Updates

Hard times like the COVID-19 pandemic only give our workers’ movement momentum. Lockdowns don’t keep us from organizing and the economic devastation of low-income workers just makes it more crucial that we support workers to stand up for their rights. The Workers’ Bowl fundraiser makes it possible for the Workers’ Action Centre to keep building… contine reading

Frontline, low-income workers have been left in the cold without paid sick days during the pandemic. With 58% of workers in Canada not having a single paid sick day and low wage jobs making it impossible to miss a day of work, our labour standards are directly contributing to the threat to worker safety and… contine reading

While workers’ rights in Ontario have gotten weaker throughout the pandemic, the Workers’ Action Centre has been building workers’ power to face these difficult times. The pandemic has brought renewed attention to the poor conditions in low-wage, precarious jobs, and it isn’t over yet. We offer education and leadership programs that empower workers to defend… contine reading

The pandemic is not over! Many sectors including tourism, entertainment, hospitality and the restaurant sector are not fully open or at full capacity. Yet the Federal Government cancelled the  Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) on October 23rd. Over 880,000 people were given only two days’ notice that benefits to cover basic needs would be cut off.… contine reading

On October 1st, 2021, Ontario’s minimum wage goes up by 10 cents. This raise is a result of the yearly change to the minimum wage to keep up with the cost of living.  It’s only happening because workers organized seven years ago to make sure the minimum wage gets reviewed each year and goes up by… contine reading

COVID-19 revealed that people need at least $500 per week in income to survive. Together, we successfully pushed to increase the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Recovery Benefits to $500 per week. We also campaigned to ensure the Employment Insurance (EI) system also delivered at least $500 in weekly income support, since we knew nobody… contine reading

Much is at stake for workers in Ontario’s review of the Employment Standards Act. The Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) was tasked with making recommendations that could reshape our labour laws, but was formed without worker representation. Their review began soon after Uber presented the Ford government with the “Flexible Work+” plan, which seeks… contine reading

After a year and a half, Elisa finally received $1,800 owed to her by a previous employer. Elisa came to Canada from Mexico and landed a job as a bookkeeper for an accounting firm in Toronto. Like so many migrant workers, Elisa was exploited at her workplace and later threatened with deportation when she began… contine reading

On July 28th, workers met with the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) to expose the low wages, unsafe work, and misclassification that workers experience through app-based companies like Uber, Lyft and Skip the Dishes. The Workers’ Action Centre and Parkdale Community Legal Services call on the Committee to recognize that platform-based workers are not… contine reading

Workers are reeling from the $800 cut to federal income support for workers still unemployed due to COVID-19, the provincial government fails to recover stolen wages, and the exclusion of migrant and undocumented workers continues despite being called heroes during the pandemic. We need your support on these critical issues! 1. Status for All March… contine reading