More workers had access to paid sick days through their employer in 2023 than in 2021. Data from Statistics Canada shows 64 per cent of workers now have access to paid sick leave at their main job.
Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), said this new statistics is a proud achievement resulting from years of labour organizing.
“One thing the pandemic taught us is paid sick leave saves lives and is critical to keep our communities and workplaces safe,” she said.
Yolanda McClean, Secretary Treasurer for the Ontario section of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) previously told rabble in a 2022 interview that when workers do not have access to paid sick days, they are faced with a choice between putting food on the table and staying home to reduce transmission of an illness.
“How do you choose between necessities and necessities?” McClean asked.
While the rise in those who get paid sick leave is encouraging, Bruske said the work does not stop here.
“The next step is to ensure that every worker in Canada has this right,” she said, “and we will continue to fight for better protections for all workers.”
The labour movement has made important contributions that benefit the health of all Canadians, said Anne Lagacé Dowson, media director at the Canadian Health Coalition (CHC), an advocacy organization for the preservation and improvement of universal public health care across Canada.
“These kinds of advances are very encouraging to see, and they’re a sign of what can be done to protect the health of all of us,” she added.
This news comes the week after the Pharmacare Act received royal assent. As a result, the Minister of Health will move forward with provinces and territories to reach agreements to provide access to contraception and diabetes medications.
The CLC said pharmacare is a historic win for workers. It still remains to be seen how agreements with provinces and territories will shape up, but both Bruske and Minister Holland seem optimistic.
“There’s gonna be a day when Canadians look back and find it unimaginable that people who needed access to essential medication didn’t have it,” Minister Holland said in a virtual news conference on October 11.
Bruske said this step means Canadians are closer to no longer needing to choose between groceries and medications.
“We call on every province and territory to get on board, so that no Canadian is left behind,” she said. “This is an opportunity to build a stronger, fairer healthcare system for all.”
For Lagacé Dowson, the news on paid sick leave and pharmacare being in close proximity is energizing. As the CHC continues its fight for more equitable health care, she said these pieces of news demonstrate that all hope is not lost.
“People are getting the care they deserve, and that they paid for with their taxes. We are making progress,” she said.
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