There hasn’t been a comprehensive change of labour laws in Ontario in over thirty years. So we have a once in a generation opportunity to improve rights for migrant workers.
The report released by the special advisors proposes options for change to laws – some of the options could hurt migrant workers, and some could greatly benefit them.
The deadline for responses is October 14th. Now is the time for many of us to insist that migrant workers in Ontario must be included in all labour laws, and must be protected from reprisals and recruiter fees.
To help you do so, we have prepared a template document that you can use to draft your own recommendations. Click here to download.
You can also download a comprehensive analysis of the recommendations by Workers Action Centre and PCLS here too.
At the very least, we encourage you to send the special advisors a letter urging them to accept our recommendations. We need to show that there is a large number of groups that want decent work for migrant workers. You can download a sample letter here.
- Just cause protection: We can ensure that migrant workers aren’t fired without cause.
- Migrant worker specific anti-reprisal protections: Employers can repatriate (deport) migrant workers if they complain. Only 22% of reprisals complaints go through, but the percentage for migrant workers is far lower, we can change that.
- Proactive enforcement measures: 61% of migrant worker employers inspected in the most recent Ontario Minister of Labour blitz (June, 2016) were found to be breaking labour laws. This while Caregiver employers were not inspected at all. We can expand proactive enforcement measures.
- Give Agriculture workers and Caregivers collective bargaining rights
- At the same time, we will continue to raise our voice to call for an end to all exclusions and ask for comprehensive recruiter regulations.