Legislation has been tabled in the Ontario legislature to try and eliminate a gap that ultimately punishes auto workers.
Oshawa NDP MPP Jennifer French introduced legislation Wednesday that would put an end to the cap on emergency leave days for auto workers.
In late 2017, the Liberal government passed the Fair Workplace Better Jobs Act to allow workers 10 days of personal emergency leave with two paid days for injury, injury, bereavement or other emergencies but it exempts auto workers who are entitled to seven days for personal or family illness or emergencies and three days for bereavement, with none of the leave being paid.
"We don't understand if the government had recognized that there is a necessity to introduce those changes," says Unifor local 195 member Emile Nabbout. "Why we would accept the auto workers would continue to be punished through those regulations."
He says the updated Employment Standard Act 'clearly punishes auto workers.'
Autoworkers from across the province will be attending a rally at Queen’s Park on Sunday to call on the government to immediately remove the exemption and adopt French’s bill.
--With files from AM800's Patty Handysides