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. Ending CRB so soon is a huge mistake that leaves too many of us behind and wondering how to pay November’s rent.
Share on Facebook and Twitter.
On November 10, join the urgent Phone Zap to Bring Back CRB!
Email the Prime Minister to restore CRB and fix EI.
To replace CRB, the government wants to create the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit. It would only offer $300 per week for those who cannot work because of a government-imposed public health lockdown. For businesses, regular benefits have been cut, but many will still receive financial support from the Federal Government. A recent Toronto Star article highlights this disregard for workers: “workers were cut off ‘cold turkey’ while hard-hit business sectors received ongoing targeted support” [1]. Workers without enough hours, who cannot find safe jobs with decent pay, and who’ve spent all their savings in this pandemic deserve support, too
You can take action to help restore and extend the CRB! Our income supports should last at least until the pandemic is declared officially over by the World Health Organization. On Wednesday, November 10 at 12:30 pm (EST), join the online Emergency Phone Zap to Bring Back CRB and Fix EI! You can also email the Prime Minister to demand CRB be restored.
Eligible workers can still apply for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) and Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), which are down to only $300 per week. The government plans to extend them both until May 7, 2022 and increase them by two weeks for a total of 6 weeks of sickness benefits and 44 weeks of caregiving benefits.
More News on Workers’ Rights!
An exciting new bill, the Preventing Worker Misclassification Act, has been put forward by NDP MPP Peggy Sattler. The private members bill would ensure app-based workers are recognized as employees. It would protect gig workers’ rights to minimum wage, overtime, vacation and public holiday pay, Employment Insurance and the right to refuse unsafe work. It would also require that a test be used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. This legislation would bring in the vital protections that any worker needs to fight misclassification and get rights at work.
Trucking is one of many industries where misclassification runs rampant. Right now, we are supporting four truck drivers at Cargo County, a trucking company in Peel, who have been misclassified and are facing wage theft and illegal deductions to the tune of over $70,000. (Read their story on this stop wage theft leaflet.) On October 26th, the workers organized a powerful picket with the support of Justice for Workers. But their fight is not over! You can help them recover their wages by joining the Cargo County Solidarity Picket this Saturday October 30 at 11 am in Mississauga. If you can’t make it, you can still call the Cargo County owners and ask them to do the right thing!
Join the Justice for Workers campaign to organize around these issues with other workers. We have a moment right now to win some real protection for workers! We have won before and together we can win again.
[1] Toronto Star: ‘Horrified’: Labour advocates say the government is putting businesses above workers with latest subsidy