Thanks to your organizing, we've put Employment Insurance back on the Federal government’s agenda. It's time to make sure EI actually works for workers.

But there's no guarantee the government will implement the changes that workers need. And the corporate pushback has already started. If we want to make sure Trudeau gets it right, we need to keep the pressure on.

Here are four ways to take action to #FixEI

1. Join an in-person action on Monday, December 19 in the following cities. Click here to RSVP and for more information.

• Ontario: Brampton, Toronto, and Windsor
• Newfoundland & Labrador: St. John’s
• Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown

2. Spread the word online

• Print and post a solidarity selifie with our sign
• Download and share the EI Holiday Wish List
• Remember to tag @JustinTrudeau, @CQualtro and @cafreeland and with hashtags #FixEI, #Justice4Workers, #CdnPoli.

3. Email or call your local Member of Parliament

4. Mail an EI Holiday Card  to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (no postage required)

International Migrant’s Day Weekend

This weekend is an important weekend in the fight for #StatusForAll. Not only is Sunday, December 18 International Migrants Day, it is also the one-year anniversary of Prime Minister Trudeau promising to provide permanent immigration status for undocumented migrants in Canada. 

But despite Trudeau's promise for legal protections in the near future, migrants are still being deported across Canada. That's why we need you help this weekend to:

1. Send an email: Nearly 22,000 people have sent messages to Cabinet Ministers. Please keep signing and sharing the Migrant Rights Network's email tool at www.StatusForAll.ca. 

2. Poster up a Cabinet Minister's community office. Download posters here.

3. Leave a voice message for Prime Minister Trudeau and Cabinet Ministers. Here's a list of phone numbers and talking points. 

4. Send an organizational letter: If you are part of a organization, use this template to send a letter to all Cabinet Ministers. 

5. Join an action in your community:

• FRIDAY, December 16
  
  TORONTO, ON - RSVP
  10am, Friday, December 16, 2022
  511 Lawrence Avenue West, Minister Marco Mendicino’s Office
  Rally to stop the deportations and call for Status for All
  
  SHEDIAC, NB - RSVP
  11am, Friday, December 16, 2022
  328 Main St Suite I, Minister Dominc LeBlanc’s Office
  Letter Delivery for Status for All
  
  
• SUNDAY, December 18
  
  VANCOUVER, BC - RSVP
  9:30am, Sunday, December 18, 2022
  700 Hamilton Street, In front of CBC, near Vancouver Public Library
  Commemorating International Migrants Day and Calling for Status for All
  
  ALBERTA - RSVP
  6pm, December 18, 2022
  Online. Film Screening and Panel Discussion

• MONDAY, December 19
  
  MONTREAL, QC - RSVP
  Monday, December 19, 2022, 2 to 5 pm
  3200 Rue Jean-Brillant, room B-4290, Université de Montréal.
  Public Debate on the Campaign for the Regularization of Non-status Migrants. In-person and online via Zoom & Facebook. 

Last week Premier Doug Ford had to capitulate on the regressive Bill 28 that attempted to curb the right of CUPE education workers to exercise their right to strike. But faced with a united working-class movement and the prospect of an indefinite general strike, Ford buckled. Indeed, he was more afraid of us than his corporate friends.

This gives us a glimpse of our power when we stand together. We'll need to remember this lesson and continue to organize so that, in the words of OPSEU president JP Hornick, we can be ready to shut the province down any time we need to. 

In this spirit, here's our solidarity calendar for the days ahead! 

The fight for paid sick days 

We have an opportunity to win paid sick days on Monday, November 28 when MPPs at Queen’s Park will be voting on NDP MPP Peggy Sattler’s Bill 4, the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, 2022. If adopted, this bill would legislate 10 permanent paid sick days plus an additional 14 paid sick days during public health emergencies like COVID-19.

As hospitals are flooded with children suffering from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), seasonal influenza, and COVID-19, it’s never been more clear that we all need at least 10 paid sick days each and every year so we can stay home with our sick kids as necessary or if we ourselves are sick. 

