WHAT YOU CAN DO


Take Action Against Bill 68! Tell Minister of Labour, Peter Fonseca, that you disagree with the changes to workers rights under Bill 68. Email him at pfonseca.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org. Check out our sample email.

Make sure your friends and neighbours know about their rights at work - visit our Know Your Rights page for booklets and factsheets.

VICTORIES


Through Bad Boss actions many WAC members have been able to pressure bad bosses to pay up unpaid wages.

When the Ministry ordered employer Prive Spa to pay wages owing to former employees, workers thought they had won their case. But it was only after speaking out about their unpaid wages in the media, that workers finally got paid. As a result of this pressure, workers received all the money owing to them!

For three years Amato Pizza refused to pay workers’ wages. The Ministry of Labour prosecuted the owners and fined them over $300,000.

Bad Bosses at Beautiful South/Swag and North Star Textiles were prosecuted and fined for not paying workers’ wages. The owner of Beautiful South was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

WAC is proud to be an advocate for change, and thus, under current legislation, cannot be a registered charity or issue tax receipts.

Subscribe to WAC enews

Email:
First Name:
Last Name:

Better Enforcement of the Law


Workers action centre protection for temporary foriegn works and live in care givers

Even though more than one in three employers violates our basic minimum labour standards, the government does little to protect workers. 98% of employers found in violation of the law faced 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.

WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW



CHANGES TO EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS UNDER BILL 68 = MORE BARRIERS FOR WORKERS

Proposed changes to Employment Standards under Bill 68, Open for Business Act will create huge barriers for workers who face unpaid wages. The Workers’ Action Centre and Parkdale Community Legal Services are calling on the provincial government to stop proposed changes that would bring in mandatory self-enforcement and could force workers to settle for less than what they are owed.

Proposed changes under Bill 68 include:

  • Mandatory self-enforcement of ESA rights
    Bill 68 would require most workers to try and enforce their ESA rights with their boss before filing a claim.
  • Facilitated settlements
    Bill 68 would give the power to the Ministry to settle claims for less than what workers are owed under the law.
  • Required information before a claim will be accepted
    Bill 68 would require workers to provide information about their employer and arguments about their case before a claim will be accepted, without a commitment to provide support to workers filing claims.

Our Demands

Workers in precarious jobs have little power to negotiate with their bosses. We need zero tolerance for employers that break the law, not changes that force workers to settle for less. Workers already face many barriers standing up for their rights. When we do go to the Ministry of Labour, we should not face more barriers.

  • DEMAND: Don’t make workers enforce their own rights. Ministry of Labour, do your job! Scrap mandatory self-enforcement
  • DEMAND: Don’t force workers to settle for less. The government should not be allowing employers to pay below minimum standards. No facilitated settlements! We need our basic rights at work protected!
  • DEMAND: Don’t put more barriers in place for workers standing up for their basic rights. Ensure workers have support to make complaints about bad bosses.

Take Action!

  • Watch our video and hear from WAC members why they oppose Bill 68
  • Tell Minister of Labour, Peter Fonseca, that you disagree with the changes to workers rights under Bill 68.
  • Get involved in WAC’s campaigns for fairness for workers. Contact us to find out how to join our campaign!

MORE ENFORCEMENT IS STILL NEEDED

WAC and its members have met many times with MPP’s and Ministry of Labour officials to push for much needed funds to hire more employment standards officers. As part of its poverty reduction strategy, the Ontario government promised in December 2008 to invest $10 million annually to hire about 100 new employment standards officers. With the 2010 budget announcement March 28, 2010, we have now seen a total investment of $7.5 million. We are pleased to see that the government is following through.

However, the full commitment of $10 million is critically needed. Working conditions continue to deteriorate for many Ontario workers facing the impact of the recession. With the pressures of an economic downturn, many workers in precarious employment are thinking twice about quitting a bad job, leaving them at the mercy of employers who may be inclined to break the rules to weather the storm. More employment standards officers are needed to ensure that these workers are protected.

BAD BOSS ACTIONS

WAC members continue to organize Bad Boss actions to expose employers who are violating the law to support workers to get their unpaid wages.

WAC RESOURCES


WAC and PCLS Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Bill 68

WAC letter to the Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan on priorities for the Ontario 2010 Budget (February 2010).

WAC submission to the Minister of Finance, Dwight Duncan, on priorities for the Ontario 2010 budget. (February 2008), including recommendations on funding for improved enforcement.

Working on the Edge (May 2007) - WAC 82-page research report documents workers' experiences of precarious work (temp, contract, self-employed), and contains detailed recommendations for change.

Effective and Enforced Employment Standards for Improved Income Security (2005)

Workers Action Centre better enforcement of the law