Workers’ Action Centre Launches “Stop Wage Theft” Campaign

Workers’ Action Centre Launches “Stop Wage Theft” Campaign

Friday, May 13, 2011

Corinna Traill

On Friday May 13th, 2011, the Workers’ Action Centre, worker-based organization committed to improving the lives and working conditions of people working in low-wage and unstable employment, will be launching its provincial “Stop Wage Theft” Campaign.

The campaign is directed at pressuring the government to protect workers by prohibiting employers from “stealing” wages through non-payment of regular or overtime wages, from charging fees for job training and from characterizing employees as “independent contractors” or “self employed” when, in fact, workers are employees of the particular employer!

Indeed, many companies, especially in the construction, cleaning and door-to-door sales industries, will falsely describe employees as “independent contractors” in order to deprive them of the many protections owed under Canadian labour legislation including minimum wage, overtime and Employment Insurance.

This initiative by the Workers’ Action Centre is consistent with similar campaigns launched in the United States, where many states have, in response to public and political pressure to crack down on “bad employers”, enacted wage theft laws.

The Stop Wage Theft Campaign Calls on the Provincial Government to:

• Make all employers follow the law in all workplaces.
• Update labour laws to protect all workers.
• Increase the minimum wage to bring workers out of poverty.
• Ensure equal status and protection for all workers regardless of immigration status.
• Fix Employment Insurance.

You can get more information on the Workers’ Action Centre, obtain employment information – including free pamphlets outlining your workplace rights – and join the Stop Wage Theft Campaign.

If you wish to report an instance of “Wage Theft” in your workplace, call the WAC hotline at (416) 531-0778.

Advertisement