In the face of unstable work and exploitation, our communities are coming together to stand up and fight for equality. Workers’ Action Centre members and allies are organizing for a world where everyone has access to decent Employment Insurance benefits and equal rights no matter our immigration status. There are many actions this month, including today, that you can join to help win justice for workers!
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Fix Employment Insurance
On September 24, all the temporary measures that improved our access to EI during the pandemic will expire. Remember back in 2020 when the federal government made it easier to access EI so that more of us who were suddenly out of work due to the pandemic could access emergency support? Well, those are all coming to an end. All the problems in accessing EI before the pandemic are going to come back if we don’t organize to ensure all workers can access EI! We know that now is not the time to end these temporary measures. COVID-19 and its impacts on the economy are still hurting workers. According to the Toronto Star, an automotive plant in Windsor is set to shut down in October and, due to reduced work hours, many of the workers won’t qualify for EI under the old rules [1].
We are long overdue for an EI system better suited to help part-time workers, gig workers, migrant workers, and workers misclassified as self-employed. The fact that the federal government began a consultation process last year on how to improve EI means they know that the system is broken. Help us call on our government representatives to extend the EI temporary measures and work toward fixing EI permanently:
- Join the phone zap today at 11:30 am or 6:00 pm ET (Wednesday, September 7)
- Join the day of action to fix EI on Saturday, September 10
- Take a look at our demands to fix EI and sign the petition!
Status for All means Equal Rights
We can make history by changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people! Federal government officials are drawing up a plan to give permanent residency to a number of migrants and undocumented people. Join us in saying that number must include all 1.7 million migrants – no exceptions!
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There are about 1.2 million migrants with permits in Canada. Another estimated 500,000 people are undocumented. In our two-tiered immigration system that favours the wealthy and leaves migrants open to workplace exploitation as well as recruitment and legal scams, it is far too easy to become undocumented. Without full and permanent immigration status, migrants do not have the same rights to defend ourselves at work without fear of detention and deportation. Let’s change that together.
Join the day of action for Rights, Regularization & Status for All on Sunday, September 18! In Toronto, meet us at Christie Pits Park at 2:00 pm for powerful speeches and performances before we march to the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada’s Office. Please visit MigrantRightsNetwork.org to find or create an event near you.
There are more ways you can show solidarity. Come to a Justice for Workers outreach event to spread the word about September 18:
- Status for All Outreach at Dufferin Station – September 8, 4 pm – 5:30 pm
- Status for All Subway Stations Outreach – September 15, 8 am – 9:30 am
Make sure you sign the petition and ask your family and friends to do the same!