Montreal demands a $15 minimum wage

More than 1,000 people attended the demonstration on Saturday. Photo by Nelly Serandour-Amar

Various community and anti-poverty groups rallied together to #FightFor15

On Saturday Oct. 15, more than 1,000 people gathered at Villeray’s Parc le Prévost to rally for a $15 per hour minimum wage in Quebec.

The demonstration united approximately 31 different anti-poverty, community and student-run groups, as well as different party leaders from Projet Montreal and Quebec Solidaire.

One of the main campaigns that took part in the rally was 5-10-15. Their goal is to improve working conditions. Five represents having your work schedule at least five days in advance, 10 represents ten days off for illness or family matters and 15 represents a $15 minimum wage per hour.

Virginie Larivière, spokesperson for 5-10-15, said it was clear all the different organizations present needed to come together, since they were mainly asking for the same thing—a minimum wage of $15. “It’s a big start today—it’s the first time we are all going out publicly,” she said. Many participants were wearing a 5-10-15 sticker to show their support for the campaign.

“Today, we are marching to demand for a minimum wage of $15 an hour, because we find it unacceptable and inconceivable that in 2016, workers are working full-time and still find themselves below the poverty line,” said Dominique Daigneault, president of conseil central de Montreal Metropolitain CSN. “It’s a question of respect for those who work daily, to provide them with services and the opportunity to have a decent living.” Minimum wage in Quebec is currently $10.75 per hour.

Daigneault said the campaign is continuing to move forward, due to the increase of groups joining the movement. “We’re joining a vast movement that is taking place all over North America.”

Protesters walked from Le Prévost Park in Villeray to Parc metro station. Valerie Plante, the councillor for Projet Montreal, was impressed with the number of people who showed up. “It’s one of the main steps we need to take to keep going,” she said. “I’m happy to see that in Montreal, and throughout Quebec, we are moving forward to request that everyone gets a fair wage,” she said.

With files from Cristina Sanza

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