More must be done to help Ontario workers and their families

The $15 minimum wage is a sensible proposal

The Ontario Federation of Labour and its affiliates have been advocating for wideranging reforms to Ontario’s antiquated labour and employment laws, as well as a $15 minimum wage. At long last the government has announced a package of reforms coming out of the Changing Workplaces Review and labour’s fight for a $15 minimum wage.

Among the package of reforms include: A $15 general minimum wage within 18 months; equal pay for parttime, casual, temporary and contract workers, including temporary agency workers.

Fairer scheduling; An extra week’s paid vacation (after five years of service); 10 emergency leave days for all workers, two of which will be paid and no doctor’s note will be required for any worker taking emergency leave; a modest extension in card-based certification for union organizing; and other measures to make it easier for workers to join unions.

To improve upon these proposals the government should do the following: Guarantee the Charter right of all Ontarians to bargain collectively with their employer by implementing card-based certification in every sector and for all workplaces to reduce barriers for employees who want to organize; providing automatic access to first-contract arbitration; prohibiting replacement workers to ensure that the law does not undercut workers who are fighting for decent work; extending and increasing access to just cause protection for all workers, unionized and non-unionized workers alike; providing seven paid sick days for all workers separate from personal emergency leave; and legislating three weeks paid vacation for all Ontario workers upon employment.

The business lobby will claim that government’s Labour and Employment Standards Acts proposals will cause widespread job loss and threaten economic growth. The $15 minimum wage proposal will generate the most toxic and acrimonious response from the business community.

The $15 minimum wage is a sensible proposal worthy of public support. Higher wages mean more spending and that’s good for the economy. A $15 minimum wage will improve the earnings of more than one-quarter of Ontario’s workforce — about 1.5 million people.

Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour makes good economic sense. Household spending is a key economic driver accounting for more than half — 54 per cent — of Canada’s GDP. Businesses need customers to thrive — and to generate job growth. Without customers who can afford to buy what businesses are selling, there’s no point for them to produce more goods and services.

Increasing the minimum wage will put money to work and create demand for additional goods and services, which in turn creates jobs.

The package of reforms announced by the government are significant improvements to Ontario’s Labour Relations and Employment Standards Acts. These proposals only came about by the extremely hard work of labour activists — both current and retired — across Ontario. But more has to be done to improve the compensation and working conditions for all Ontario workers and their families.

Higher wages mean more spending and that’s good for the economy. MALCOLM BUCHANAN