Raise the Hammer

Richard Wright: Yes I have experienced the system and part of the experience is in the decrease of workers rights across the board and the lack of protection afforded to workers by employment standards and other federal laws.

Sometimes I think what was the purposed of putting in all those hours of post secondary education, slaving away at minimum wage as a single mother, in hopes of a better life, when the system itself has created a system which denies workers their rights.

The system itself will bounce people from level to level, from federal, provincial and municipal, each level pointing the finger at the other, and well the individual is left floundering. Sometimes, it leaves me wondering, what to do these people actually get paid to do. Help or hinder?????

To give an actual experience, get a temp job, lose the temp job due to workplace bullying, an issue that is not covered by Health and safety, the bully has a right to abuse you whether it is physical or mental, forget human rights, not unless your belong to a union, the temp company will not give you anymore assignments nor an explanation as to what one has actually done wrong. You request your record of employment , several times in order to access EI benefits, temp company refuses, after five months, out of money, can't get EI, because you cannot get ROE. Go to welfare, welfare tells you, you must file for EI, you explain I can't because I cannot get ROE. On direction from welfare go to EI, and ask them to get it on my behave, as the law states the an ROE must be issues within two weeks of the last day worked. You fill out a form and twice the form is returned to you, as the feds, say, you did not try hard enough to get it yourself. In the meantime, you are entitled to 499.00 from welfare, rent is $630.00. You send a nasty letter to CEO of temp company, and finally, one gets ROE. Now the person can file for EI, but there is a catch, you see, once EI kicks in, they clawback the welfare, which leaves you with approxiamtely $80.00 for the month to live on. This is while, you are job searching everday, faithfully, with no luck.

People go on about those that struggle but most do not really know what is like. As the song goes, "you can knock me down, but I get up again", I do not know, it is very hard to face the prospect of homelessness for the first time in your life, due to circumstances beyond one's control.

This is only one story, there are so many others.

I watched a film on the stelco strke of 1946, I was amazed at the sense of community, we have lost that sense in many ways. Really look at the policies of Workfare and Elect to Work, the policy is akin to the mentality of the workhouses. If only the truth could be told.

It is better to empower the people, then to wait for a "handout" from the system. Think Winnipeg General Strike 1919, much of what you get today, is because of those that fought many years ago.

I hear OPSEU contract runs out in December, yes of course they will get their raises but at what cost? It is very frustrating when those who are afforded the most protection, fail to stand up for other workers.

There comes a time when all workers have to stand for each other.

I made a banner for my local Labour Day parade, Temp Workers Rights/Action, visibility, to let the people know it is out there.

Small ideas cna grow into big ones, just a dream right!!!!!!