Nov 04, 2019
The Sudbury Workers’ Education and Advocacy Centre (SWEAC) wants people to know how a living wage can benefit workers.
Executive director Scott Florence explains that the living wage is the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover basic expenses and participate in their community.
He adds that many people know all too well that minimum wage is not enough to live on.
To mark the start of Living Wage Week in Ontario, SWEAC is hosting a panel discussion on Monday, Nov. 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Sudbury Indie Cinema Co-op at 162 MacKenzie Street.
Panelists include Dana Wilson from Public Health Sudbury & Districts to discuss the impacts of wages and health, and Fionna Tough from Sudbury Shared Harvest to talk about the connections between wages and food security. A panelist will also share their own lived experience as a low-wage earner.
Florence says his organization works with many low-wage earners, people whose jobs are unstable and people from vulnerable populations. He explains that “most people end up having to have two or sometimes even three jobs in order to make ends meet. The work is uncertain, the work is unsteady, and that adds extra stress in people’s lives.”
He adds that when people earn more, they have better peace of mind, more money for taking care of basic needs and emergencies, and they do better overall.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/panel-discussion-living-wage-1.5347114