We request an immediate halt to the amendments set to take place January 1st 2017, to the Ontario Employment Standards Act.  A reduction of ELOA (emergency leave of absence) and bereavement days exclusive to the auto industry is discriminatory, and will have a negative impact on the hard working members of this sector.

Already faced with nearly constant overtime, repetitive motion labour, and rotating shifts, autoworkers pay a steep toll to provide for themselves and their families. It is detrimental to the physical and emotional well-being of autoworkers to reduce ELOA and bereavement days.

The act of reducing ELOA/bereavement days also implies that:
1. Auto workers have control over the deaths of loved ones
2. Auto workers do not deserve the same amount of grieving time as employees in other sectors
3. Auto workers can control their illness, family emergencies, and their need to be available to family in special circumstances; specifically to those caring for children or aging relatives

Your Honourable Kathleen Wynn, show some humanity and empathy to the blue collar backbone of this province and stop the industry-specific amendments to the employment standards act.