Yesterday, long-time WAC member Angel Reyes filed a lawsuit in small claims court against Canada Fibres Ltd. and United Staffing Services for wrongful dismissal. Angel worked for almost 5 years sorting garbage at Canada Fibres Ltd., Toronto’s largest recycling plant, through a temp agency, United Staffing Services. He earned minimum wage, had no benefits and… contine reading
Victories
Worker wins her stolen wages after 1 year & 5 months
Martha Jaramillo is a member of the Workers’ Action Centre. She came to us in the spring of 2014 when her wages went unpaid and she was fired. WAC helped Martha file a claim with the Ministry of Labour and, in October 2014, the Ministry issued an order to pay instructing her boss to pay… contine reading
Why a $15 minimum wage is a federal election issue
There is a growing consensus across Canada – and indeed across North America – that all workers deserve at least $15 an hour. So popular is the notion of a $15 minimum wage that the matter is now a key issue in the federal election. Tellingly, opponents of a federal $15 minimum wage are not… contine reading
Part-time & temporary workers earn lower hourly wages than full-timers doing the same jobs. Stop the Wage Gap!
The Employment Standards Act does not prevent employers from paying lower hourly wages to part-time and temporary workers. This acts as an incentive for employers to hire people on a part-time or temporary basis, instead of promoting full-time work. In January 2015, part-timers earned median wages that were only 51% of what full-timers earned, and… contine reading
Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014: How the laws have changed
Following years of hard work and organizing by Workers’ Action Centre members and their allies, Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, became law on November 20, 2014. The Act makes several important changes to the laws governing working conditions for people in Ontario, including better provisions to curb wage theft, increased protections… contine reading
WAC Members Speak Out, Win Improvements to Employment Laws
Thanks to years of hard work by WAC members and their allies, Bill 18 has been adopted by the Ontario Legislative Assembly. The bill introduces changes that will help curb wage theft, better protect temp agency workers and peg the minimum wage to annual increases in the cost of living. WAC members and allies made… contine reading
Bill 18: Workers Win Historic Improvements in Employment Standards
After years of organizing, members of the Workers’ Action Centre breathed a sigh of relief on November 6, 2014 as Members of Provincial Parliament gave final approval to legislation that will help curb wage theft, better protect temp agency workers, and peg the minimum wage to annual increases in the cost of living. “This Bill… contine reading
Let’s make Bill 18 for “Stronger Workplaces” even stronger!
The Ontario government has re-introduced legislation that takes some important steps to improve the working conditions of workers in unstable employment – Bill 18 The Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014. Many of these changes are good for workers, but more must be done to truly bring fairness to our workplaces. We need… contine reading
Equal Pay Day – women deserve fair pay!
Queen’s Park is proclaiming its first Equal Pay Day today to raise awareness of the earnings gap between men and women in Ontario. Equal Pay Day represents how far into the next year a woman, on average, must work to earn the same amount a man made in the previous year. Last year, Equal Pay… contine reading
A recipe for decent pay and decent work
This spring, we have the chance to pass legislation that could ensure a brighter future for hundreds of thousands of Ontarians. Because communities around Ontario have spoken out about low pay, exploitative temp agencies, and abuses faced by migrant workers, there are five different bills before the Ontario legislature right now! Working together we have the… contine reading