Retirement Security for Everyone!
People in Canada and elsewhere are suffering through the most serious economic downturn since the 1930s. This crisis occurred because greedy business leaders and bankers made reckless investment decisions and governments allowed them to do it. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have lost good, family-supporting jobs as a result. Many have also seen their hard-earned pensions wiped out or put at risk due to plant closures and bankruptcies.
Something needs to change, and soon.
The Canadian Auto Workers, along with the Canadian Labour Congress and other labour unions across the country, have a plan to rebuild and reform Canada's pension system that has three key proposals:
. Expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) working towards doubling the benefits.
A gradual increase of CPP earnings to a maximum of $1,635 per month would improve pension security and leave a better pension system for our children.
. Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) to Old Age Security pensions
No senior in Canada should live in poverty. A $682 million boost in GIS spending would help ensure no senior does. Increasing the income of Canada's seniors will also help provide much-needed consumer spending at a time when our economy is struggling.
. Introduce a federal system of pension insurance.
This would protect pensions to a maximum of $2,500 a month when an employer enters bankruptcy proceedings and cannot pay out pension benefits. The insurance system would also adopt pension plans when an employer declares bankruptcy and shuts down permanently. It would require Ottawa's new securities regulator to levy a small tax on stock market trades to make speculators pay for large pension insurance claims. With this protection in place, workers wouldn't fear losing their entire pensions due to employer mismanagement or bankruptcy.
It's time to raise the floor in our pension system!
Follow the links below for more information. Bookmark this page and check back often for information on how you can take action to support this national campaign!
- Retirement Security Campaign - Dignity in Retirement for All
- Retired Workers Speak out on Why Pension Reform is Necessary!
- Pension Reform Community Forums
- Retirement Security Campaign - Let's Expand the Canada Pension Plan
- Retirement Security Campaign - We Need Pension Reform - CAW leaflet
- Retirement Security Campaign - Fact Sheet (Women & Pensions)
- Retirement Security Campaign - Metal Detector Ads (Downloadable)
- Retirement Security Campaign - Piggybank Ads (Downloadable)
- Retirement Security Campaign - Booklet
- Retirement Security Campaign - Activist Workbook
Save the Federal Gun Registry! Say NO to Bill C-391
The CAW has joined with hundrds of thousands of Canadians aross this country calling on MPs to vote NO when Bill C-391 returns for third and final reading in Parliament in the coming month. Bill C-391 is a Conservative-lead private members bill intended to dismantle Canada's long gun registry - the existing government program that administers the registration of rifles and shotguns.
It's devastating that the Conservative government is trying to dismantle the national gun registry, with the help of members of the NDP and Liberal parties.
