Just weeks after declaring front-line workers “heroes” for keeping essential services like grocery stores running, the Ontario government is making plans that could reduce the number of holidays for retail workers, the Star has learned. According to the Unifor union, the Ontario government plans to introduce legislation later this summer for a two-year trial change to the Retail Business Holidays Act that would reduce the number of mandatory statutory holidays for retailers to three from nine. The proposed changes add insult to injury for grocery workers who recently had their COVID-19 pandemic premium pay eliminated by Loblaw, Metro and Sobeys, said Dias. “The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented challenges to small businesses across Ontario. Small businesses have been decimated by COVID-19, especially in retail.

Source: thestar June 18, 2020 22:37 UTC