Today the Ford government announced its plan to roll back improvements to workers’ rights. The omnibus “Making Ontario Open for Business Act” makes it clear that workers are little more than liabilities on the balance sheet.

The pro-business legislation freezes the minimum wage at $14 per hour till 2020. It repeals most of Bill 148, including the two paid sick days for workers and pay equity for part-time employees. It cancels the 10 personal emergency days and scraps the Ontario College of Trades which governs apprenticeships in the province. And it repeals changes to the Labour Relations Act that had made it easier for workers to join a union.

We Are Oshawa has been an active participant in the Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign.

As a community organization with a focus on lifting people up – up out of poverty, out of homelessness – we believe that a living wage, fair treatment and job security are key to achieving those goals.

We condemn today’s action by Doug Ford and his Conservatives. We will be working with the Durham Region Labour Council and other labour and community organizations to let this regressive government know we won’t be silent.

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