TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 50 actions are expected on Monday, October 15, when communities across Ontario mobilize in defense of new workers' rights brought in by Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, including the $15 minimum wage that is scheduled for January 1.



What stands to be the largest coordinated day of action for Ontario workers in the past decade will target ridings of Conservative MPPs, after Premier Doug Ford revealed the government is considering the full repeal of Bill 148, cancelling Ontario's decent work laws.

"It is not too late for Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet to do the right thing and help Ontario workers," said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. "This October 15, wherever Conservative MPPs look across the province, they'll find workers who want, need and deserve decent work laws, including the $15 minimum wage."

"The law is the law, and as it stands, nearly 2 million workers are scheduled to get a raise in 11 weeks," says Pam Frache, Coordinator of Fight for $15 & Fairness Campaign. "Every single day we encounter people who tell us they voted for Premier Ford because they thought his promise to be ‘for the people' meant standing up to corporate elites, like Galen Weston and Rocco Rossi. Repealing Bill 148 now would be a slap in the face of many workers who voted for Premier Ford," she added.

Rocco Rossi is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, which has repeatedly called for a full repeal of Bill 148. That same bill brought in modest reforms like 10 days of job-protected emergency leave (the first two days paid), equal pay for equal work, and making it easier to join and keep a union (read more here ).

Actions across the province range from public rallies, visits to the offices of Conservative MPPs, workplace actions in support of $15 & Fairness, campus actions at universities and colleges as well as neighbourhood outreach blitzes.

The day of action is coordinated by the Fight for $15 and Fairness and the Ontario Federation of Labour as well as community, student, teacher, faculty, faith, health, labour and non-profit associations across the province.

Scroll below for October 15 Actions, more details are coming, including actions at Ontario's 24 colleges. To see the latest listing of events, visit www.15andFairness.org or www.oflevents.ca .

AJAX

MPP Rod Phillips' Office

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM — 1 Rossland Road W, Suite 209

https://www.facebook.com/events/1890033274377097/

ALLISTON

MPP Jim Wilson's Office

4:15 PM to 6:15 PM — 180 Parsons Rd, Unit 28

https://www.facebook.com/events/1105764262908474/

AURORA

Outreach Blitz

2:30 PM to 4:00 PM — 15900 Bayview Avenue

https://www.facebook.com/events/2278584029054493/

BRAMPTON

Outreach Blitz

5:00 PM to 6:30 PM — Brampton City Hall, 2 Wellington Street West

https://www.facebook.com/events/1109860432517237/

BRANTFORD

MPP Will Bouma's Office

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM -- Assemble at Laurier Brantford (student centre), then visit the MPP's office at 96 Nelson Street (Suite 101)

https://www.facebook.com/events/1925329787772168/

COBOURG

MPP David Piccini's Office

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM — 513 Division Street

https://www.facebook.com/events/2239650782774692/

ETOBICOKE

Outreach Blitz

12:00 PM to 2:00 PM — Corner of Dixon and Islington

https://www.facebook.com/events/273361209972051/

GUELPH

Outreach Blitz and Banner Action

9:00 AM to 4:00 PM -- University Centre and Guelph City Hall

https://www.facebook.com/events/2051966904867912/

HAMILTON

Mohawk College

12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm — Fennel Campus (135 Fennel Avenue West)

https://www.facebook.com/events/660954794289049/

Rally

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Jackson Square (James North and King Street)

https://www.facebook.com/events/2126481291013219/

KINGSTON

Outreach Blitz - Queen's University

12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM (University Avenue & Union Street West)

Outreach Blitz - St. Lawrence College

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (main entrance, transit stop)

Outreach Blitz - Cataraqui Town Centre

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (location TBA)

https://www.facebook.com/events/163504867919883/

LONDON

Fanshawe College

10 AM to 3 PM — F Building at Fanshawe College

https://www.facebook.com/events/548694465559530/

Chamber of Commerce Action

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM — London Chamber of Commerce, 244 Pall Mall St

https://www.facebook.com/events/240792906594680/

MISSISSAUGA

Outreach Blitz

11:00 AM to 1:00 PM -- Westwood Mall, (7205 Goreway Drive), at the bus shelter

https://www.facebook.com/events/314623869120414/

Outreach Blitz

5:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Mississauga Celebration Square (300 City Centre Dr)

https://www.facebook.com/events/343116039596400/

NEWMARKET

Action Against Corporate Bullies

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Real Canadian Superstore, 18120 Yonge St

https://www.facebook.com/events/550068845448883/

NORTH BAY

15 Workplace Actions

9:00 AM to 9:00 PM — Across the city

https://www.facebook.com/events/991736950987724/

OAKVILLE

Banner Drop

4:30 PM to 6:00 PM — Trafalgar Road exit – South-West QEW off-Ramp

https://www.facebook.com/events/1800350026749723/

OTTAWA

Outreach Blitz

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM — in front of Loblaws, 363 Rideau St (corner of Nelson St)

https://www.facebook.com/events/681597172211532/

PETERBOROUGH

Outreach Blitz

4:30 PM to 6:00 PM — South East corner of George St North & Simcoe St

https://www.facebook.com/events/543791412738650/

SCARBOROUGH

Centennial College, Progress Campus

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Progress Campus, the Bridge

https://www.facebook.com/events/243984089622188/?event_time_id=243984096288854

Scarborough Centre

10:30 AM to 12:00 PM — Intersection of Warden Ave and Lawrence Ave East

https://www.facebook.com/events/550380335403347/

Scarborough Agincourt

12:30 PM to 2:00 PM — Sheppard Ave East and Kennedy Road Intersection

https://www.facebook.com/events/336959493705534/

Scarborough Rouge Park

2:30 PM to 4:00 PM — Morningside Avenue and Milner Avenue Intersection

https://www.facebook.com/events/1083895695111500/

ST. CATHARINES

Rally

12:00 PM to 2:00 PM — Outside the Ministry of Transportation, 289 St Paul St

https://www.facebook.com/events/2143198219048121/

TORONTO

Morning Outreach Blitz

7:30 AM to 8:45 AM — Dufferin & Sherbourne TTC stations

https://www.facebook.com/events/338555650239079/

York University Outreach Blitz

11:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Vari Hall, York University at 198 York Blvd

https://www.facebook.com/events/2149680478582507/

University of Toronto Outreach Blitz

11:00 AM to 1:30 PM — Sid Smith (East Side)

https://www.facebook.com/events/2186536938264706/

Rally outside Ministry of Labour

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM – 400 University Ave

https://www.facebook.com/events/251715398866409/

Educators at Lawrence West

3:15 PM to 5:00 PM — Lawrence West Subway Station

https://www.facebook.com/events/475332019618614/

WATERLOO

MPP Mike Harris' Office

3:00 PM to 5:00 PM — 63 Arthur St South Unit 3&4

https://www.facebook.com/events/1109742122517576/

For more information:

Meagan Perry,

Director of Communications

Ontario Federation of Labour

mperry@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456

Nil Sendil

Communications Coordinator

Fight for $15 & Fairness

info@15andfairness.org l 647-710-5795

cope343