Invisible No More Campaign Launch in Ottawa June 20, 2015. The Case for a Living Wage for Cleaners in Federal Buildings in the Nation’s Capital. Public forum hosted by SEIU Local 2-Justice for Janitors and, ACORN Canada. The Canadian Federal Governments guidelines for awarding contracts to companies providing janitorial services contain these very problematic elements:
-Contracts awarded to lowest price qualified bidders
-No effective provisions to exclude labour law violators
-No provisions for the rising cost of living
-No provisions for minimum wage increases even though it remains well below what is known to be a fair living wage.
This leads to workers earning poverty wages in conditions which are often outside the Employment Standards Act. As a workforce comprised largely of migrant women, they often suffer in silence, feeling there is little recourse.
Panelists:
Michelle Walrond , ACORN ( Moderator)
Lyne Giard, ACORN and J4J SEIU Local 2 Council: ( 4:00 )
Trish Hennessy, CCPA Ontario Office Founding Director ( 10:50 )
Aimee Beboso, Philippine Migrants Society Ottawa ( 21:20 )
Catherine McKenney, City Councillor, Somerset Ward, Ottawa ( 28:50 )
Nycole Turmel, NDP MP for Hull – Aylmer ( 35:16 )
Ramses Pierre-Louis, SEIU Local 2 Justice for Janitors ( 43:03 )
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