N.B. Residents Rally For Better Working Conditions For Low-Income Earners
Nearly two dozen people rallied outside Labour Minister Trevor Holder’s constituency office in Saint John on Monday, calling for the Higgs government to improve working conditions for low-income New Brunswickers.
The noon-hour rally was organized by the Common Front for Social Justice, which advocates for people living in poverty and low-wage earners.
“It’s been a really difficult year for a lot of New Brunswickers, especially low-wage workers and minimum-wage workers,” Janelle LeBlanc, provincial coordinator for the group, said in an interview.
“With the cost of living soaring and minimum wage and wages staying stagnant, people just can’t afford to pay for groceries and rent and electricity.”
Among the group’s asks are increasing the minimum wage to a “living wage” of $20 per hour and mandating 10 employer-paid sick days per year.
A living wage is defined as the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and participate in their community.
The Common Front also wants overtime rates to be based on the workers’ current rate of pay rather than the minimum wage.
While LeBlanc applauded the government for increasing the minimum wage by $2 an hour since last fall, she said $13.75 is not enough to cover expenses.
“We know so many people who work a minimum wage, they go to the grocery store, they barely buy any veggies and fruit because they can’t afford it,” she said.
“The wages right now are just not cutting it. It’s just not covering the cost of living.”
LeBlanc said she hopes the minister and his government are receptive to their ideas and will do more to help New Brunswickers in need.
Holder was not at his constituency office during the rally, but organizers hand-delivered a letter outlining their ideas.
Acadia News has reached out to Holder’s office for comment but had not heard back at the time of publication.
Brad Perry is the news director with Country 94 and 97.3 The Wave, Huddle content partners.
Brad Perry is Acadia Broadcasting’s Regional News Director for New Brunswick.