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March 12, 2020
Entertainment unions CWA Canada, IATSE, ACTRA and DGC are
calling on the federal government to extend EI supports to all workers
impacted by the pandemic, including the many workers in our sector who
are not classified as employees. The following letter was just sent to
the Minister of Health and the Minister of Employment, Workforce
Inclusion, Disability Inclusion.
March 12, 2020
The Honourable Patty Hadju
Minister of Health
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Employment, Workforce Inclusion, Disability Inclusion
RE: COVID-19 RESPONSE PACKAGE - CALL TO EXTEND IT TO ALL WORKERS
Dear Ministers:
We
are writing on behalf of workers in the entertainment industry who
would be left out of the EI supports announced today as part of the
COVID-19 response package.
Many in our industry are not
classified as employees, and therefore not eligible for EI for any loss
of work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While we are pleased
that you indicate income support for those workers will be ‘explored’,
we urge you to take precise action in the coming days.
There
have already been some cancellations of television productions and there
are expected to be more. Production insurance is not covering
cancellations related to COVID-19.
Workers who are signed to
those shows rely on those contracts which can range from several days to
several months. The loss of that expected income would be devastating
for many.
This industry is just one of many where workers are
not defined as employees under the Canada Labour Code. Your government
has often stated that it intends to find ways to improve conditions for
people who work in the ‘gig economy’. Extending the $1 billion package
for COVID-19 to cover all workers would be a tangible demonstration of that commitment.
Sincerely,
Martin O’Hanlon
President, CWA Canada; on behalf of the Fairness in Factual TV Campaign
John Lewis
Vice President, Canadian Region, IATSE
David Sparrow
President, ACTRA National
David Forget
National Executive Director, DGC