Big business is still freaking out about Ontario’s plans to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and introduce equal pay rules.

Over the summer, banks and groups like the Ontario Chamber of Commerce ramped up their fear-mongering about the bill. Big business doesn’t want anything cutting into the profit margins, and they are desperate to stop these reforms in their tracks.

The government is trying to pass the bill within the next few weeks. If we tell MPPs we support this bill and want them to strengthen it even more, it will give the government the political cover to keep pushing back against the big business lobby. 

Will you call your MPP and voice your support for a $15 minimum wage and other improvements in labour rights? 

Use this simple tool that will connect you directly to your MPP’s office. Your call will only take a minute but it will make a huge difference. It's easy:

1. Read the key messages below.
2. Enter your information to the right, click “call my MPP” and your MPPs name and riding should pop up. If it’s correct, hit “call my MPP” again and we’ll connect you directly your MPPs office. You might not get someone on the phone, but feel free to leave a voicemail. Make sure to include your name and where you live in the message.

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Here’s some information you can include, but it's always best to speak from the heart:

• (If your MPP is Liberal or NDP, start by thanking them for standing strong on this issue against the business lobby.)
• I support raising Ontario's minimum wage to $15 an hour. A fair wage will improve the living conditions and health of workers and help to lift thousands out of poverty.

If you feel comfortable, you can also mention that you'd like to see them restore to bill stronger language on issues like equal pay:

• I also strongly support the idea of equal pay for equal work. We need to ensure that part time, temporary, causal workers and temporary agency workers are paid equally to full-time workers if they do the same job. I am concerned that during the committee review of Bill 148 the Bill’s equal pay language was eroded. Please restore strong language on equal pay to this bill. 

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Resources and more reading: 

[1] Business coalition sounds alarm over Ontario’s minimum-wage hike (Toronto Star): https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/08/14/business-coalition-sounds-alarm-over-ontarios-minimum-wage-hike.html

[2] Why business and banks hate the minimum wage: Cohn (Toronto Star): https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/09/30/why-business-and-banks-hate-the-minimum-wage-cohn.html

[3] What minimum-wage critics don’t want you to know (Globe and Mail): https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/what-minimum-wage-critics-dont-want-you-to-know/article36461967

[4] Open Letter from Canadian Economists In Support of $15 in Ontario (http://www.progressive-economics.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/EconomistsSupport15inOntario.pdf)

[5] 15 and Fairness website: http://15andfairness.org/demands/

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