Fight for 15 Campaign Launches to Raise Minimum Wage in Quebec

Photo credit: Dinith Karunanayake

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On November 10th, on the other side of the main gates of McGill university, members of the “Coalition contre le travail précaire”, the 15plus.org campaign and many other political organizations in the community of Montreal united to protest the current minimum wage in Quebec. The current minimum wage is $10.55 in Quebec and the idea is to raise that to $15 for all workers regardless of their age, race, gender, job category, or immigration status.

Julien Daigneault, from 15plus.org, was present as the first spokesperson leading the speech. Participants encouraged passers by on Sherbrooke street to sign the petition to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour as the protest went on. It’s important to note that the campaign is fairly recent in Quebec, but several states in the USA as well as Alberta have succeeded in having mimimum wage raised to $15 an hour already. Several studies have shown that $15 an hour is the required minimum wage for an individual worker living alone in Montreal to lift themselves above the poverty line and escape debt.

This report was produced by Dinith Karunanayake for CKUT Radio.