Region Must Research Your Job Search
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EMAIL | [email protected] Vol. 3 No. 4 | Summer 2014 and in fact responsibilities of all temp agencies, are of such consequence that the Liberal government INSIDE REGION addressed them through Bill 146, A Stronger Workplace for a Stronger Economy. The bill died when 2 Down-Turn Abbey the Ontario election was called, but the office of 3 Helping children grieve Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour, tells us that it will 4 Tough Tomes MUST be re-introduced. “Among the issues addressed in Bill 146 were 5 Ask the question, learn the liability for unpaid wages, so that both the agency answers RESEARCH and the workplace will be required to pay up. Not 9 Peel Youth Village being paid is an issue reported often by people eating at Knights Table, Peel Region’s only three-meals-a- 13 Me for Mayor day-every-day soup kitchen.” 15 Pay up and work safe YOUR JOB The delegation noted that in introducing Bill 146, then-Minister of Labour Yasir Naqvi, reported that temp agencies, not the workplace companies, law; SEARCH were deemed to be the temporary worker’s employer To encourage Ontario Works and non-profit under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. agencies to expand their contacts among companies eel Region is taking an in-depth look at how it So any injuries suffered by temporary help agency in search of workers, and provide training in health helps people find jobs. workers in the workplace were attributed to and safety, and other skills, to people in search of Why? temporary employment agencies. work; PBecause Peel Poverty Action Group and Peel Naqvi told the Legislature: “This situation To require detailed reports on hirings resulting Regional Labour Council have told Regional creates a potential incentive for client employers to from job fairs, use of outside agencies, services councillors that some of the practices the Region contract out more dangerous work to temporary provided by Ontario Works and other government follows could put job searchers in harm’s way. help agencies.” agencies operating in Peel; In a presentation to Regional Council, PPAG and Bill 146 would have made the temp agency and To involve representatives of labour unions and labour criticized: the workplace employer both liable for injuries on poverty groups in planning job search services. 1. The Region’s acceptance and support of the job. “third-party contractors” involved in finding Region councillors asked for a report from staff, workers for jobs; Pointing out that Peel Region has been which may be presented in September when Council 2. The problems that “third party” may pose in supportive of studies of precarious work undertaken dissolves for the municipal election taking place who is responsible for safety, pay, training, for PEPSO, Poverty and Employment Precarity in October 27. and other issues; Southern Ontario (see below: How bad is precarious See text of the Hon. Yasir Naqvi’s remarks on 3. A lack of input and oversight in the Region’s employment), the delegation noted that the Region page 15. job search practices. has encouraged recruitment of focus groups PPAG and labour told Council: among residents of Cooksville in Mississauga and “Third-party contractors are essentially job Springdale in Brampton. HOW BAD IS brokers – they recruit and hire workers, then send “What has been established so far by a research them to a job site. A billion-dollar U.S.-based team is that precarious work is bad for families, for PRECARIOUS company has been working with Peel Region since children, and for the community. January. It was promoted by the Region through a “Research reveals that 40% of workers in the EMPLOYMENT? job fair on June 19, which resulted in three recruits. GTA are precariously employed, so they don’t know recarious employment is bad for you. Bad for “You should know that Peel Regional Labour how much money they will make each week, how your kids. Bad for your friends. Bad for your Council is totally opposed to third-party contractors many hours they will work and when, there are no community. and in fact to temp agencies in all manifestations. benefits like vision or dental care or pensions. And PPrecarious employment is when you work The office of New Democrat MPP Jagmeet Singh, they are afraid to complain. on-call. You have a job today but may have no recently re-elected in Bramalea-Gore-Malton, “We feel that by working with temporary help work tomorrow; No benefits like dental, vision, reports that more than 200 constituents attended agencies, particularly third party contractors, Peel life insurance, or pension plan. No pay if you miss public meetings about an airport service