By Emily Leedham “We are invisible, and no one – not the government or society – wants to see or hear us.” said Liliana Trejo, an undocumented worker based in Montreal, at an online press conference today. “If this virus does not kill us, hunger will.” The press conference was organized on Thursday, April 16, Continue readingUndocumented workers demand healthcare, CERB & status
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Letter from a grocery store worker By Achilles* Ever since it broke out, the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world. It disrupted and pushed lives of many into a state of uncertainty. But for essential workers, the show must go on. I work at one of the grocery stores in Kingston, Ontario, owned by a Continue readingGrocery workers want better pay, not “heroes” label
By Doug Nesbitt The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) is now law and the program will last three months retroactive to March 15. The legislation passed at a sitting of parliament on April 11. It is the single biggest trickle-down economics program in Canadian history. All private businesses, as well as charities and NGOs, are Continue readingThe Business Wage Subsidy: Trickle-Down Economics on Steroids
by Emily Leedham To address the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment such as ventilators, workers are demanding former General Motors plant in Oshawa be converted to produce these supplies to support frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s a dire shortage of that equipment, it’s being rationed,” Michael Hurley, President Continue readingWorkers demand Oshawa GM plant converted to produce medical equipment
Photo via REUTERS/Chris Wattie by C Rockarts On Saturday, March 28, two days before workers were set to return from Spring Break, the UCP government announced the province’s largest mass layoff in history, with $128 million in cuts to funding for 26,000 educational assistants, bus drivers, substitute teachers and other K-12 support staff. The government Continue readingLargest layoff in Alberta history proves workers aren’t Kenney’s priority
Unemployment and income supports Holes in the safety net: CERB and EI coverage falls shortZaid Noorsumar, Rankandfile.ca, March 29 2020 Wage subsidy plan is full of big problemsNora Loreto, Rankandfile.ca, March 31 2020 Demand Compassion: Rent Strikes & Emergency BenefitsEmily Leedham, Rankandfile.ca, March 30 2020 Much stronger conditions needed on federal wage subsidy programToby Sanger, Continue readingWeekly labour news digest – April 5 2020
by Emily Leedham Regina refinery workers have been locked out since December 5, 2019. This short video provides a recap of the struggle to the present, including the scab camp: a ticking COVID-19 time bomb. Sign the petition to shut down the scab camp here.
By Zaid Noorsumar On March 27, the Ontario government announced an emergency order making “sweeping changes” to staffing, training, and reporting requirements in the province’s long-term care homes. The order was issued in response to COVID-19’s disastrous impact in the sector. As of April 1, 29 deaths in Ontario nursing homes have been linked to Continue readingParty of Profits: Ontario Tories and the profit motive in long-term care
By Nora Loreto Justin Trudeau announced his government’s most significant aid package for Canadians workers on Friday. The Liberals will subsidize wages by 75% to convince employers to stop layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic. The measure will be available to all businesses, and eligibility criteria are slowly being released. The decision increases his previous promise Continue readingWage subsidy plan is full of big problems
by Jon Milton Denyse Joseph is helping to manage a crisis team for her union. “We’re looking at everything that comes out each day, each hour, regarding this pandemic crisis,” she tells RankandFile.ca. “What are the measures the government is putting in place? Is it respecting the safety and security of our members?” Joseph is Continue readingCOVID-19: We Should Have Been Listening to Healthcare Workers
by Emily Leedham So you want to organize a rent strike? On this week’s Rank & File Radio, Stefan Hodges discusses tenants unions, rent strikes & responding to evictions. Alvin Finkel discusses the future of the Canadian social safety net after COVID-19. Compassion: A Global History of Social Policy by Alvin Finkelwww.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/co…=9781352003093 Tenants Rights Provincial Continue readingDemanding Compassion: Rent Strikes & Emergency Benefits
Holes in the safety net: CERB and EI coverage falls short The federal government is moving at breakneck speed in the midst of the pandemic. Within a week, it announced two new income support programs, before replacing them with the newly legislated Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The redesigned social safety net is an improvement, Continue readingWeekly labour news digest – March 29 2020