Call for action for government¶

General demands of government¶

• Decent Work and Health Network demands
• Workers' Action Centre demands (pdf)
• Canadian Federation of Students Endorses Fight for $15 and Fairness’ ‘COVID-19: Health Emergency Labour Protections (H.E.L.P) Calls to Action’
• Employment Insurance reform demands from Good Jobs for All Coalition
• Unifor demands

• Additional Employment Insurance demand:

  • EI employers Supplemental Unemployment benefit (SUB) top-up should be allowed for layoff due to COVID-19 caused reduced production/services.
  • Expand EI Work Sharing process to public sector employers.

Broadbent Institute¶

The Broadbent Institute is calling on the federal government to immediately implement six changes to income supports for workers and ensure the health and well-being of Canadians.

• Lower the EI sickness benefit threshold.
• Increase support to 80% of weekly wages.
• Cover workers not eligible for Employment Insurance.
• Waive doctor’s note requirement.
• Support workers impacted by COVID-19 containment efforts.
• Provide support while processing the claim

Union demands of federal government¶

Unifor¶

The union will continue to advocate for the implementation of its remaining recommendations to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on workers including:

• increasing duration of EI sick leave from 15 to 26 weeks
• providing emergency special EI payments for vulnerable workers
• reducing qualifying hours for EI to 360 (from 420 and 700 hours)
• creation of a special fund for workers who don’t qualify for EI
• providing special “income relief” for health care workers, as was done with SARS
• urging provinces to legislate paid sick days
• urging employers to waive requirements for doctor’s notes to substantiate sick leave

Ontario¶

OFL¶

• OFL to Ford’s Conservative government: End the hypocrisy now, immediately provide paid sick days for every Ontario worker

Migrant Rights Network¶

• MRN website
• Petition at website for: Covid-19 response must leave no one behind

MRN claims the following victories¶

• A moratorium has been placed on some deportations for three weeks;
• The border was initially closed to all migrants, but now refugees from the US may be allowed in;
• Income supports have been announced for many workers; and
• Migrant students' access to post-graduate work permits will not be affected by a shift to online courses.

But deeply entrenched structural racism means that many migrants and racialized people are still being left out of the COVID-19 response:

• Many regions have announced access to medical testing without the need for health cards but migrants are still being turned away and full access to healthcare, including for those with COVID-19, has not been assured;
• Many migrant workers, undocumented people, refugee claimants and students still do not have guaranteed access to income support for job loss or reduction in hours from sickness or the economic downturn;
• Immigration rules remain unclear, border closures continue to shut many refugees, students, families and workers out and migrants remain precarious and imprisoned (read this letter from 34 detainees). A three week moratorium on deportations does not reduce migrant fears in accessing healthcare;
• Migrants are in employer-controlled substandard housing, or are without adequate shelter, food and other basic services with no access to supports as rent day gets closer.