The Year 2020

I checked, and it's much too late to say Happy New Year, so I won't. But hello all the same! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter, and for your interest the the living wage.

Here are some things that I'm looking forward to seeing in the living wage movement in Ontario in the coming year and beyond:

• We're almost at 300 certified living wage employers! Given the growth we've shown every year, and the incredible interest from all sectors of businesses and organizations this is sure to double in the next few years.

• There will be noticeable expansions in the way we celebrate and promote our certified living wage employers.

• We'll hopefully see more municipalities and public sector employers become certified living wage employers. While most full-time city employees already earn at least a living wage, contract workers will see a raise in pay as their municipality enacts living wage policies when it renews service contacts. This can also have benefits to our certified living wage employers who might be in a position to provide services or goods to municipalities.

Take good care,

Greg deGroot-Maggetti

Chair, OLWN


In this update: MEDIA COVERAGE | FEATURED EMPLOYER | BUSINESS CASE


The CBC picked up a story about Huron County, and interviewed United Way Perth Huron Executive Director and living wage organizer Ryan Erb.

Niagara This Week gave some great coverage to certified living wage employer Griffiths Performance Physiotherapy. “We hope to inspire businesses around us to get on board with paying a living wage and to also give back to our community,” said co-owner Amanda Griffiths. The Niagara Region now has 33 certified living wage employers.

PTBOToday.ca covered Jim Russell, CEO of the United Way of Peterborough as he spoke to council as a registered delegate, imploring the City of Peterborough to become a certified living wage employer.


FEATURED EMPLOYERS

Each month we'll showcase a different living wage employer. This month it’s Williams Drainage. This second-generation agricultural services firm provides farm drainage, excavating, and erosion control to clients in Perth, Huron, Wellington, Bruce, Grey and Waterloo Counties. They are certified at the champion level, where all full time, part time, and contract workers are paid at least a living wage.

"Providing our employees with a living wage just makes sense. Our employees benefit, our community benefits and our business benefits."

Alisia Williams, Vice President


BUSINESS CASE

In 2017 the United Way Greater Toronto (then called Toronto and York Region) teamed up with accounting giant KPMG to produce a report titled Better Business Outcomes Through Workforce Security: A Business Case Framework

From the introduction:

"...this KPMG and United Way joint report seeks to serve as a business case framework to encourage transitioning workers in non-standard roles to standard employment and in cases where conditions prevent this from occurring, to increase practices that enhance the security for workers in non-standard roles."

Certified living wage employer and early champion Grosche is even featured, where their living wage policy is cited to “...reduce stress and worry about making ends meet is a given, leading to better heath. Less absenteeism and staff turnover are a proven result for employers. Also, spending a portion of the additional income supports the local economy.”

Read the report here: