Ontario Bill 186 "falls far short" Dias says as Unifor continues to call for 14 point plan for workers

Unifor, Canada's largest private sector union, is calling out the Doug Ford government for its woefully inadequate response to the capitalist cornonavirus crisis. On Thursday, March 19, the government of Ontario passed Bill 186. With considerable fanfare the bill allows workers 14 days of sick leave if they have to go into quarantine, but this sick leave is unpaid. So while their job may be protected, their income is not.

In a press release today Jerry Dias, Unifor National President said "This legislation falls far short of where we needed it to be in order to have a comprehensive response to this pandemic. If we are going to get through this crisis, then the plan has to start with giving everyone directed to self-isolate or quarantine paid sick days."

Naureen Rizvi, Unifor's Ontario Regional Director, added "Ontarians should not be put in the position of choosing whether to protect their health and that of their friends, family, and co-workers or picking up their next paycheque, and that's what this legislation appears to do. The government's COVID-19 plan shouldn't be aimed at protecting the pocketbooks of employers but should help protect our health."

Unifor had previously released a comprehensive 14 point plan so that Canada and its provinces do not try to fight the virus on the backs of workers.

The plan calls for all governments to:

1) Institute a minimum of 14 days of paid sick leave whether a worker has been formally quarantined by a health official, or been asked to self-isolate;
2) Establish special provisions that provide workers paid leave to care for children affected by government-mandated school and daycare closures;
3) Establish direct, emergency income assistance measures to all workers and families – including those ineligible for Employment Insurance benefits (including seniors, students, recipients of social assistance, as well as gig economy, contract, and precarious workers);
4) Ensure all workers are protected from any employer reprisals for any and all absences as workers are required to provide childcare, care for elders and dependents and other mitigating circumstances resulting from the ongoing pandemic;
5) Workers’ Compensation Boards adopt an irrebuttable presumption of work-relatedness for health conditions related to Coronavirus/COVID-19, for all health care workers, first responders and all other workers who come into contact with the public;
6) Waive requirements for employees to produce doctor’s notes in cases of illness (at the very least, consider other less onerous ways to substantiate absences due to illness);
7) Waive all fees for registration or other services at all health institutions including any planned COVID-19 assessment centres and existing community clinics, hospitals, and other facilities regardless of status;
8) Ensure that vital health services, including health agencies, remote health care services (e.g. telephone information services), assessment centres and hospitals, are properly resourced to deal with rising patient volumes;
9) Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to workers in high-risk and frontline service positions;
10) Ensure that all Indigenous communities have immediate access to clean water and practice the prevention measures advised by health professionals to prevent the spread of COVID-19;
11) Establish and adequately fund provincial Anti-Racism Councils and Directorates that provide advice and direction to governments to combat xenophobia. As COVID-19 continues to spread racialized groups, including but not limited to Chinese and Iranians, are disproportionately likely to face loss of income, and to suffer the effects of racism;
12) Instruct all provincially-regulated institutions to extend and relax payment requirements on financial responsibilities facing consumers and households, including student loans, rent, mortgage payments, utility bills;
13) Include labour, community, anti-poverty, and migrant worker advocacy groups included in all government planning of its COVID-19 response; and
14) Fully implement the recommendations of public health officials to protect vulnerable residents and workers in long-term care facilities by enforcing screening of staff, residents, and visitors in long-term care facilities.  Ensure that long-term care homes increase staffing – including increasing hours for part-time and casual workers – so that workers are able to provide care safely and follow all precautions necessary to protect themselves and residents.