Forty percent of the workforce already has paid sick days, but those of us in frontline, low-wage, precarious employment are least likely to have them.

It's outrageous that Premier Doug Ford, Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Labour Minister Monte McNaughton continue to deny paid sick days to those who need it most. 

With inflation rates at a 40-year high, missing a day of work can have devastating consequences. And despite repeated calls for us to stay home if we (or our kids) have symptoms, the Ontario government has done nothing to ensure we can actually afford to do so. 

Workers in Ontario deserve better.

Help let our elected representatives know WE are the majority and WE support 10 paid sick days for all workers. 

Here’s what you can do:

• RSVP for the social media blitz on Monday 

• Call Doug Ford, Sylvia Jones and Monte McNaughton! All the phone numbers and talking points you need are ready to go here.

Child care workers are worth more! 

Join us on Wednesday, November 30 at 7:00 pm for an emergency phone action in support of decent work and wages for child care workers.

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

Ontario’s current approach to the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan will not solve the crisis. The $18 per hour wage floor and $1 annual increase are far too low and leave out too many workers. Early Childhood Educators and child care workers are worth more! We need a provincial child care workforce strategy now.

Will you join us for this important phone action on Wednesday? 

Holiday solidarity

Support Kerry’s Place Workers 

SEIU Healthcare members at Kerry’s Place Autism Services are fighting for fair wage increases, paid sick days for part-time workers, and mental health days for the members who work with extremely vulnerable clients. Kerry’s Place workers are predominantly Autism Support Workers who face racism and harassment in the workplace from clients with little employer support. 

• Send a message: Click here to tell Kerry's Place management to negotiate a fair deal.

• Join the solidarity rally: Monday, November 28 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | 17345 Leslie Street, Suite 200 | Newmarket

Support striking Teaching and Research Assistants at McMaster

McMaster University Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants, represented by CUPE 3906, have been forced to take strike action. The union’s key demands are: livable wages; extended funding and guaranteed work; tuition fee reimbursements to protect workers against loss of wages due to rising tuition fees; and the closing of the pay gap between graduate and undergraduate assistants. 

• Send a message: Click here to tell the McMaster University administration to negotiate a fair deal.

• Join the solidarity rally: Tuesday, November 29 | 12:00 noon | McMaster University | 1280 Main Street West | Hamilton | Please meet at the Sterling Street picket line. 

Upcoming local events and actions

SCARBOROUGH: Friday, November 25 (TONIGHT!) 

Join our last Scarborough organizing meeting of the year!

Doors open at 5:30 pm, meeting starts at 6:00 pm. See what we accomplished this year and how we’ll keep fighting for decent work, paid sick days, and status for all next year. Around 7:00 pm, we will watch and discuss the Sold a Lie documentary about migrant students. 

• Click here for more information and to let us know you’re coming 

GUELPH: Sunday, November 27

Join us on Sunday at 3:00 pm for a discussion of worker-owned cooperatives. Kody will briefly make the case for worker-owned cooperatives, and we’ll have a discussion of the role of cooperatives in a capitalist economy. 

• Click here for more information and to let us know you’re coming 

• For more information and to let us know you’re coming: RSVP and share on Facebook 

TORONTO: Tuesday, November 29

Join us on Tuesday, November 29 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm for our last meeting of 2022. We’ll use the first hour to get our holiday solidarity organized -- then we’ll celebrate an amazing year of organizing, growth and some incredible wins. 

• Click here for more information and to let us know you’re coming 

• For more information and to let us know you’re coming: RSVP and share on Facebook

SUDBURY: Tuesday, November 29

Are you, or someone you know, a sick or injured worker dealing with WSIB or other compensation run-around? Looking for some peer support and help with your case, or want to connect with others dealing with similar issues? The Sudbury Workers’ Education and Advocacy Centre hosts monthly sick and injured peer support groups!

