Hundreds protest at Cobourg Tim Hortons
COBOURG -- The fight for a fair minimum wage boiled over at the Cobourg Tim Hortons as around 200 people gathered for a rally.
Supporters of the increased minimum wage gathered at the invitation of the Northumberland Labour Council and the Durham Region Labour Council at the Tim Hortons at 970 Division St. starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The event was organized for people to celebrate the Jan. 1 increase of Ontario’s minimum wage to $14 but also to “denounce” the decision of franchise owners and Tim Hortons heirs Ron Joyce Jr. and Jeri-Lynn Horton-Joyce to cut benefits and eliminate paid breaks.
A widely shared memo to employees from the Joyce’s set off a fire storm of responses. The rally in Cobourg followed several others across the province also held at Tim Hortons locations.
The large number of people gathered for the rally, including union members, local residents and people from Toronto, Brockville and Kingston, didn’t surprise Northumberland Labour Council president Dan Tobin.
Tobin said he is seeing more and more people concerned about fair wages and treatment of employees.
“We would like to make these franchises accountable,” he said.
Cobourg resident Fred McBride said he has been coming to Tim Hortons in Cobourg for 20 years.
“I am upset. It’s not fair,” said McBride adding the wage hike was implemented too quickly.
Dave Brownell and his father Bruce Brownell drove three hours from Brockville to be at the Cobourg rally.
“This is messed up,” said Dave on the actions of the Tim Hortons owners. “This is pure greed.”
Cobourg resident James Pickersgill, who posted the widely shared letter to social media, said he was happy to see so many people out for the rally.
“I think it is kind of amazing,” he said.
He hoped people would still support Tim Hortons employees by buying a coffee and telling them you support them.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath attended the rally speaking to reporters and meeting with those gathered outside the restaurant. Horwath said the wage hike came too quickly but also said employers need to treat employees well.
“The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer,” Horwath said.
According to at least one staff member at Tim Hortons in Cobourg, with unpaid breaks and having to pay 50 per cent of the cost of benefits, their biweekly pay cheque will be $51 lower than it was before the minimum wage hike.