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.… contine reading
Updates
Minimum Wage Goes Up on October 1st
On October 1st, 2021, Ontario’s minimum wage goes up by 10 cents. This raise is a result of the yearly change to the minimum wage to keep up with the cost of living. It’s only happening because workers organized seven years ago to make sure the minimum wage gets reviewed each year and goes up by… contine reading
Federal Benefits end soon but COVID still going strong
COVID-19 revealed that people need at least $500 per week in income to survive. Together, we successfully pushed to increase the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Recovery Benefits to $500 per week. We also campaigned to ensure the Employment Insurance (EI) system also delivered at least $500 in weekly income support, since we knew nobody… contine reading
Support the Gig Workers’ Bill of Rights Today
Much is at stake for workers in Ontario’s review of the Employment Standards Act. The Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) was tasked with making recommendations that could reshape our labour laws, but was formed without worker representation. Their review began soon after Uber presented the Ford government with the “Flexible Work+” plan, which seeks… contine reading
Elisa paid in full after her employer stole $1800
After a year and a half, Elisa finally received $1,800 owed to her by a previous employer. Elisa came to Canada from Mexico and landed a job as a bookkeeper for an accounting firm in Toronto. Like so many migrant workers, Elisa was exploited at her workplace and later threatened with deportation when she began… contine reading
URGENT: Endorse Workers’ Advice on the Future of Work
On July 28th, workers met with the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) to expose the low wages, unsafe work, and misclassification that workers experience through app-based companies like Uber, Lyft and Skip the Dishes. The Workers’ Action Centre and Parkdale Community Legal Services call on the Committee to recognize that platform-based workers are not… contine reading
Act Now: 3 Major Issues Facing Workers
Workers are reeling from the $800 cut to federal income support for workers still unemployed due to COVID-19, the provincial government fails to recover stolen wages, and the exclusion of migrant and undocumented workers continues despite being called heroes during the pandemic. We need your support on these critical issues! 1. Status for All March… contine reading
Stop the 40% Cut to the Canada Recovery Benefit
The federal government plans to cut the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) by 40% on July 17, 2021. The cut comes as unemployment rates continue to rise. It’s already a struggle to live on $500 each week. If passed, almost one million workers relying on the CRB will be relying on only $300 a week to… contine reading
Temp Agency Workers: Protect Yourself from Illegal Fees!
Illegal fees are one of the many problems we face at precarious jobs. For temporary agency workers, it’s important to know that no temporary agency is allowed to charge its current, former or future employees any fee related to employment. Recently, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) decided against FDM Group, a temp agency that… contine reading
What You Need to Know About Ontario’s Temporary Paid Sick Days
On April 29, 2021, the Ontario government amended the Employment Standards Act to require employers to provide up to three days of “paid infectious disease emergency leave.” The COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit (WIPB) is a temporary program put in place by the government to respond to the overwhelming calls for paid sick days. While… contine reading