• Click here for more information and to let us know you’re coming 

• For more information and to let us know you’re coming: RSVP and share on Facebook

Thanks for all your ongoing support! Your solidarity makes a huge difference.

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!

Last week, Doug Ford rammed through legislation that criminalized fighting for decent work and violated our rights under our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Yet four days later, Ford's Bill 28 was dead. Faced with a tidal wave of public anger and a looming general strike, Ford was forced to cancel his own vicious legislation.

None of this would have been possible without the courage of the frontline education workers who are members of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU). These workers are cleaners, lunchroom supervisors, librarians, early childhood educators, IT workers, cafeteria workers, safety monitors, education assistants, social workers and maintenance workers. 55,000 strong, they drew a line in the sand and said enough is enough. Their courage to defy unjust laws gave all of us courage to stand together.

But the fight is not over. CUPE education workers do not have a deal yet. And other education workers in different unions are still negotiating.

Let's keep painting the province purple!

Help keep the campaign going with 3 easy actions:

1. Solidarity Saturday: Join a rally to support of education workers. 
   
   
2. Join the Ontario-wide emergency phone action this Sunday at 6:00 pm. 
   
   
3. Visit our resources page to download posters and materials to support education workers. Display your posters on doors, windows or even on the refrigerator in the lunch room.
   • If you don’t have a printer you can order your Paint the Province Purple posters from us.
   • If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you can pick up posters and purple ribbons anytime between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm from outside our office at Suite 223, 720 Spadina Avenue (M5S 2T9). 

November 15: Join the next decent work organizing meeting

Our next organizing meeting, co-sponsored by the Ontario Federation of Labour, is taking place on Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00 pm. We’ll be strategizing our the next steps to win decent work and wages for all

In this meeting, we’ll focus on:

• Supporting education workers, from early-education to post-secondary education. 
• Intensifying the fight for 10 paid sick days and a $20 minimum wage.
• Fighting back against bad bosses including supporting the striking GO transit workers who are standing up for safe public transit, job security and fair schedules.

Thanks to you, we accomplished so much. But we need to keep building a movement so strong that, in the words of OPSEU President JP Hornick, “We can shut this province down any time we need to.” 

Education workers are vital to Ontario’s public education system. Right now, they’re fighting for safe schools, adequate staffing, and decent jobs in our communities.

Here are 4 solidarity actions you can join to show your support for education workers:

1) Friday, October 21: Paint the Province Purple

On Friday, we’re putting up Support Education Workers posters in English and French at schools in our neighbourhoods. We're also sharing these flyers about what's at stake in this fight. 

Scroll down this email for a list of actions at schools across the province. We’ll be meeting either in the morning before school or in the afternoon right as classes are finished.

If you’d like to host your own action, sign up here and let us know the details.

2) Saturday, October 22: Hands Off Our Rights Protest

On Saturday, we are joining CUPE Education workers at the Ontario PC Caucus Convention for lunch! Let’s send a strong message that education workers are not alone in this fight.

Where: Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Rd, Etobicoke
When: 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Help spread the word about this action on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

3) Wednesday, October 26: Paint the Province Purple

Every Wednesday, we are encouraging everyone to paint the province purple. Scroll down for 5 easy actions you can take on Wednesdays. 

4) Wednesday, November 2: Emergency phone action

Wednesday, November 2 is the day before education workers may be forced to take job action if the Ontario government refuses to fix the crisis in our public school system. Join us that day at 7:00 pm to raise our voices loudly and clearly to let our elected representatives know you support education workers! 

What’s at stake?

Over the last four years, Ford’s Conservatives have cut funding for schools by $800 per student (adjusted for inflation). In 2021-22, cuts totalled $1.6 billion.

These cuts result in poor ventilation, inadequate cleaning and overcrowded classrooms. During the COVID pandemic, our schools weren’t safe for students and Ontario experienced more school closures than anywhere else in Canada.

