Friday November 24, 2006
For Immediate Release
Toronto, ON – “The need for a National Minimum Wage has never been greater and I applaud the NDP for its leadership with this initiative,” said IAMAW Canadian General Vice President Dave Ritchie.
“The recent introduction of Bill C-375 calling for a national minimum wage is yet another clear example of how the NDP fights on behalf of working Canadian families.”
Bill C – 375, an act to amend the Canadian Labour Code (minimum wage) was introduced by NDP MP Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park) and seconded by NDP MP Libby Davies (Vancouver East). If adopted it would apply directly to those working under federal jurisdiction in every province and territory, about 10 per cent of the Canadian workforce, including transport, telecommunications and some First Nation workers. The Federal minimum wage was eliminated in 1996 under the Liberal government and since then the current provincial or territorial rates were adopted as the federal minimums.
“A single person working full time in Canada needs an hourly rate of at least $10 an hour just to reach the poverty line,” said Davies. “Raising minimum wages benefits low income earners and is a powerful tool to fight poverty.”
The Canadian Council for Social Development has stressed the importance of a federal minimum wage and recommends a rate of $10 an hour. In its recent submission to the Federal Labour Review Commission, the Council stated that “Canada Labour Code’s importance extends far beyond the numbers of workers covered and can serve as a ‘best practice’ for labour standards across the country.”
Nash is hopeful that her bill will find support amongst MPs from all political parties. “Raise the minimum wage, because in a just society no one working full time for a full year should find themselves in poverty,” explained Nash.
The IAMAW, among the largest industrial trade unions in North America, represents more than 700,000 active and retired members, and administers more than 5,000 contracts in transportation, woodworking, aerospace, manufacturing and defense related industries.
