Workers’ Action Centre
Deena Ladd, Coordinator
Organizing by and with precarious workers: Toronto’s Workers Action Center and the intersections of
precarious work and migration
Abstract
Since its inception, the Workers Action Centre (WAC) in Toronto has focused on building the
leadership and involvement of immigrants, racialized workers, migrant workers, women,
unemployed and low-waged workers who have little access to adequate waged, full-time
permanent jobs with benefits, union protection or even basic labour rights. We have strived to
develop an organization that can address the challenges of today’s labour market. WAC works
at the nexus of immigration and labour issues shaping workers’ lives. We use a range of
strategies such as supporting workers to address problems with employers directly, campaigns
against companies to change working conditions, sectoral strategies, province-wide campaigns
targeting government legislation, enforcement and protections as well as building the
involvement of workers to become involved in the broader labour movement. Grounding
campaign and policy work in the experiences, analysis and aspirations of people in precarious
work has been critical in advancing meaningful changes to wages and working conditions.
With the involvement and leadership of people in precarious work, WAC has won the following
changes:
 Ensured a commitment from the Ontario government in their poverty reduction agenda
(December 2008) to improve the enforcement of employment standards.
 Improved protections for temp agency workers in Ontario.
 Improved protections for live-in-caregivers in Ontario.
 Key organizer in building the base of support amongst working people in Ontario to win
a 25% increase in the provincial minimum wage to $10.25 in 2010.
 One of the founders and leaders in the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – a new
coalition comprised of grassroots organizations working with migrant workers, trade
unions, faith groups, advocacy and research groups. A key principle in the coalition is to
ensure the active engagement and leadership of migrant workers in the campaign work.