our support in making travel or accommodation arrangements, you must register no later than February 6.

Thank you so much for being part of the Justice for Workers movement! I can't wait to receive your Beat the Bosses Bootcamp registration form!

And just one more thing...

We're excited to be participating in the Ontario Federation of Labour's Enough is Enough! campaign to tackle the affordability crisis that's hitting all of us so hard.

The campaign kick-off is taking place this Saturday, January 28 at 10:00 am. I'll be there -- and I hope you will be too! Please let us know you're coming by clicking here.

See you there!

Because of your work in 2022 to fight for decent work, we are raising the floor for all workers and setting the stage for the year ahead.

Here's a quick snapshot of some of what we've accomplished together: