THUNDER BAY -- A person who works every day should be able to provide for their family, but Joseph Thomas says that sadly isn’t the reality for many people.
Thomas is a full-time student at Confederation College in the Aboriginal community advocacy program, with plans to attend Trent University in the fall, and he’s also worked part-time jobs while gaining his education.
“I’ve been an assistant cook, a dishwasher, a labourer,” he said. “There was one point, I was only making maybe $600 per month. That means I would still have to go out and make another $75 just to pay my rents. That’s not money for food or anything.”
Thomas spoke outside of city hall Wednesday morning during a rally on the Global Day of Action for the fight for $15 minimum wage in Ontario and more fairness in the workplace.
As a part-time employee, Thomas also spoke about the need for more predictable hours.
As a student and a husband, it’s difficult to find time for studying and his family when he doesn’t know when he will be called in to work.
Thomas attended the rally with his wife and their two nephews, whose mother also feels the impact of unpredictable part-time hours.
“There have been times when she’s called us up… because she’s had a scheduling kerfuffle or she needs to make up some hours and there is no one to watch her kids and that impacts her life at home,” he said.
Minimum wage in Ontario is $11 per hour, but will increase to $11.25 on Oct. 1, but Poverty Free Thunder Bay chairwoman Terri-Lynne Carter says $15 per hour is what’s needed to pull people out of poverty.
“They will be able to pay for rent and food, not rely on food banks and bring back dignity,” she said.
With the Employment Standards Act up for review soon, Carter said they want to see additional items like more respect in the workplace, paid sick days and decent hours included in the labour laws.
A rally is also scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McDonald’s on Memorial Avenue as part of the global Fight for $15 campaign.
“They are an employer that makes billions of dollars in profit and they’re able to pay more for their workers and they choose not to,” she said.
