About one in three low-wage workers in Ontario is a victim of “wage theft,†according to a report being released at Queen’s Park on Thursday. The report, based on a survey of 520 casual, temporary and non-standard workers in the Greater Toronto Area and Windsor, is among the first attempts in Canada to document how often vulnerable workers go unpaid or suffer other violations of employment standards.
Shir Hever is an economic researcher in the Alternative Information Center, a Palestinian-Israeli organization active in Jerusalem and Beit-Sahour. Researching the economic aspect of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, some of his research topics include the international aid to the Palestinians and to Israel, the effects of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories on the Israeli economy, and the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns against Israel. His work also includes giving lectures and presentations on the economy of the occupation. His first book: Political Economy of Israel’s Occupation: Repression Beyond Exploitation, has been published by Pluto Press.
The Supreme Court of Canada dealt a harsh blow to the union movement today, ruling in favour of an Ontario law that restricts the right of farm workers to bargain collectively. The Court said that the constitutional right to free association guarantees that “meaningful†negotiations take place between workers and their employers – but it is not intended to police the mechanics of how those negotiations take place.