that laid Region is stimulating precarious employment,” the work for any reason. You may not know your work off 50 permanent workers and replaced them with delegation declared. schedule in advance. You know it is a temporary job. temporary workers through a temporary help agency. Delegates asked: You daren’t complain. There was a strike. For the Region to stop working with temporary And here are more questions: Is precarious “The job brokers’ responsibilities to workers, help agencies at least until a new Bill 146 becomes CONTINUED ON paGE 15 MEET MORE MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDIDATES 2 Tough Times - Summer 2014 DID YOU Next issue: Fall 2014 KNOW? (Municpal Election Special) Book ad space by Aug. 20 & copy by Aug 27, 2014. We encourage and welcome Peel Poverty volunteer writers, reporters, artists, cartoonists, photographers, Action Group distributors and sales folk to join Peel Poverty Action Group is open to Tough Times. Please email letters to: [email protected] every individual and organization in Down-TurnDown-Turn AbbeyAbbey Peel Region that cares about what Produced by: poverty does to people. Peel Poverty Action Group (PPAG) Tough Times welcomes letters from readers. Writers may use a pen name if they wish. Tough Times needs Editor: It provides a safe place where people to know who you are, so include a phone number and address, but your identity will not be revealed Edna Toth who are cash-poor and those who without your permission. Letters may be edited. Email your letters to [email protected] or try to help them are encouraged to deliver to Knights Table, Brampton. Associate Editor/Graphic Designer: speak out-- and the Tough Times is Ryan Gurcharn a roof over our heads. I thank God every Blame the landlords Graphic Designer: part of that safe place. day. Landlords are creating a shortage of Dalia Emam The Group’s mandate is to advocate places so they can put the prices up to A leak for the taking Contributors: for people in need and to educate pay off the mortgage. Many Canadians are in debt up to their asses. They throw Our townhouse is owned and operated Dalia Emam, Jo-Anna Gould, Lisa the public about poverty issues. together cheap apartments in the city. by Peel Region. The shower in the Lipson, Paula Anne Olthuis, upstairs bathroom leaks into the ceiling Membership is free. Meetings You get into illegal apartments. The Printed by: of the downstairs bathroom. They don’t take place at 9.30 a.m. the second windows are too small. I would not be Metroland Media Group Ltd. able to make it out in emergency. fix it. Thursday of every month alternately in Brampton and Mississauga. Sharing Welcome stranger In some places two or three families live A young man with eyes downcast, WWW.ppaG.WORDPRESS.COM together in one apartment so they can barely speaking above a whisper, sat in pay the rent. a corner at Knights Table, all by himself. Then the guests at Brampton’s Advertising Rates Bugs longest-running soup kitchen took over. Tough Times has a minimum press We’ve had bed bugs but I think I’ve One handed him an egg and bacon run of 10,000 copies, distributed finally got rid of them. I’m afraid to visit sandwich; another encouraged him to throughout Peel Region. Homeless: my friends in case I take the bugs with get some coffee; another tried small talk Target audience is people me. We had the place sprayed several about the weather; another gave him a experiencing homelessness, using times. Once we get rid of the bugs it will pat on the back. foodbanks and soup kitchens, The Video be better. --Angela Francke families who are struggling, plus Spaces and Places: Uncovering Sticky squeak faith groups, social service agencies, Homelessness in the Region of Peel is Flowers for Peel Living Duct tape is used for lots of things. Our trades unions, business people, and a 15-minute DVD in which homeless Peel Living is OK. Peel Region maintenance people think the general public. They provide a home. duct tape keeps mice out. people describe their experiences. To advertise in Tough Times: I have a three-bedroom townhouse It doesn’t. Email: for me and my two children age 24 and A team from Peel Poverty Action [email protected] 14, and I pay 30% of income for it. That Help with jobs Group including a once-homeless Website: www.toughtimestabloid. is 30% of gross pay if I am working, or Lots of people don’t know that Ontario person, will show the video to a wordpress.com 30% of Ontario Works. It is fair. Works will help pay for a Criminal group on request. There is no charge. Phone: 905 826-5041 I grow flowers. It lifts your spirit to Record Check (cost $45) if you need it Mail address: 287 Glidden Road, #4 be able to do something yourself and I for a job application.