EI Campaign: Year in Review and What’s Next

The GJFA Coalition’s is continuing work on the Fix Employment Insurance (EI) Campaign, launched at the start of 2009.    In 2010 we intend to continue to fight to make sure that workers being laid off across Canada get the employment insurance that they pay for.

Throughout 2009 we organized community town halls, signing of petitions, rallies and a forum on September 21st. We also met with organizers in Quebec to join forces between our provinces to build and strengthen the call for EI reform.

We are continuing our mobilizing and campaign efforts to call for:

1.      360 hours to qualify for EI benefits in all regions of Canada

2.      Increase benefit duration to at least 50 weeks in all regions, and

  • Provide an additional year of “Special Extension” benefits if national unemployment exceeds 6.5%
  • Extend EI Part 1 benefits while a worker is in approved training.

3.      Increase benefits to at least 60% of normal earnings, using workers’ 12 best weeks, and raise the maximum. Suspend the allocation of severance pay. Eliminate the 2 week waiting period.