Justice for Workers: Decent Work for All (previously Fight for $15 and Fairness) is a Canadian campaign and movement focused on the rights and remuneration of low-wage workers.

Justice for Workers
PredecessorFight for $15 and Fairness
Founded atToronto, Canada
Websitehttps://www.justice4workers.org/

History

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The Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign was launched in the spring of 2015, following the Fight for $15 campaign launch in the US in 2012.[1] Initially the campaign focused on the unmet needs of low-wage workers in precarious employment in Ontario.[1] In April 2015, the campaign organized Ontario-wide demonstrations.[2]

After the passing of the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 reduced the Ontario Government's commitment to minimum wage, protesting continued on a smaller scale.[3]

During 2020 and 2021, the campaign's activates expanded into Nova Scotia[4] and Newfoundland and Labrador.[5]

The "Justice for Workers" campaign was launched on May 1, 2021,[6] as the next phase of the Ontario-wide campaign for decent work. The campaign aims to improve the working conditions of low-wage and precarious workers across Ontario. The campaign was created in response to the harsh realities of working conditions exposed by the pandemic. To achieve this, the campaign demands a $20-per-hour minimum wage, 10 permanent paid sick days, equal pay for equal work, permanent resident status for all and much more. [7]

Impact

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The campaign has "terrified" Restaurant Brands International, the owners of Tim Hortons,[8] and the campaign was credited with the inclusion of a $15 federal minimum wage in the 2021 Canadian federal budget.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b Bush, David, and Rawan Abdelbaki. "Fight for $15 and Fairness." Global Labour Research Centre (2016): 1-7.
  2. ^ "Minimum wage protests held in Ontario and across North America | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  3. ^ "The Fight for $15 and Fairness far from over for some". BarrieToday.com. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  4. ^ Cooke, Alex (11 Mar 2021). "N.S. to review minimum wage approach as advocates decry 'laughable' increase". CBC.
  5. ^ "Is a $15 minimum wage bad for business in N.L.? Depends who you ask". CBC. 19 Feb 2020.
  6. ^ "We're building an even bolder vision for decent work!".
  7. ^ "Join the Movement".
  8. ^ "Canadians Don't Want to Work at Tim Hortons". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  9. ^ "Justin Trudeau's New Budget Isn't Really a Break With Austerity". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
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