Members of the Regional Coalition against reform EI conducted Thursday noon, distribution of postcards and flyers at the corner of Saguenay Boulevard and rue Lavoisier in Jonquière.
A dozen people took advantage of their lunch hour to remind people, the consequences qu’entraînera the new reform of employment insurance. “With this action, we wanted to remind everyone that this will have a negative impact on our workers and it will destroy the regional economy,” said Sylvain Bergeron, regional coordinator LASTUSE A mascot with the effigy of Prime Minister Stephen Harper was there and sipped a drink on a coffin, representing the employment insurance program.
The movement is growing day by day. So far, the Maritimes and Quebec were mobilized for the cause. It is now the turn of Ontario to defend its values. “The more we will win the West, more Harper will be forced to sit down to negotiate and bring this reform,” says Bergeron.
The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is actively involved in outreach events. “We feel that people here are behind us. In the last events in Montreal and Thetford Mines, we managed to fill eight buses and the effects of the new reform does not yet being felt.
Some implications
Entrepreneurs in the forestry sector have more difficulties to find labor this year. “Their former employees do not come back because of the reform that will force them to do research intensive job. They prefer to find a less paid work, but more stable, “says Sylvain Bergeron.
According to him, the next impact will take place at community agencies. “In this area there are 800 workers. Nearly 400 of them have to unemployment at a time in the year. They will have to look for another job to meet the new rules, “he says.
Although the summer holidays are upon us, members of the Coalition promise to come back strong in the fall with other outreach activities and mobilisation.