Ontario Workers' Need a Fair Deal!
Current employment laws don’t do enough to protect workers – especially those in low wage and precarious jobs (temp work, contract work, and unstable work). And the government needs to do more to enforce the laws that do exist – one in three employers break the law, often with no penalty!
WAC members are actively involved in all aspects of our campaigns – working on committees to plan our strategies and events, speaking out in their communities, talking to their local government officials, giving interviews to the media, meeting with and supporting other workers – to get real changes and improvements that will benefit all workers.
WAC also works closely with our community allies - union activists, anti-poverty activists and other social justice organizations – together we are strong!
Our Current Campaigns
Improved Protection for Precarious Workers
The way work is organized has changed drastically over the last 30 years. Today, one in three jobs in Ontario is temporary, contract, part time or self employed. Working in these jobs, we are often denied basic protections and rights. Outdated labour laws trap people in poverty and deny fair standards to all workers. Our labour laws must be expanded to protect people who work on temporary, contract and unstable work. Learn more>>>
Better Enforcement of the Law
Even though more than one in three employers violates the basic minimum labour standards, the government does little to protect workers. 98% of employers found in violation of the law face no fine or prosecution. With no real risk of being caught breaking the law and no real cost to violating employment standards, it is no surprise that violations are so widespread. The government must ensure all employers follow the law in all workplaces. Learn more>>>
A Fair Minimum Wage
Poverty is on the rise and low wages are a big reason why. The minimum wage still leaves workers below the poverty line. No one should work full time and yet still live in poverty. The minimum wage must be increased to the poverty line and increase annually with the cost of living. Learn more>>>
Fix EI (Employment Insurance)
Many rely on the Employment Insurance program (EI) to survive during these hard economic times. But over the years the Federal government has weakened the EI program and made it harder to access – and when on EI, workers struggle to survive on low benefit rates. We need to urge our government to fix the EI program now. Learn more>>>
Protection for Live-in Caregivers and Temporary Foreign Workers
The number of temporary foreign workers in Ontario has increased by 55 percent in the past five years. Many temporary foreign workers are forced to put up with violations of their rights because they are in Canada on work permits that tie them to one employer, and don’t provide protection if they are sent back home for complaining about working conditions. Temporary Foreign Workers need permanent status and real protections now. Learn more>>>