A handful of seasonal workers occupied Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Montreal offices on Wednesday to demand changes in employment insurance.
“We did a lot of rallies, we did a lot of meetings but nobody wants to listen to us,” said Fernand Thibodeau, a spokesman for the Action Committee on Employment Insurance for Seasonal Workers.
Thibodeau says seasonal workers are living in an employment insurance “black hole,” referring to the gap between the end of employment insurance and the start of seasonal working.
Under a Liberal pilot project launched last year, seasonal workers in 13 targeted regions of the country — including Bas-Saint-Laurent–Côte-Nord, Central Quebec, Chicoutimi-Jonquiere, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine and North Western Quebec — are entitled to an extra five weeks of employment insurance.
However, Thibodeau says that is not enough to cover the needs of seasonal workers, especially those who don’t reach the required 490 hours of work to be eligible for employment insurance for 23 weeks.
“Five weeks, that’s like icing on the cake, that’s not going to fix seasonal workers’ problems,” Thibodeau said.
Thibodeau says they would like the government to lower the hour requirement to 420 hours with a coverage of 35 weeks of employment insurance. He added the government should invest in a 10-year study to better understand the needs of seasonal workers.
READ: Feds announce pilot program to address ‘EI black hole’ for New Brunswick seasonal workers
The challenges of seasonal work
Thibodeau says some people judge seasonal workers and call them lazy for demanding employment-insurance benefits.
“That’s not true,” Thibodeau said. “Those people work very hard hours, up to 17 hours a day. It equals to someone’s full-time job,” said Thibodeau.
WATCH: Okanagan orchardists dealing with foreign workers shortage
Thibodeau says seasonal workers are usually only qualified in their field of work and have a hard time finding other jobs during the off-season.
Even if they find other temporary work, Thibodeau says, many are laid off or forced to hand in a resignation when they move on to their seasonal jobs, which disqualifies them to apply for seasonal work employment insurance. It’s something he says seasonal workers would like the government to take into consideration.
In a statement, Valérie Glazer, a spokesperson for the Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development acknowledged seasonal workers may need additional support.
“Our Government understands that workers in seasonal industries are an important part of Canada’s continued prosperity,” she said. “We also understand that, due to the nature of their jobs, many workers in seasonal industries rely on Employment Insurance to get them through difficult times.”
Glazer touted the government’s pilot project giving seasonal workers extended EI coverage, but did not specifically address Thibodeau’s concerns.
“Through the new pilot project, an estimated 51,500 workers in seasonal industries will benefit from extra weeks of EI. Our government also provides more money for provinces and territories for skills training and employment supports.”
“These supports are part of our Government’s $240 million commitment in Budget 2018 that will ensure Canada’s workers in season industries have access to the supports they need when they need them most.”
— With files from The Canadian Press
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- On the ‘frontline’: Toronto-area residents hiring security firms to fight auto theft
- Honda’s $15B Ontario EV plant marks ‘historic day,’ Trudeau says
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
Comments