Awareness Blitz Marks June 1st Minimum Wage Increase to $11

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 29, 2014) - On May 31, workers are organizing an awareness blitz to highlight the 75-cent wage hike for minimum wage workers on June 1, while calling on all parties in the Ontario election to implement a $14 minimum wage. Campaign leaders are available to comment on the minimum wage increase to $11 and the impact on workers.

Date:	Saturday, May 31, 2014
Time:	11:30 am
Location:	Outside Dufferin Subway Station, Toronto
Photo / Video Opportunity:	Colourful visuals including clothesline with empty pockets

Although on June 1 the general minimum wage will increase from $10.25 to $11.00 an hour - it's an amount that still leaves full-time minimum wage earners more than 16% below the poverty line.

Campaign supporters point out that not all minimum wage workers will receive a 75¢ increase on June 1:

• Students under the age of 18 will receive only 70¢ more - a shift from $9.60 to $10.30;
• Liquor servers will receive only 65¢ more - an increase from $8.90 to $9.55; and
• Farmworkers are excluded from all minimum wage provisions of the Employment Standards Act, including any restrictions on hours of work, or provisions for overtime and vacation pay.

The June 1 minimum wage hike formalizes a concession made by the Wynne government in response to the province-wide campaign led by community and labour groups to raise the minimum wage to $14.

For more information on the Campaign, visit: www.raisetheminimumwage.ca.

Follow the campaign Twitter account @fairwagesnow and hashtag #14now.

The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage is coordinated by ACORN, Freedom 90, Mennonite New Life Centre, OCAP, Ontario Campaign 2000, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Peel Regional Labour Council, Put Food in the Budget, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Unifor and Workers' Action Centre.