Cuts to funding also mean cuts to services for students. This includes dwindling one-on-one support from Educational Assistants, school libraries without library workers, reduced custodial services and a backlog of basic school maintenance.

Education workers are fed up with the underfunding of Ontario’s education system and the undervaluing of the workers that make the system run. It simply can't continue this way.

The government has the resources to address all these issues, but so far, they are refusing to do so. That’s why education workers have concluded they have no other choice than to take job action, should collective bargaining fail to fix the problems.

Let's be clear. No worker wants to be forced into a strike. 

But, if we show our support now, it's still possible to push this government to do what’s right and resolve this situation immediately. 

Now is the time to raise our voices and make sure that education workers are not alone in this fight.

October 26: Paint the Province Purple - Show your support for education workers

1) Wear PURPLE!  

2) Print a purple sign (click here) to support education workers (or email [email protected] to order some)

3) Share your pix on social media! 

• Snap a solidarity selfie holding the sign and post it to social media with the following hashtags: #Justice4Workers #OntEd #39KisNOTenough #ONpoli 
• If you’re a member of a community organization or union, make sure to mention the name of your group in your post.
• Organize a group photo with your signs and purple gear. Again, if you’re a member of a community organization or union, identify the group in your post, and use the hashtags above. Click here for an example. 
• More social media sharables are available here or here. 

4) Make sure your MPP hears your support for education workers by sending them an email at this link.

5) Get the facts on why a win for education workers will make it easier for the rest of us to win a $20 minimum wage, safe working conditions and decent work - right across Ontario!

• Justice for Workers community support page. 
• Education workers information page. 

Today's the World Day for Decent Work, and we’re pulling out all the stops to support decent work for education workers. 

Ontario's education workers matter

Underfunded schools put kids at risk

Chronic underfunding of Ontario’s schools left our kids vulnerable when the pandemic hit. Between 2017 and 2022, per student funding actually fell by an average of $800. Poor ventilation, inadequate cleaning and over-crowded classrooms meant our schools weren’t safe for students during the pandemic. As a result, Ontario experienced more school closures than anywhere else in Canada. [1][2] 

And while there is overwhelming support for employer-paid sick days for all of us, it is shocking to learn the provincial government is demanding concessions from education workers that would reduce access to paid sick leave. Inadequate sick days is a public health concern that jeopardizes our communities. 

Healthy communities need good, local jobs

By 2021, education workers had experienced a real dollar pay cut of almost 11%.[3]  Since then, record-breaking inflation has further eroded workers' earnings. Education workers make $39,000 a year on average. This means many earn far less than $20 an hour. As a result, more than HALF of all education workers are juggling second jobs in order to make ends meet.

Just imagine what it would mean if the Ontario minimum wage were $20 an hour. Imagine what it would mean if all workers had legislated equal pay protection, so that employers can’t pay us less just because we work part-time or are on a temporary contract.

Education workers are fighting for many of the same demands we are. They're asking for:

• Decent wages that pay the bills; 
• Equal pay and equal benefits;
• Preservation of paid sick days; 
• A designated early childhood educator in every kindergarten classroom; and
• Staffing ratios that make it possible for everyone to do their job with the care and attention students deserve. 

Paint the province purple!

If education workers win, it will pave the way for the legislative changes we all need to improve working conditions for everyone.

Will you help paint the province purple?

Here's how:

• Download the Support Education Workers posters and put them up on your door, window or in your neighbourhood. Post pics on social media: #Justice4Workers #39KIsNotEnough #IStandWithEducationWorkers 

If you don’t have a printer, order your posters now by sending an email to: [email protected] and we’ll get them to you ASAP. If you live in Toronto, you can pick up posters and purple ribbon outside Suite 223 at 720 Spadina Avenue, south of Spadina Station. 

• Tie or display purple ribbons visibly around your home or at a school in your community. Tie ribbons on your door, your balcony, or decorate your front yard with ribbons. 
  
