Thousands gather to rally to 'Make It Fair' in Ontario

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Toronto – October 3, 2016 – UFCW Canada activists from across Ontario joined thousands of labour allies outside the Ontario legislature to urge the government to Make It Fair for all workers across the province.

UFCW Canada activists from Local Unions across the province joined other Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) affiliates at the October 1 rally, calling on the Ontario government to take action on key issues such as putting an end to precarious employment, eliminating the gender wage gap and strengthening laws to protect workers across the province.

Throughout the day, flash mobs and information booths were set up around Toronto's downtown core to bring awareness to many of the injustices average working Ontarians face on a daily basis. 

The Wynne Liberal government is currently reviewing Ontario labour and employment laws – the first time in over 20 years that such laws have been under review. Updated labour laws are needed to enhance fairness and workplace rights. The province is not expected to finalize its review until early next year.

"We stand united for legislative change that helps all workers by providing them the fairest opportunity to form a union and exercise their labour rights," says UFCW Canada National President Paul Meinema. "The world isn't the same as it was 20 years ago. It is time that we use this once in a generational opportunity to bring positive change to Ontario labour laws.”

As Canada's leading private-sector union for retail, food, hospitality, security, industrial, and service sector workers, UFCW Canada and UFCW Local Unions across the province have made a number of recommendations to the province including extending card check certification to all sectors in Ontario to make it easier for workers to form a union; adopting automatic access for first contract arbitration to restore balance to the labour relations process; and expanding sectoral bargaining to the province's retail and service sectors to stabilize wages and working conditions in these sectors. You can download the full UFCW Canada submission here.