The proposed scheme aims to provide immediate recovery for employees
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca has unveiled the Ontario Liberal Plan for Economic Dignity, which focuses on workers' fair wages, benefits, small businesses, among others. The plan is the party's first economic platform commitment ahead of the 2022 Election Campaign, according to a media release.
The commitment outlines the following plans of the party for workers:
Replace the minimum wage with a living wage:
- Increasing minimum wage to $16 an hour effective January 1, 2023
- Develop a living wage structure that provides wages people can live on in different Ontario regions
According to the plan, increasing the minimum wage to $16 will help "more than 700,000 workers who were denied three years" of wage increases after the Doug Ford administration froze the minimum wage and scrapped a supposed increase to $15 an hour in 2019.
Ban unfair and underpaid gig and contract work:
- Protect gig workers
- Bring back equal pay for equal work and protections for on-call workers
- Ensure production quotas are fair and safe
The Liberals in its plan also vow to "modernise Ontario employment laws" to classify gig workers as employees so they access to the same rights and benefits of other workers, including sick pay and workplace insurance.
They will also push for the disclosure of production or "piece rate" quotas to prevent occupational health or safety standards.
Give 10 paid sick days to all workers:
- Provide 10 paid sick days for all workers
- Ban employer-required doctor's notes
- Reimburse businesses for costs up to $200 a day
Liberals said the paid sick days can be used for testing, vaccination, isolation, or providing sick care for others. It may also be used on major life events, such as death in the family or pregnancy loss. Businesses whose employees will take more sick days will also receive up to $200 a day to compensate for the costs.
Read more: Working for Workers Act, 2022 introduced and carried at first reading
Make sure every worker is covered by benefits:
According to the Liberal plan, they will work with businesses and labour groups of all types to evaluate the new work arrangement.
"If a four-day work week demonstrates potential in Ontario, people could have many more 'Family Day Weekends' – extra time to invest in their wellbeing and spend with loved ones," the plan read.
According to Del Duca, the plan aims to assist workers for immediate recovery.
"In a province as wealthy and healthy as ours, no full-time worker should struggle to make ends meet," said the Liberal leader. "The Ontario Liberal Plan for Economic Dignity will provide immediate recovery for workers today, and secure new, long-term portable benefits that let all workers save for a good retirement."
Meanwhile, the plan also outlines the Liberals' plans for small business owners, which include:
- Remove corporate taxes for small businesses hit hard by the pandemic for two years
- Eliminate incorporation fees for new start-ups
- Guarantee loans to small businesses and help small businesses go digital; and
- Cap credit card and delivery fees paid by small businesses.
