When 47% of workers live paycheque to paycheque, the impacts of wage theft can be devastating. A new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association found that almost half of those surveyed would be in financial difficulty if their pay cheque was delayed by even one week. Ontario had one of the highest percentages of workers… contine reading
Precarious Work
Zellers workers deserve a good future at Target
WAC Members and staff joined a mass of supporters at the Target Fairness Rally today organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The rally was held at Target Headquarters in Mississauga where corporate managers have decided to let go almost 10,000 Zeller’s workers when Target takes over in 2013. This is on top… contine reading
Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) releases “Interim Report on Vulnerable Workers and Precarious Work”
We encourage our allies and supporters to respond to the LCO call-out for feedback on this important research initiative by October 1, 2012. “The latest LCO report is a response to the increase in precarious work and the predominance of women, immigrants and/or racialized persons in this work,” said Dr. Patricia Hughes, Executive Director of… contine reading
Crack down on wage theft needed
Expand protection for workers and crack down on wage theft – this is the message WAC representatives shared with MPP Laura Albanese today. In her role as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Laura Albanese met with WAC to discuss the recommendations of the Dean Report, an Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health &… contine reading
Behind the Kitchen Door: What Every Diner Should Know About the People Who Feed Us
Watch the compelling video trailer for a new book by Saru Jayaraman, founder of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United. Behind the Kitchen Door, scheduled for release in February 2013, is a groundbreaking exploration of the political, economic, and moral implications of eating out in the United States today. What’s at stake is not only the… contine reading
CAW report: laid off workers in Ontario struggle to find decent jobs
A new CAW study shows that laid off workers in Ontario continue to struggle to find decent jobs amidst the turmoil of the current labour market. The final phase of the CAW’s Worker Adjustment Tracking Study reports how many laid off workers are forced into lower quality and more precarious jobs (including temp agency work),… contine reading
Changes to EI and migrant worker wage cut part of a “cheap labour agenda”
WAC joined the Good Jobs for All Coalition at an info picket to expose the “cheap labour agenda”, which include the recent changes to Employment Insurance and to the migrant worker program. The EI changes will force unemployed workers to take lower-paying work or risk losing their EI benefits. Meanwhile, employers are now permitted to… contine reading
Communities across Ontario calling for decent work
Workers need good jobs and basic protection at work to address growing poverty said participants at a poverty symposium organized by the Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumphries this week. Participants talked about how plant closures are leading to growing numbers of unemployed workers in their communities. Part-time and precarious work is growing… contine reading
Expand protection for precarious workers. Pass Bill 77!
Getting rid of barriers to unionize is an important way to improve low-wage, precarious jobs. This is the message WAC shared today speaking in favour of Bill 77, the Fairness to Employees Act, during a deputation at the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills. Bill 77 would modernize the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA),… contine reading
Working as a Security Guard: New WAC factsheet
There are many ads in the newspaper and on the internet promising a great career and good pay as a security guard. This is not often the reality. Many security guards receive low pay, no benefits and have little protection on the job – and often are new immigrants and/or young workers who may not… contine reading