Hey Torontonians!
It was a pleasant watch of the Noon news today to see our municipal government being one step of the provincial government!
During the Government Management Committee held yesterday (which I also happen to be the Chair of) we dealt with an update report on the creation of a “job assessment tool”.
The link to the report is here:
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2017.GM21.13
The text of the important amendment to this report put forward by myself & supported unanimously by the Committee ( I also want to give credit to my Councillor colleague Anna Bailão from Ward 18 –Davenport for her input, and a great discussion on this report last week in City Council!) is here.
- The Chief Corporate Officer and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration report to the Government Management Committee in the fourth quarter of 2017 on options for requiring the following standards in City contracts:
- Paid Sick Days – workers can accrue at least 7 paid sick days a year.
- Fair Scheduling – workers are provided their schedules at least two weeks in advance of their shift, with penalties and premiums applied for last minute changes or on-call work.
- Equal Pay for Equal Full-time Work – part-time, casual, contract, temporary, and seasonal employees have a right to the same pay and level of benefits (pro-rated) of comparable full-time workers.
- A Living Wage – workers are paid at a rate which provides sufficient income to predictably meet their needs based on the Toronto cost of living.
- Getting Paid on Time – workers, whatever their status (permanent, temporary, contract etc.), get paid within 30 days of doing the work.
- A plan and required resources for monitoring and enforcing these new standards in City contracts, including a penalty system.
- Plans, programs or policies needed to ensure fair and equitable hiring practices are being employed by contractors, as well as the City, to provide equity-seeking communities and historically disadvantaged groups access to decent jobs.
Many of the components of this motion have been discussed at various times in the 11 years I have been a Toronto City Councillor.
In particular they are important to myself and the community I represent. While we often refer to Toronto as a ‘world class city”, we cannot escape the fact we have a lot of poverty in our City.
If you compare the demographics of our city the gap between the well off and those considered living on the poverty line is increasing….do diminishing. This is very evident if you take the time to read the 2016 Vital Signs Report. The link is here to help you out!
http://torontosvitalsigns.ca/main-sections/gap-between-rich-and-poor/
In eastern Toronto< below Highway 401 we are faced with seven…..yes seven….Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. Four of those are either in my Ward, or residents who live in my Ward go to work in them.
The biggest complaints I hear? People not only having to work not one, but two part-time jobs. Youth who are forced to drop out of school to support their families and work an endless cycle of short-term contract. Benefits?…..Forget it. Come to work and do your thing or don’t bother punching the time clock at all.
Nobody can raise a family in the City of Toronto on minimum wage. If you don’t believe me I will refer you back to the Vital Signs Report which is linked above. Don’t even get me started on the concept of “equal pay for equal work”. I can’t believe in 21st Century Toronto this is even an issue for people to worry about, but it is.
I could go on more….and I probably will at a later date. I have been told by many to not make my blog postings too long…..
So I was happy to put the above motion forward at Yesterday’s Government Management Committee and see it get passed on a unanimous vote.
In a 21st Century Toronto….we should be leading by example and not following others!
Even happier today to see on a number of the points in this motion, the government of Premier Kathleen Wynne moving forward this motion. Let’s all work to see it become a reality!
All my Best,
Paul