1. Resisting Precarity in the21st CenturyPEPSO Meeting, April 24, 2013A COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ALLIANCE, LED BY:By: Peter Brogan, Jenny Carson, Philip Kelly, Cammie Peirce, SupriyaLatchman, Conely de Leon, Karen Charnow Lior, Myer Siemiatycki

2. PEPSO CASE STUDY 2:Collective Responses to Precarity2 The potential of unions to improve the conditions of workers in precariousemployment Effectiveness of social movement/living wage campaigns in supporting precariousworkers Role and capacity of alternate forms of work relations to raise working and livingstandards 3. Toronto Cleaners Push Back:Collective Responses from Unions, Workers and the Labour-CommunityJenny Carson, Supriya Latchman & Myer Siemiatycki,Ryerson UniversityJust because we pick up dirt,doesnt mean we should betreated like dirtNezrene Edwards3 4. Pushing back against:Fords Gravy Train Rob Ford ElectedMayor, November2010 Ford announces planto cut 110 policecleaners jobs, June2011 KPMG Reportreleased, July 20114 5. City Cleaners: The Punching BagsThe most vulnerable targets City of Toronto employs 1,100 cleaners 110 cleaners work in Police stations Wages are nearly 50% lower in the private sector and no benefits Private cleaning sector: bidding and subcontracting characterized asa Dog eat dog sector5 6. Justice and Dignity for CleanersCampaign, September 2011:A Progressive labour-community response6Main Goals:1. Stop the outsourcingof cleaning jobs2. Start a dialogue aboutwhat type of employerthe City of Torontoshould be3. Promote democracyand transparency ofdecision making atCity Hall4. Make labour/unionissues moral issues 7. Collective Responses on different frontsNov.2010Rob Ford Electedas Mayor for City ofTorontoJuly 2011KPMG Report issuesCore ServicesReviewJan. 2012City CouncilBudgetCommitteepropose cuts tocity servicesSept.2011Justice for Dignityand CleanersCampaign launchedJuly 2010-Sept.2011Labour communitypush back in PublicServices for AllCampaignJune 2011Toronto PoliceService CleanersContracted outSept.2011-April2012Justice for Dignityand CleanersCampaign lobbyCity Council viadeputations andRally for RespectApril 12, 2012City council votes29:21 to prevent CityManagement fromawarding contractsfor cleaning servicewithout Councilapproval. 8. A Qualified Success:Outcomes and Analysis April 11, 2012- City council votes 29:12 to reclaimfinal decision over further contracting out ofcleaning services Slows momentum and potentially stops furthercontracting out of cleaners Brought transparency and accountability tocontracting out decisions Challenge of sustaining fight back coalitions Success in re-framing the debate through a broadcommunity-labour coalition8 9. Hotel Workers Rising:Collective Responses through local worker-led enterprisesKaren Charnow Lior & Peter BroganToronto Workforce Innovation Group9 10. Hotel Workers Training Centre:A Hospitality Unionism and LabourMarket Adjustment Approach10Hawthorne Food and Drink:A High Road Approach60 Richmond Street East, Toronto ON 11. Speaking with your fork:Restaurant Opportunities Centre (ROC)11Source: ROC United, New York City 12. Taking the High Road: Three-fold12Providing aliving wageMaintaininga HealthyworkplaceDevelopingtraining andinternalpromotionpolicies to createcareer laddersand stabilize avery precariousworkforce 13. The High Road Approach:Achievements and ObstaclesWhere we Are Demonstrating that thesestrategies do positively impactthe lives of workers Understanding the challengesand pitfalls of a high roadtraining strategy Bringing the key actors labourand management together tosupport industry-based trainingand developmentWhere we hope to go Worker-owned, up-scale restaurantsthat are competitive, market-valueand sustainable Collective agreements that ensureworkers have a living wage, benefits,health insurance, job security andaccess to training Campaigns that make conditions inthe industry visible and bringworkers together1313 14. Live-In Caregivers:Collective Responses to Precarity through Cultural ProductionConely de Leon and Philip KellyYork University14 15. The Live-In Caregiver Program &Precarious Employment15Live-inrequirementrenderscontractualconditionslargelyunenforcedIntegration intoopen labourforce in low paidand insecureemploymentImpact on Qualityof Work, Life &Community WellbeingPredominantlywomen fromthe PhilippinesIncreasinglevels ofeducationIncreasingnumbers,peaking in2007/2010Labour forceEstablished,1993Requires 24months of live-in employmentOpen WorkPermit, thenPermanentResidencyLCP 16. The Role of Cultural Production asCollective Response The creation of collaborative endeavours Awareness of common experiences/concerns Increasing consciousness of structural contexts Facilitating individual agency Fostering wider awareness The art of persuasion Varied forms of artistic creation andcollaboration16 17. Live-in Caregivers:Collective Cultural Responses from Filipino Nannies & CommunityKwentong Bayan: Labourof Love-Comic Book17Kwentong Buhay Pinay Story TellingThe Nanny Project 18. THANK YOUMyer Siemiatycki, msiemiatycki@politics.ryerson.caJenny Carson, jcarson@history.ryerson.caKaren Charnow Lior, karen@workforceinnovation.caPhilip Kelly, pfkelly@yorku.cawww.pepso.capepso@mcmaster.ca18