By Staff
February 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If you were around the John Street bus terminal on Tuesday you might have been approached by people asking you to sign a petition asking the provincial government to take their announced plan to raise the minimum wage from $10.25 to $11.00 an hour in June.
The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage (CRMW) points out that an increase of 75 cents an hour will not get minimum wage earners out of poverty.
The private sector maintains that $14 an hour will cripple them and it is certainly a significant increase – but we can’t pay people $11 an hour and expect them to live a decent life. Food banks, and landlord tenant issues are part of the $11 an hour world.
There are a lot of people struggling to get by on $11 an hour. The push now for more is much stronger than it has been in the past.
Those on minimum wage would like to see the province come up with a schedule that gets the rate from $11 in June to $14 over a 24 to 30 month time frame and at that point link the minimum wage rate the Consumer Price Index.
Changes like this get made when there is political pressure. Ontario’s current premier has said $11 is a done deal – can she be pushed further? Will NDP leader Andrea Horwath bring her political clout to bear and get something decent in place.
If there is enough political pressure it can happen.
Start making phone calls – forget the Progressive Conservatives – they are talking up a Million Jobs policy – with many at $11 an hour. Horwath and the NDP is the pressure point.
Thank you so much for mentioning this worthy objective.
There were persons out there in the cold and wind and have been for about 6 mo. in Burlington. Some of the persons in need of the minimum wage are the activists you see demonstrating others are supporters or in somewhat different categories. It is not just the many who must work full time or even part time for minimum wages well below the poverty level, but those who must live on a disability pension, or seniors, and basically most persons with a single income house hold whether alone or supporting others. To expect anyone to work for such wages with no pension or benefits and accept it and then be blamed for it if they complain is so “Grapes of Wrath” it is an insult to ones’ intelligence that the governments expect people to accept it. Everyone is entitled to acceptable in price and size housing, employment, and transit and health care. I applaud everyone who fights for those who do not receive this and would hope to hear from many more who support this right. I know Burlington has many very intelligent and generous ciitizens who step up to the plate every chance they get because they get it and believe in it. I am also sorry to say that many of those who did so decades ago have become some of those who through “downsizing etc. have lost their homes and jobs and are now among those in need. I have faith that there are still many wonderful, intelligent and generous citizens remaining with the ability to be of assistance to write to their NDP and Lib. govts. and every one else they can think of and to help in any other way they can think of. If unsure just ask me and I have suggestions. The Gazette is right on.