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Raise minimum wage before calling election, Poverty Free Thunder Bay urges

Legislation protecting vulnerable and minimum-wage workers need to be passed before an election is called, says Poverty Free Thunder Bay.

Legislation protecting vulnerable and minimum-wage workers need to be passed before an election is called, says Poverty Free Thunder Bay.

Poverty Free Thunder Bay joined together on Monday with the Anglican and Evangelical Lutheran Women’s Group and the Christian Outreach and Social Action Committee of the Cambrian Presbytery of the United Church of Canada urged the public to contact their MPPs in support of six bills before Queen’s Park.

Among those proposed legislation is Bill 165, which would increase the minimum wage to $11 per hour and tie future increases to an economic index.

Poverty Free Thunder Bay chair Terri Carter is concerned the bills might be lost amid the shuffle of a spring provincial election, if the current minority Liberal government is toppled.

The other bills include protecting workers against practices such as unpaid overtime and improper division of gratuities and tips as well as improving conditions for migrant workers and making it easier for workers to form unions.

With more people having to resort to low-paying jobs to make ends meet, more protection is needed.

“Precarious work has more the norm since the recession. More and more people are working these minimum wage jobs since the recession. Graduates aren’t finding work,” Carter said.

If an election is called, the coalition is asking people consider voting for candidates who support those bills.





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