TORONTO – This week, delegates at the Ontario Federation of Labour’s (OFL) 16th Biennial Convention voted overwhelmingly in favour of supporting Andrea Horwath and the New Democratic Party in the lead-up to the 2022 provincial election. The endorsement is a key component of the OFL Action Plan that charts a path to defeat Doug Ford’s anti-worker government and elect a workers-first majority government led by the NDP.
“Ontarians deserve a government that puts working people first, from the moment they take office,” said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President. “I know that the best way to ensure that workers’ issues are at the forefront is to elect an NDP majority government.”
The OFL represents over one million Ontario workers who belong to more than 1,500 locals from 54 affiliated unions. Nearly 1,000 delegates attended the OFL Convention to discuss and debate strategies to ensure a workers’ first agenda is on the table as we look towards the 2022 provincial election and beyond.
“In the lead-up to next year’s election, workers are ready to build momentum by mobilizing around the issues that matter most: a livable wage, permanent paid sick days, and repealing Bill 124 to name a few,” said Coates. “We will use this momentum to show there is a strong mandate for a bold, progressive, and ambitious workers-first agenda in Ontario.”
The OFL Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy to win the future that workers need. It is a roadmap towards a just recovery, justice for workers, and universal, accessible, and well-funded public services. The plan aims to build a province-wide movement of workers, families, and communities to generate wide public support for the vision of the future that we all know is possible – and urgently needed.
“Electing pro-worker representatives to Queen’s Park through the Ontario NDP is a critical step towards addressing the hardships that many workers in this province are facing – hardships that were exacerbated by the Ford Conservatives’ anti-worker agenda.” added Coates. “In the fight for our future we must elect representatives that are going to put working people first from the start. The only leader and party with that vision is Andrea Horwath and the NDP.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information, please contact:
Melissa Palermo
Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
mpalermo@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456
