Local 1000A members, staff and officers were proud to be among more than 30,000 demonstrators who took to the streets of downtown Toronto to rally for rights and democracy in the face of escalating attacks on workers’ rights in the province.
The January 26 rally started at Allan Gardens and finished at Maple Leaf Gardens where the Liberal Leadership Convention was taking place. Demonstrators included workers from diverse sectors, anti-poverty activists, youth, parents, and seniors from all across Ontario. “We were there to stand up for democracy and to defend collective bargaining, which is under threat from the current government in Ontario,” said Evan Engering, a Local 1000A member who works at a Real Canadian Superstore in Mississauga.
A lightening rod for the demonstrators was the Ontario government’s decision to pass Bill 115. The legislation saw teachers’ rights gutted, with their right to strike and collectively bargain taken away. While the bill was recently repealed by the Liberal government, it was only after contracts were imposed on an estimated 130,000 teachers.
Local 1000A President Pearl Sawyer and Recorder Dan Gilbert were among those at the event.
“We were at the rally to show our support for all the workers, including teachers and support staff, affected by the Liberal government’s short-sighted actions,” Sawyer said. “Ontario Liberals need to learn that stripping away workers’ rights, scapegoating unions, cutting jobs and social programs is not the road to a strong and prosperous Ontario,” said Sawyer. “In fact, it is a race to the bottom which will hurt workers, their families and the economy.”
Instead of attacking workers’ rights, Sawyer said the focus should be on creating legislative changes to strengthen workers’ rights in Ontario.
The Ontario Federation of Labour has been holding a series of meetings all across Ontario to develop an action plan to drive social change and create a fairer and more equitable Ontario. For more information, please visit ofl.ca