  
• Let your MPP know you support education workers.  
  

Minimum wage and CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup

This Thanksgiving weekend on Sunday, October 9 at 4:00 pm EDT CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup will be talking about minimum wage rates across Canada. This is a chance for minimum wage earners and other low-wage workers to sound off about why we all deserve better wages and working conditions. 

Call in by phone at 1-888-416-8333 

• To maximize your chances of getting to speak, try calling early (even 10 minutes before the show starts). And keep redialing if your call is dropped.

• If you get through, do your best to keep your comments short, even if you have a lot to say. Try to reduce your thoughts to 3 key points you want to make.   

You can also share your views on social media. Be sure to use the hashtag: #Justice4Workers so we can share your posts.

• Twitter: @checkupcbc 
• Facebook: facebook.com/CBCCrossCountryCheckup/ 
• Email: [email protected]

If you'd like a refresher on why we need a $20 minimum wage, check out:

• Why Ontario needs a $20 minimum wage
• Myths and Facts on raising the minimum wage
• Why regional living wages don't work for workers
  

Join our next October 18 decent work organizing meeting

Our October 18 online organizing meeting begins at 7:00 pm EDT and will be crucial for planning actions to support education workers. With a focus on the education sector (from early-childhood to post-secondary education) this particular organizing meeting will be an opportunity to pull our struggles together and build the kind of momentum employers and the Ford government can’t ignore.

Now let's go paint our province purple!

Rajean Hoilett
Justice for Workers team

[1] Ontario school board funding fell by $800 per student over four years, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, April 28, 2022  

[2] Ontario leads the country in COVID-19 school closures, Ottawa Citizen, June 4, 2022. 

[3] Why these Ontario educational assistants believe they deserve a raise, CBC.ca, October 6, 2022

On October 1, Ontario’s adult minimum wage became $15.50. [1] By fighting together you, and others like you, helped win legislation in 2014 that ensures the minimum wage is indexed annually according to the Consumer Price Index. This is an important win that will increase the wage floor for all workers and extend cost-of-living adjustments to larger cohorts each year. 

But with inflation at a record high, workers need a much higher base wage to cope with the affordability crisis. That’s why we’re fighting for $20.

Here are 3 actions you can take to support the fight for a $20 minimum wage:

1. Re-post these sharables on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtags #TimeFor20 #Justice4Workers #ONpoli
2. Print and share this booklet that explains the minimum wage adjustment with your co-workers and friends
3. Make a one-time $20 contribution to the Justice for Workers campaign

Minimum-wage earners have been hardest hit by the current affordability crisis.

First, we were hit with the 2019 wage cut when Doug Ford cancelled the scheduled $15 minimum wage. That cut permanently reduced workers’ earnings. Now, as a result of the COVID pandemic, war, and climate change, we’re facing record-breaking price increases for necessities like food, shelter and transportation.

Workers are at a breaking point.

According to the latest Statistics Canada data, the price of groceries has accelerated by a staggering 11% – the fastest rate since 1981. [2] People were already appalled by the record profits raked in by corporations like Loblaws, Walmart, and Amazon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone watched these companies cancel pandemic pay and refuse to implement basic protections like permanent, employer-paid sick days.

Now there’s growing evidence that corporate grocery store monopolies like Loblaws, Empire, and Metro are still gouging us with unnecessary price hikes to increase their profit further while keeping wages painfully low. [3] 

As Deena Ladd from the Workers’ Action Centre explains:

“The way to fight the affordability crisis is to legislate a $20 minimum wage and improve employment standards. We are proud of winning legislation back in 2014 that delivers annual cost-of-living adjustments. But the base rate is far too low and it's clear that $15.50 won’t pay the bills. It’s time for a $20 minimum wage for all with no exclusions.”

Here are the facts: 

• In 2017, workers won legislation (Bill 148) that increased Ontario’s minimum wage from $11.60 to $14 on January 1, 2018. The wage was scheduled to increase to $15 on January 1, 2019. 

