Union leaders host forum to put income inequality on the agenda

HAMILTON, ON, Oct. 16, 2013 /CNW/ - Leaders of several major Ontario unions will be in Hamilton Wednesday night to host a forum on income inequality in Ontario.

Date: October 16, 2013
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Place: Lincoln Alexander Centre, 160 King St. East, Hamilton

"The growing gap between high-income earners and everyone else is the number one economic story of our time, yet with few exceptions our politicians and business leaders are either making it worse or ignoring it altogether," says James Clancy, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). "The purpose of our forum is to engage grassroots union members and members of the community to make income inequality an issue our leaders ignore at their peril."

The public town hall forum, called The Rich and the Rest of Us, will be moderated by veteran broad Ron Charles and feature panelists James Clancy NUPGE President and Deirdre Pike, senior social planner with the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton. Members of the Hamilton community will join members seven Ontario unions - the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO), NUPGE, the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA), the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA), the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE),  the Society of Energy Professionals (SEP), and the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) in this important conversation about the growing gap and how we can find solutions that are fair for everyone.

As part of the discussion, the Social Planning and Research Council will release findings from a new report, Trends in Hamilton's income inequality and why they matter.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with a light supper served at 6:30 p.m. The town hall forum begins at 7:30 p.m.

"The Rich and the Rest of Us" town hall forum is part of a national campaign called All Together Now! This campaign aims to turn around the damage done to public services and labour rights and to implement tax fairness and a modern industrial strategy which will create and maintain good jobs. What this short video for more information about income inequality in Canada and the All Together Now! campaign.

SOURCE: NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES

Deborah Duffy [phone]