Raise the Hammer

Leasdership, well I just do not see real leadership in this city. The city is made of people, working people and the last mayor to stand up for the working people was Sam Lawrence. He understood the battles of the people back in the day. The fight for fair wages, benenits and pensions, he understood the working families and their needs. Flash forward to today and what do we see.

We have almost one third of the people living in dire poverty, job losses are still happening which will push that number even further higher, 550 jobs at Siemans, another 1000 or so when the Steel car contract runs dry and many of these workers at Steel Car will not have enough hours for EI, thus leaving them with only welfare, if they cannot find jobs. Other workers are trapped in precarious work where wages are low, no benefits, forget saving for retirement.

There is also now a organization out there that is pushing volunteering into workplaces and they are saying that they have the backing of Ontario Works and ODSP, but they do not. More lies that will affect those who are the most marginalized, those who are desparate for work, yet many may not know or understand their rights as workers and getting into this type of workplace placement, they will not be covered by employment standards, WSIB or Occupational Health and Safety. From the website, there seems to be a local business that seems to backing this endeavor and workers will be paid oly $30.00 per day for working an 8 hour day, yes, one can see what it is INDENTURED SLAVE LABOUR. Third world working conditions in our own city, that was a leader in the plight of the worker. Where is the sheriff to run this group out of town.

So who is really served in this community, it those with money, not those who have very little, who struggle to find shelter, who have a very hard time finding food, and I do not want to hear about food banks because the food banks only give enough food for a couple of days, so this system is FAILING.

The people have been forgotten, it is only about those, the elite and their minions who follow them. People know what they need or want, it is just that nobody really asks them.