• One of Doug Ford’s first acts as Premier in 2018 was to cancel the scheduled $15 minimum wage and suspend legislated cost-of-living adjustments for two years. 

• As a result, it’s estimated workers lost between $3,000 and $6,000 of income. [4] 

• This cut amounts to nearly a dollar an hour (see table below), and has permanently reduced workers’ pensionable earnings, vacation pay, Employment Insurance benefits, and other legal entitlements based on wages. 

• According to the latest Statistics Canada data, the price of groceries has accelerated by a staggering 10.8% - the fastest rate since 1981. [2] 

• Now there’s growing evidence that corporate grocery store monopolies like Loblaws, Empire, and Metro are still gouging us with unnecessary price hikes while keeping wages painfully low. [3]

• A report sponsored by the Daily Bread Food Bank shows that a $1 increase in the minimum wage would lead to about 36,876 fewer visits to food banks annually in Toronto and 187,756 fewer visits across Ontario. [5]

• It is time for a $20 minimum wage and an end to sub-minimum wage rates for students under the age of 18, and other exclusions that deny workers full Employment Standards Act protections. [1]  

If you're a minimum wage earner, be sure to check you next pay cheque to make sure it reflects the new minimum wage rate. 

But let’s not let Premier Doug Ford claim credit for following a law that we brought into being. And let’s redouble our effort to win a $20 minimum wage for everyone!  

– Pam Frache on behalf of Justice for Workers

[1]  See the Ministry of Labour guide here. Not all workers earn the adult minimum wage. Students under 18 years of age who work part-time and attend school earn less and will see their wages adjusted from $14.10 to $14.60 per hour. Other workers, such as farmworkers, are excluded from minimum wage protections.

[2] Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, August 2022 

[3] “Supermarkets are hiking prices faster than necessary — and profiting from inflation, Star investigation suggests,” Toronto Star, July 18, 2022  

[4] Workers paid a Steep Price, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, November 8, 2021

[5] Increase in Food Bank Visits Directly Associated with Government Policies: New Report, Daily Bread Food Bank, March 23, 2022

Further reading:  

• Minimum wage fact sheet 
• Misconceptions about the minimum wage by Benjamin Studebaker 

Help keep the momentum going! Join us Tuesday at 7 pm EDT

September 18's Day of Action was magnificent right across the country. 

We were inspired as migrants led rallies with thousands of people demanding the federal government regularize EVERYONE and grant full immigration status for ALL. With so many community and labour organizations joining the call for #StatusForAll, it has never been more true: "The people, united, will never be defeated." 
               

But the fight is not over. That's why we're counting on you to be at the next Justice for Workers organizing meeting on Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00 pm EDT.

Can you help us plan the next steps for our campaign?  

At Tuesday's meeting, we're planning to have 5 breakout groups:

1. Status for All 

We'll talk about next steps in our fight for rights, regularization and status for 1.7 million migrants in this country, including 500,000 undocumented persons.

If you haven't yet, please sign the Status for All petition.

2. Climate Justice 

Climate justice = Migrant justice = Justice for workers. Join this group to finalize plans to give a big push to promote the Global Climate Strike happening this Friday September 23. 

In Toronto, Justice for Workers will join the labour contingent on Friday, September 23 at 12:30 pm at the Steel Hall (25 Cecil Street). RSVP to let us know you're coming. 

3. Fix Employment Insurance

Employment insurance (EI) is inaccessible and inadequate for too many workers. But instead of making EI better, the federal government is planning to make it worse on September 25th. We can't let them get away with it! Join this group to strategize about how we can push the government to honour their promise to make EI better. 

If you haven't yet, please sign the petition to fix Employment Insurance.

4. Labour solidarity and justice for workers

Join this breakout group to organize the solidarity required for a workers' movement that cannot be divided. How we can we directly support workers who are fighting for their rights at work? And how do we build support for our Justice for Workers demands, like a $20 minimum wage; equal pay for equal work, and making it easier for workers to join unions? 

