By Alia Karim Alia Karim interviewed Malka Paracha, a Muslim worker and trade union activist at York University, about overcoming Islamophobia in her workplace. Racism on college and university campuses comes in many forms. The past year has seen a dramatic upsurge in hate-crimes and open racist sentiment across North American schools. On my campus, Continue readingFighting racism and Islamophobia through the struggle for $15 and Fairness
Fight for 15
The big business lobby is out peddling the story that decent work and wages are bad for the economy. Seven decades of evidence disprove these myths. Two out of three people across this country support a $15 minimum wage. Deena Ladd of the Workers Action Centre explains what workers in Ontario are on the verge of Continue readingWeekend Video: Still fighting for $15 and Fairness
Editors’ note: Since this article was first published on August 17, the BC NDP has abandoned its election promise of $15/hour minimum wage by 2021 in favour of handing over the timeline questions to its fair wages commission. BC employer associations are already cheering on the decision. The decision is a dangerous setback for the Continue readingBC NDP’s crawl to $15
By Zohra Jamasi and Michal Rozworski Keep Ontario Working (KOW), a coalition of business groups organized by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, has released its analysis of Bill 148, the legislation that will increase the minimum wage in Ontario to $15 per hour and introduce important improvements to working conditions. With the legislative window to Continue reading5 reasons to be skeptical of this $15 minimum wage report
by Pam Frache Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, has been referred to the parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Over 10 days in July in 10 different cities, the Committee heard deputations on the Bill. In August, the Committee will review the Bill “clause-by-clause” to decide what, if any, amendments Continue readingThe Fight for $15 & Fairness isn’t over. It’s just gearing up
By David Bush Watching the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs hearings on the Liberal government’s Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act this week you can see the louder parts of the business community time and again push a narrative that if the minimum wage goes up to $15 by January 1, 2019, Continue readingToo much, too soon: A brief history of Ontario employers crying wolf over the minimum wage
By Chantal Sundaram In April 2012, during the height of Québec’s Maple Spring, one of the key leaders of the student movement, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, said the hope was for that movement to be a “trampoline.” The “Red Square” movement gave voice to widespread popular opposition to austerity in Québec that both preceded and outlasted the student Continue readingFifteen plus: the minimum wage & austerity in Québec
By Kevin Brice-Lall Within 24 hours of the historic breakthrough by the Fight for $15 & Fairness campaign, where Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government conceded the largest single increase to the minimum wage in Canadian history, the employer’s offensive intensified. Immediately the Toronto Sun lamented on their front page that the “New minimum wage effectively unionizes Continue readingFight for $15 wins: how to beat the employers’ counter offensive
By Daniel Tseghay When Ontario’s Liberal government initiated the Changing Workplaces Review in 2015, to identify ways to improve the Employments Standards Act (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act (LRA) in light of the evolution of work, it led to a number of unions and labour activists offering their recommendations. That pressure led to the Continue readingNew report in BC gives workers a voice in highlighting abuse and exploitation at their jobs
By David Bush The Fight for $15 and Fairness scored a big victory on May 30 when the Ontario Liberals announced they would raise the minimum wage to $15 by January 1, 2019. The Liberals also announced a slew of other legislative changes they will introduce as part of the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, Continue reading$15 and Fairness shakes up Ontario
By Pam Frache and Evan Johnston The Fight for $15 and Fairness has made major gains in all areas of its campaign, from equal pay to fairer scheduling (including more paid vacation), from paid sick days to greater access to union protection. The Ontario government also pledged to raise the minimum wage from $11. 40 Continue readingHistoric breakthrough for Ontario’s Fight for $15 and Fairness
By Evan Johnston With only a matter of weeks until the Ontario government releases the recommendations from the Changing Workplaces Review, all eyes are on Ontario Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn. Word on the street is that the recommendations from the Review’s Special Advisors, Michael Mitchell and former Justice John Murray, have been delivered to Continue readingWhat does it mean to Keep Ontario Working?