Hamilton labour council standing up to Hortons

Disgusted with what a Dundas Tim Hortons is doing to its employees, the Hamilton and District Labour Council has organized a picket line there in aid of fair wages and decent working conditions.

Reports that workers at the York Road Hortons are being stripped of paid breaks and had benefits rolled back to make up for the new minimum wage increase to $14 has fuelled a backlash locally.

Labour council president Anthony Marco said several local grassroots and anti-poverty groups, and ordinary citizens are expected to join unions on the picket line Wednesday afternoon.

“When people heard this about a beloved brand, they were shocked,” Marco said.

News of certain Tim Hortons taking away paid breaks and rolling back benefits started with reports out of a Cobourg franchise owned by Ron Joyce Jr. and Jeri-Lynn Horton-Joyce, the children of Tim Hortons founders Ron Joyce and Tim Horton.

The Ontario Federation of Labour on Tuesday afternoon listed 13 picket lines or rallies from Toronto to Windsor, including one in Cobourg and the one in Dundas.

Marco called it unethical for employers to keep workers in poverty by cutting their own costs to mitigate an increase on a minimum wage that has been exceedingly low for the past 20 years.

CUPE Local 5167 president Sandra Walker said although Hortons workers aren’t unionized, it is hitting home for a lot of Hamiltonians, because many have friends, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters who work for the coffee and doughnut franchises.

“Hamilton is home of the original Tim Hortons,” Walker said, adding that “as one of Canada’s most recognized brands that usually supports the communities they serve, it was surprising” to learn of the cuts to employees.

The Labour council isn’t calling for a boycott as some have, but Walker said: “I am personally not going to a Tim Hortons until corporate stands up and fixes this.”

Calls to the York Road Hortons for the franchise owner were referred to Tim Hortons headquarters in Oakville. Attempts to get a response there were unsuccessful.