Unions and central labour bodies (Ontario Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress) have adopted many resolutions on Employment Insurance, training, adjustment and employment services. Labour’s views are placed within the context of an economic renewal strategy creating quality, full-time jobs. Together these resolutions outline labour’s agenda, and include key principles and demands such as:

• We believe all residents of Canada are entitled to public, accessible and high quality employment services including unemployment insurance, welfare (without workfare), employment counseling and other adjustment services.
• Unions fight to ensure that rights to literacy and upgrading, public education, training and employment services are universal, that is, accessible to all, regardless of factors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, disabilities, sexual orientation, financial circumstance, work situation or citizenship status and that they are transferable and portable across Canada – including the recognition of foreign credentials.
• The primary responsibility for the funding of education, training and employment services must remain with governments.
• We believe the federal government should have a key role in the training and employment services sector and should not abandon its responsibilities in this area.
• We believe that public institutions should be the primary deliverer and preferred means of training, education and employment services. Funds must be made available to ensure the continuing strength of public education institutions and government programs in these areas.
• We are opposed to private-for-profit education, training and employment services and these kinds of services will not, except in extreme circumstances where there is no alternative, be used by the labour movement.
• Legislation should require a minimum 12 months’ notice for all workplace closures and major layoffs, require the establishment of labour-management adjustment committees and obligate employers to negotiate and finance adjustment. All employment programs operated by government should be available to workers under notice of layoff, including training insurance.
• EI and adjustment programs should support the reintegration of older workers into the workforce, and include bridge benefits to retirement. Older workers should be entitled to a year and a half of benefits. In addition to longer benefit periods, the worker’s years in the workforce should be used to guarantee access to EI benefits.
• Reduce the number of qualifying hours to a uniform 360 for all EI benefits.
• Increase the level of weekly EI benefits paid to at least 66.67% of the best 12 weeks of earnings; extend the benefit payment period from the first day of layoff up to 50 weeks.
• Provide two weeks severance pay for every year worked to all terminated workers.