Everyone was calling for paid sick days. No one asked for more policing.

The Premier's announcement yesterday was enraging.

Everyone was calling for paid sick days. No one asked for more policing, but that’s what we got. We need #PaidSickDays now or low-wage racialized workers will continue to die. More policing will not stop the workplace outbreaks that are driving the spread of COVID-19.

Health workers are determined to continue speaking up until our patients & communities have the protections they need. Organizing for paid sick days has never been more urgent.

Health workers: Join us on April 22 from 6 to 7:30pm for a meeting with health workers about next steps in our efforts to win legislated paid sick days.

Everyone: Join us and our partners for a decent work organizing meeting on April 20 from 7 to 9pm. We’ll chart next steps in our organizing to win legislated paid sick days and decent work for all.

Premier Doug Ford announced Friday’s inadequate measures just hours after Ontario’s Science Advisory Table urged the province to provide adequate paid sick days and focus on measures to stop workplace outbreaks. Despite this, the government continues to ignore advice from health providers, experts, workers and our communities. 

Premier Ford 'playing politics' with peoples' lives

Last week, on World Health Day, Premier Ford doubled down in his opposition to paid sick days. He claimed that lockdowns worked before so all we have to do is stay home and get vaccinated. He also claimed that there are already federal paid sick days, so any call for provincial paid sick days is “irresponsible”, “playing politics” and doing a “disservice” to “the taxpayer.” This couldn’t be farther from the truth. To unpack these deceptions, read this analysis by Dr. Jesse McLaren here. 

After these claims, we saw the discussion around the federal benefit, Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) and paid sick days reignited. We know the CRSB can never be the same as provincially legislated paid sick days. The CRSB is: 

1. Delayed and not fully paid 
2. Temporary and only for COVID-19 
3. Not flexible and only available in week-long increments 
4. Excludes many workers

CRSB can be helpful as retroactive income support, but is not a proactive public health measure. This is evidenced by its poor uptake -- despite record breaking COVID-19 case numbers across the country CRSB applications have declined.

Denying paid sick days is driving the pandemic

The provincial government’s opposition to paid sick days is fuelling the pandemic. New data confirms that the unavailability of paid sick leave is causing “presenteeism” (workers going to work sick). The response to COVID-19 should be a rise in workers staying home sick because that is what is needed to stop the spread in workplaces. But, while the number of unionized workers staying home sick doubled during the pandemic, it hasn’t budged for non-unionized workers. This confirms that workers without paid sick leave—disproportionately low-wage, racialized and migrant workers—are being left without the protections they need to stay home during this pandemic. 

Rather than blaming workers for not making use of the CRSB which was designed to fail, and blaming health providers and others for demanding paid sick days, the government must legislate paid sick days immediately. Bill 247 would legislate 10 permanent paid sick days and will come up for a vote soon -- we cannot afford for Conservative MPPs to vote no again (like they did on March 1 to block Bill 239). If passed, this would enable workers at highest risk to stay home when sick and also encourage vaccination, which are both essential to stoping COVID-19.  

Support Prof. Avolonto against anti-black racism

Achieving decent work and health requires challenging anti-Black racism in workplaces and on campuses, which begins by supporting Black workers who are speaking up. Professor Aimé Avolonto is speaking out against anti-Black racism he has endured at York University. As health providers advocating for decent work, we support Professor Avolonto and urge our members to read this statement of support and add their solidarity.

Celebrating Butterfly's 5+ years of grassroots power

Butterfly works to ensure that regardless of their immigration status, Asian and migrant sex workers be treated like all other workers. They have an upcoming online exhibition to celebrate over 5 years of building grassroots power. This exhibition features photographs, voice and text messages contributed by the Butterfly community. You can check out the exhibition on their instagram page and RSVP to join their event on April 24 here.

Our movement is growing. Voices supporting #PaidSickDaysSaveLives have never been louder. We hope you can join us this week at the decent work organizing meeting on Tuesday or the health worker organizing meeting on Thursday.