Photo essay: holiday carolling for decent work

To build holiday cheer, the Fight for $15 and Fairness wage brought carolling outside and inside Toronto's Eaton’s Centre, to celebrate the retail workers who are helping us prepare for the holiday season.

To the tune "Deck the halls":

Now’s the time for fifteen dollars

Fa la la la la, la la la la

We need wages we can live on

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Full time work should keep us healthy

But it’s leaving us in poverty

Now’s the time for fifteen dollars

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Wearing Santa hats, the carollers sang holiday tunes with lyrics of justice

Carollers also distributed leaflets explaining the lump of coal that minimum wage workers get on a daily basis: unstable and erratic hours, no advance notice of weekly shifts, lack of protection for workers who ask for a shift change, and poverty wages. 

To the tune of “silent night”

Workers’ rights, workers’ rights

Everyone, join the fight

Part-time and full-time deserve equal pay

We shouldn’t lose pay to take a sick day

15 and fairness is possible
15 and fairness today

The event then went inside the Eaton’s Centre to support and hear from retail workers 

To the tune of “We wish you a merry Christmas”

We wish you a merry workplace

We wish you a merry workplace

We wish you a merry workplace

With fairness for all

We’re joining the fight, with justice in sight

We wish you a merry workplace,

And a New Year that’s bright

Amidst the speeches and songs there was a banner drop to show all the shoppers the holiday wish list for 2016, calling on Premier Kathleen Wynne to make it her new years resolutions.

To the tune of “walking in a wonderland”:

Premier Wynne, are you listening?
Our resolve is clearly stiffening
We need you to say
You're help make work pay
Fifteen bucks is what we're fighting for.

In the New Year we will ask the premier

What ya gonna do for workin’ folks

She’ll say she supports us but it’s no joke

She need to change the laws that govern work

For more information visit 15andfairness.org

Photo essay: 25,000 march for climate justice in Ottawa

November 29 was a sglobal day of climate action, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in thousands of actions across the world. In Ottawa 25,000 people from across Canada and Quebec came together on unceded Algonquin territory to say--and to spell in massive numbers--that climate solutions and climate justice is 100% possible.

Last month people voted for change at the ballot box, and they are continuing to vote with their feet. Trudeau was elected on the slogan of "real change," and the climate justice movement wants to make that rhetoric a reality. As people chanted, "real change not climate change."

This means stopping Canada's fastest growing source of carbon emissions, the tar sands. Following the climate welcome sit-in outside Trudeau's residence at the start of the month, yesterday's demonstration continued to remind the new Prime Minister of the need to freeze tar sands development.

While governments have given billions to the banks and corporations responsible for the economic crisis, and billions more to the oil and gas companies responsible for the climate crisis, there's a growing demand for the climate jobs that can address both crises. As one of the signs said, "If the climate were a bank, it would already be saved."

World leaders are meeting in Paris claiming to work on climate action, while at the same time launching wars that destroy the climate--and denying refugees fleeing wars and climate chaos. Carrying the banner "No war, no warming, the anti-war contingent chanted, "Stop the war on the atmosphere, refugees are welcome here," and "war and Islamophobia go hand in hand, they sabotage climate action plans."

Climate action is possible, and it means respecting Indigenous sovereignty and welcoming refugees, stopping wars and investing in climate jobs: a system change to stop climate change.  

From the 25,000 who marched in Quebec City in April, to the 10,000 who marched in Toronto in July and now the 25,000 who marched in Ottawa yesterday, we can see the growing alliance of Indigenous, environmental and labour groups who are making climate justice 100% possible.