OFL Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates to speak on Labour Day

THUNDER BAY, Ontario, Aug. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Labour Day, Ontario Federation of Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates will be speaking in Thunder Bay.

Ontario workers fought for and won long overdue improvements to Ontario's labour and employment laws including paid sick days, fairer scheduling and equal pay for equal work provisions. Other victories included protections for workers engaged in a labour dispute, making it easier to join a union, and five days paid leave for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

A key victory was legislating an increase to the minimum wage to $15. The increase is scheduled for January 1, 2019 and will benefit 1.7 million workers who earn at or near the minimum wage in Ontario. Doug Ford has said he will repeal it.

"This Labour Day, we are sending a clear message to Doug Ford: Hands off workers' rights," said Coates. "Workers are the backbone of the economy and every worker must have decent work. This government has already made cuts that affect the most vulnerable people in our province and said it will stop the minimum wage increase. This Labour Day, workers are going to coming together to protect our gains."

Please join the Thunder Bay and District Labour Council to celebrate our wins and prepare to work in solidarity for decent work for every worker in Ontario and tell Doug Ford "Hands off our rights!"

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information contact:

Meagan Perry
Director of Communications,
Ontario Federation of Labour
mperry@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456

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