The National Council of Unemployed Workers (NCUW, Conseil national des chômeurs et chômeuses) is launching a campaign as a registered third party with Elections Canada, calling for a permanent and in-depth reform of the Employment Insurance (EI) program, in order to ensure better protections for workers.
The slogan of the campaign will be « NO TURNING BACK: THE TIME IS NOW! », will aimed in at the representatives of federal political parties, while seeking to gather support from the population. The NCUW will have signs all across the province of Québec, as well as digital and printed advertising material.
In a press conference, Pierre Céré, spokesperson for the National Council of Unemployed Workers (NCUW), was joined by Ghislain Picard, chief of the Assembly of First Nations Québec-Labrador (AFNQL), Anne Trudel, president of the Conseil québécois du théâtre and by Julie Brassard from Mouvement Action-Chômage de Charlevoix (MACC).
“Since the beginning of the crisis, the federal government has put in place significant income support programs and more flexible Employment Insurance. However, these measures remain temporary. Despite the announcement of reform following consultations, nothing is certain. It seems unthinkable to us that we could even consider going back to a failing and ill-functioning EI program, the one we have known since the 1990s. Our message is simple: We must act and fix the social safety net, for real, and reform EI!”- Pierre Céré
“The government has recognized the many challenges we face, and has put in place a 420-hour eligibility standard for Employment Insurance, which we have been asking for a long time and for everyone, because this makes sense and because it meets the needs of First Nations. Many permanent changes must take place in this social program so that it can play its rightful role of providing a replacement income in the face of unemployment. The time for change has arrived.”- Ghislain Picard
“15% of the working population is currently without any protection against unemployment. This is about 3 million people. The expansion of the EI to self-employment is a fundamental issue that will be decided in the coming months. This is a crucial measure for the cultural sector, for artists and artisans. We’ve seen it in the last year. Canada must follow the path set by many developed countries and include self-employed workers in its Employment Insurance program.”- Anne Trudel
“All workers from the seasonal industries have high expectations of the announced reform. It’s time to allow these workers the right to a decent living. And for that to happen, there must be a comprehensive reform that takes their reality into account.”- Julie Brassard
The NCUW has two main demands :
- The expansion of coverage, to sectors of society which are currently excluded from EI, primarily self-employed workers, but also those who are poorly protected: part-time and seasonal workers, and Indigenous communities. Extending coverage also means easing the overly severe penalties and sanctions for dismissal or resignation. Before the temporary crisis measures, one in four applicants, who had worked and contributed to EI was excluded because of these policies.
- Improving protections: raising the rate and extending the period of benefits, modifying the calculation method, and seeking to simplify the application of this program by introducing simpler universal rules, because this program has become unnecessarily complex.
A strong public awareness campaign:
The NCUW will campaign throughout the election period in all regions of Quebec, with thousands of signs and other advertising tools, in print and digital media.
The NCUW posted video clips featuring Alain Deneault, Stanley Péan, Katsitsentha Diabo, Lorraine Pintal, Marie-Ève Patry and Pierre Céré. These clips are available on the campaign’s web page, at www.lecnc.com/vrai (in French)