Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

April 18th, VICTORIA – Opposition Leader Carole James today introduced the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, 2007 to lift B.C.’s minimum wage to $10 per hour. The Bill also proposes to index future increases to protect workers and give certainty to employers. Also included in the legislative package is a full percentage point reduction in the small business tax rate to help that sector manage rising costs.

After a six year freeze, it’s time the government of British Columbia gave our province’s lowest paid workers a raise.

• More information and a petition at www.bcfed.com.

The Minimum Wage Fairness Act will raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour and implements a system to index increases in future years so B.C.’s lowest paid workers never have to face a six year freeze again.

By providing this lift and indexing future increases, B.C.’s lowest paid workers get much needed support and employers get the certainty they need to plan for the future.

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I want to extend a special congratulations to all of the union brothers and sisters who ran and were elected to parliament on January 23rd. We look forward to meeting all of you over the next few months.

While we may have our differences with the new Conservative government, we intend to see what we can get done for working people between now and the next election. While many Canadians clearly voted for a change, many also voted for candidates whose party offered working families the most. We look forward to the positive and productive parliament that was promised. Read the rest of Ken Georgetti’s message at the CLC website.

Read the text of letters sent to the Party Leaders by the CLC here: Letter to Jack Layton | Letter to Paul Martin | Letter to Gilles Duceppe | Letter to Stephen Harper (all ).

Now that the election is over and PSAC members and all Canadians are waiting to see what the new Conservative minority government’s first actions will be, National President Nycole Turmel has written to the incoming Prime Minister and the leaders of the opposition parties to put some of our members’ concerns before them and to ask for an early meeting to discuss these concerns, read the letters here: Letter to Stephen Harper | Letter to Paul Martin | Letter to Jack Layton | Letter to Gilles Duceppe (all )

Congratulations to all of you who contacted your federal election candidates and encouraged them to endorse the Make Poverty History goals! Thanks to you, more than 75% of candidates from all parties have endorsed the Make Poverty History goals of more and better aid, trade justice, 100% debt cancellation and an end to child poverty in Canada. In all, 987 candidates responded by our deadline, and even now, more are contacting us.

To find out how the candidates and their parties responded, visit the Make Poverty History website. You can also find out about the different party platforms to see how the different parties plan to act.

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Let’s make sure the voices of working people are sent to Ottawa on January 23, 2006.

When: Saturday January 7th, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Where: Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver

• Protect public healthcare, public education and training
• Stop the sale of Terasen and other critical parts of the economy
• Stop the use of scabs to destroy worker rights
• Public childcare for all Canadians
• Standing up to George Bush to protect jobs

Please Join Us - Look for the PSAC Banner. Come hear Jack Layton – Canada’s NDP Leader