Labour
urges support for EI reform, denounces premium cuts
Georgetti
calls for support for Bill C-269
OTTAWA –
Rather than make an ill-advised cut of a few cents to employment
insurance premiums, the federal government should do the right
thing and find ways to make the EI program work better for the
millions of Canadians who pay for it.
"We need
to fix the EI program to provide assistance to the growing numbers
of unemployed workers, and to help move them to new jobs through
training," says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian
Labour Congress. "This would benefit the country far more
than cutting premiums."
Some business
lobbyists have convincingly hounded the government for months
to cut premiums.
"They
don't care that nearly two-thirds of the workers who pay for insurance
fail to qualify for benefits when they are in need. Nor are they
interested in making the program work better by offering or funding
badly-needed training."
"Responsible
employers should join with workers and call on the government
to support the progressive changes proposed in Bill C-269 that
is on the agenda of the House of Commons this week. Bill C-269
offers a vision of an Employment Insurance program that works
for workers and for the long-term economic interests of the country."
Georgetti
explains that Bill C-269 essentially brings forward the recommendations
supported by all parties in the 2005 Report of the parliamentary
committee on Human Resources. These proposals, which match the
Canadian Labour Congress’ own call for modernization of
EI, have unfortunately been ignored to date by the current and
previous government.
"Think
about it. We could have an EI Program that works for the benefit
of nearly a million more working families or we could hand employers
a few pennies every week. Government should just say no to the
selfish demands of some business sectors and explore better ideas,
like those proposed in Bill C-269," says Georgetti.
The Canadian
Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents
3.2 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada's
national and international unions along with the provincial and
territorial federations of labour and 135 district labour councils.
Web
site: www.canadianlabour.ca