Take action now to support Safety Inspectors who are striking for safety for all of us.

5. Paid sick days

Peggy Sattler, NDP MPP for London West, has tabled Bill 4, Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, 2022. If passed, this bill will create legislation for 10 permanent paid sick days plus an additional 14 days during public health outbreaks like COVID.

This bill has passed the first reading. But we need to pull out all the stops to demand our local Members of Provincial Parliament vote in favour of the bill when it comes up for second reading when the Ontario Legislative Assembly resumes after October 25.

Thanks again for your part in the magnificent day of action for Status for All! To see more pictures from September 18, check out our pix on Facebook and on Instagram. And if you have photos to share, please post them and tag #StatusForAll and #Justice4Workers. We'd love to see them! 

Hope to see you at the Justice for Workers online organizing meeting this Tuesday at 7:00 pm! Don't forget to RSVP for Tuesday's organizing meeting to get the Zoom link.

We want as many people as possible to let their local Members of Parliament (MPs) know it's urgent they extend the current EI Recovery Measures!

Here are three things you can do: 

1. Visit your MP office: to find your MP, click here and type in your postal code, then head to the office:

• Tape a message to the door, window, or wall of the office. You can download and print this poster which has the demands clearly listed. 
  If you don’t have a printer, make a hand-written sign saying:
  Extend current temporary EI rules NOW! We need a bridge to permanent improvements in our Employment Insurance system! 
• Take a selfie with your sign and the MP’s marquee. 

2. Call your MP and key decision-makers: Click here for everything you need to make 5 phone calls to key decision-makers.

3. Take action on social media (or email us a short report & any pictures to [email protected]) 

Post your pix from your MP office visit; post a selfie holding a hand-made sign; let everyone know you’ve called your MP; or share the EI petition!

It’s Labour Day weekend! To find a local labour day event in your community, click here for listings across Canada. 

Here are three easy solidarity actions to take this weekend:

#1 Support the pan-Canadian Day of Action for Status for All on Sunday, September 18th.

To ensure all of us have equal protections under the law, we need full immigration status. That means status upon arrival for all migrants and regularization for those of us who are undocumented.

Thanks to migrant-led organizing and growing solidarity across the country [1], the federal government is - right now - developing policy on all these fronts. But corporations profiting from keeping workers in precarious circumstances are lobbying against the proposal. We need to counter this opposition by mobilizing across the country.

Help us spread the word on labour day. Here’s a flyer to share with your co-workers, friends and family. You could even print a few and bring them with you to your local labour day event. 

#2 Take action to protect access to Employment Insurance. Don’t let the federal government make it worse! 

#3 Please make a financial contribution to support our work.

All summer long we have been postering, leafleting, rallying, educating and organizing to build a united workers’ movement. But we can’t do it without you or your financial support. 

This Labour Day weekend, please consider becoming a monthly donor. Just $20 a month will help us train more people and organize in more communities.

Will you make a special labour day contribution to support our fight?

Resources and upcoming events

Please RSVP for the September Ontario-wide online organizing meeting and check out these upcoming actions we’re supporting. And for leaflets, posters, factsheets and other backgrounders, check out our resources page. 

Have a great weekend!

Pam Frache for Justice for Workers

[1] Toronto Star endorses the call for Status for ALL, August 29th, 2022.

“Simply relaxing rules for employers to hire more temporary foreign workers, as the federal government did this past April, does nothing to address its flaws. Furthermore, bringing in temporary foreign workers to work in low-wage jobs means that employers may opt for workers with fewer rights than workers already living in Canada who may be struggling to find work yet can’t be so easily taken advantage of.

“Next month, the Migrants Rights Network will hold rallies across Canada calling for status for all undocumented people, migrant workers, students, families and refugees. It’s a righteous cause that will help improve the lives of many people — and make Canada a safe place for workers to contribute to the country’s prosperity.”