TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 9, 2013) - This Thanksgiving, communities all across Ontario are coming together to demand a $14 minimum wage to support low-income workers putting food on the table.
"Too many low-wage workers will be relying on food banks for their Thanksgiving dinner," said Christy Knockleby with the Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty. "When we think about Thanksgiving, we think about food, but we don't always think about who makes our food possible. All along the food chain there are people in low wage jobs, from farm workers to fast food workers.
The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage is calling on the Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Liberal government to implement a $14 minimum wage for all workers - including farm workers who are presently exempted from the minimum wage and other protections under the Employment Standards Act.
"We put food on Ontario tables, but Ontario's laws unjustly exempt farm workers from minimum wage, overtime and holiday pay," explains Gilberto, a migrant farm worker who has worked in the Leamington area. "All workers should be entitled to a minimum wage that brings us out of poverty and all employers should have to provide these basic benefits that other workers are entitled to."
"The fact the minimum wage has been frozen at $10.25 for three years has created hardship for low-income workers," said Ian Stumpf of Poverty Makes us Sick in Kitchener. "This weekend, we're breaking bread together - but we're also demanding change."
For more information on the campaign, visit: www.raisetheminimumwage.ca
Follow the campaign Twitter account @fairwagesnow and hashtag #14now
The following actions will be taking place in communities across the province:
Barrie: | Saturday October 12, 11am-3pm | |
Thanksgiving Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage | ||
Mapleview Dr. entrance to Park Place. | ||
David Bradbury: (705) 881-5984 | ||
Brampton | Thursday October 10, 10:30am-12:30am | |
Rally and leaflet action | ||
Strip Mall at the South East Corner of Hwy.410/Queen | ||
Motilall Sarjoo (Sarj): (416) 709-6352 | ||
Burlington: | Friday Oct 11, 12pm to 1:30pm | |
Outreach blitz | ||
Brant Street and Lakeshore Road, Burlington | ||
Cathy Stokes: cmordue.55@gmail.com | ||
Kingston: | Friday October 11, 1-2pm | |
Information picket at the LaSalle Mews | ||
Bagot and Princess Streets | ||
Tara Kainer: 613-544-4525, ext. 113, tarakainer@providence.ca | ||
Kitchener-Waterloo: | Monday October 14, 5:30pm | |
Community meal, rally and outreach | ||
Kitchener City Hall Courtyard, 200 King St W, Kitchener | ||
Poverty Makes Us Sick: (226) 789 6786, forspecialdiet@gmail.com | ||
Oshawa: | Friday October 11, 2pm | |
Leafleting and free turkey sandwiches | ||
Outside the University of Ontario Institute of Technology campus, | ||
61 Charles St., Oshawa | ||
We Are Oshawa, Jesse Cullen: (905) 441-9112, jesse.m.cullen@gmail.com | ||
Ottawa: | Thursday October 10, 12pm | |
Don't be a Turkey Action at MPP John Fraser's office | ||
1795 Kilborn Ave. | ||
Jill O'Rielly: (613) 808-6523, onacornot@acorncanada.org | ||
Peterborough: | Wednesday October 16, Time TBD | |
Leaflet at Peterborough Farmers Market | ||
Lansdowne and Ashburnham | ||
Paul Brown: (705) 559-1397, pbrown@uwpeterborough.ca | ||
Toronto: | Friday October 11th, 12pm | |
Serving a Turkey burger to Premier Kathleen Wynne | ||
Kathleen Wynne's constituency office. 795 Eglinton Ave E (Just west of Eglinton and Laird) | ||
John Anderson: (647) 204-2767, toronto@acorncanada.org | ||
Saturday October 12, 10:30am | ||
Feast for Fairness | ||
St. Lawrence Market Farmers Market | ||
Front St. E and Jarvis. (1 block south of King St. E) | ||
Sonia Singh: (647) 235-6912 | ||
Friday October 18, 11am-1pm | ||
Raise the Minimum Wage Rally | ||
No Frills Plaza | ||
Kennedy Rd. and Eglinton Ave. East | ||
Regi David: (416) 285-0502, ext. 227 | ||
St. Catharines: | Friday, October 11, 10am - 12pm | |
Outreach blitz in front of No Frills | ||
Grantham and Welland Avenue | ||
(905) 932-1646 | ||
Sudbury: | Monday October 14, 12-1pm | |
March from McDonald's to Tim Hortons | ||
Meet at 12pm at McDonald's on Notre Dame | ||
Christy Knockleby: cknockleby@eastlink.ca |
The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage is coordinated by ACORN, Freedom 90, Mennonite New Life Centre, OCAP, Ontario Campaign 2000, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Put Food in the Budget, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto and York Region Labour Council and Workers' Action Centre.
Contact Information: