The Workers’ Bowl – our annual fundraiser with the OEERC* – is this Saturday! All funds go to education and leadership training programs at the Workers’ Action Centre.
Our Feet on the Ground (FOG) program gives workers the chance to develop the leadership skills to share critical workers’ rights information with other workers in precarious jobs. This year, Rathekka participated in the FOG program as a WAC Senior Leader. Here’s what she had to say about her leadership training at WAC – and how it’s helping her community in Scarborough.
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What’s one way that you have grown by being a WAC Senior Leader?
Leading discussions with workers is one of the pathways to growing my confidence. At first, I was nervous to be the MC at our member meetings in Scarborough – whether in Tamil or in English, which is not my first language. Not feeling confident, I still gave it a try and I got used to it. Now I love MCing at meetings and talking with workers at outreach events and workers’ rights workshops. I didn’t have any opportunity to do this before being in WAC’s Senior Leadership program.
I’m confident taking the lead in organizing worker events in my community. It’s good to talk with people directly and listen as they explain the issues they face. I’m enjoying the questions and responses.
In leading meetings, workshops and outreach, what kinds of workplace problems have people told you about?
When I tell people how WAC is building a workers’ movement, I always ask if they face workplace issues. Most of their issues are wage theft. People are not getting paid and are scared to speak out because they think they’ll get reported or their immigration status will be affected.
Employers are giving training and not paying them for three weeks of work! I tell them their rights, that we’re supposed to be paid for training. But many workers still don’t feel they can leave or speak out because they need that job. They are scared because they don’t know what will happen to their future.
How does your training at WAC support workers in your community?
Being a Senior Leader and part of the FOG program lets me take leadership to inform the community about our rights. Lots of people don’t know about the Workers’ Action Centre. I had workplace issues but didn’t find out about WAC and the support they give until too late. So, I wanted to let the Tamil and other communities know about the education and support WAC gives. We’re so focused on needing to get work, but it’s important to know our rights, too.
What are you looking forward to achieving next year?
We are planning to hold more workshops for the people we’ve connected with this year. Definitely, their confidence level is going up. But even though they know their rights now, lots of workers are scared to ask their managers for their rights. They ask me, “What happens if we lose our jobs?” I want to keep being there to help grow our power together.
I can see, step by step, I’m growing. We are all growing together, increasing our power.
As Rathekka’s confidence grows through training at WAC, she lifts up the workers around her. The more FOG participants we can support, the stronger the decent work movement becomes. Please make a donation to help fund our worker education programs.
*The Ontario Employment Education & Research Centre (OEERC) supports community leadership development. All donations go to the OEERC Education and Leadership Fund for Workers in Precarious Employment to create collaborative community leadership development and educational projects with WAC. Tax receipts are available for donations of $10 or more.