Media Advisory; Press Conference: Bill 148 and $15 minimum wage

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 20, 2017) - The Ontario Federation of Labour and Fight for $15 and Fairness will present urgently needed changes to Bill 148 at a press conference at Queen's Park on Friday, July 21.

"The $15 minimum wage by 2019 must not be delayed," said OFL President Chris Buckley. "Ontario's government must also create the conditions for decent work in this province. Without fair employment standards and making it easier to join a union, the government will have missed the opportunity to change the lives of millions of Ontarians for the better."

"Bill 148 takes crucial first steps to improve wages and working conditions for millions of workers," said Pam Frache, Ontario Coordinator of the Fight for $15 and Fairness. "Ontarians know that decent work is the foundation for strong, healthy and sustainable communities. Millions of us are counting on our MPPs to stand up to the big business lobbyists who rely on cheap labour to sustain their vast profits. We look forward to strengthening Bill 148 and to additional changes in the future."

The OFL's Make It Fair campaign, and partner campaign Fight for $15 and Fairness have been advocating for sweeping changes to Ontario's employment and labour laws.

The OFL's www.MakeItFair.ca campaign takes on issues of inequality in the workforce, and coincides with the province's "Changing Workplaces Review." The campaign gives voice to unions' demands for across-the-board changes to the Employment Standards Act and the Labour Relations Act that would improve standards for every worker and make it easier for them to join a union.

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

The Fight for $15 & Fairness is a campaign supported by community, labour, student and faith groups across Ontario. It is calling for sweeping reforms, including decent hours of work; rules that protect all workers; equal pay for equal work including temporary agencies, part-time and contract workers; investing in pro-active, public enforcement of employment laws; imposing meaningful fines for labour law infractions; legislating seven paid personal emergency leave days; an end to contract flipping; easier access to unions and more. Central in the campaign is the demand for a $15 minimum wage for all workers, regardless of age, student status, job or area of work. For more information, visit 15andfairness.org and @fairwagesnow.