Two Local Groups Fighting For Higher Wages For Families

By Nick Liard

Two local advocacy groups are getting the conversation started about a “Living Wage” for families in Greater Sudbury.

The campaign by the Social Planning Council of Sudbury and the Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre says the local Living Wage should be $16.18.

This is how much the groups say a local family would need to make in order to live and participate in society.

Executive Director of the Social Planning Council, Joseph LeBlanc says there is room to increase low income workers wages.

He says there are benefit for employers who sign on to the campaign, like higher retention rates in employees paid properly so then employers don’t have to retrain their work force.

The rate for Sudbury is lower than those calculated for Hamilton or Toronto.