Good Jobs Summit work to continue with Round Table

TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - This weekend's Good Jobs Summit has concluded with the formation of a Round Table group that includes leading Canadian business people, student leaders, politicians and labour leaders tasked with finding ways to create good jobs.

"The hard work of this Summit will continue with this Round Table group," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said. "We have here a group representing different parts of Canadian society, and we'll need all their best efforts and resolve to create good jobs in this country."

Confirmed members of the Round Table include Dias, J.D. Irving co-CEO Jim Irving, Canadian Federation of Students National Chairperson Jessica McCormick, former Toronto mayor and World Wildlife Fund Canada CEO David Miller, Metro Vancouver Alliance Organizer Deborah Littman and CUPE President Paul Moist.

"We know good jobs do happen when companies work together with educators, unions and government to deliver targeted training, and the investment in people and operations to sustain competitiveness," Irving said.

The primary role of the Round Table is to build on the momentum generated by the Good Jobs Summit to ensure that we develop strategies and policies that will create the good jobs we agree we must - and can - have. The Round Table will be announcing new members in the weeks to come and shortly thereafter setting its meeting schedule and developing its workplan.

The Good Jobs Summit began Friday evening, and concluded today at noon with the formation of the Round Table. More than 1,000 delegates debated the many challenges facing workers today in the face of low-paying jobs and increasingly precarious work.

"Students and young workers need good jobs to pay down record levels of student debt and build fulfilling careers," McCormick said. "The Round Table is a chance for us to exchange ideas and develop strategies with key leaders from across the country."

Speakers at the Summit over the weekend included Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, former advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama and CNN commentator Van Jones, GE Canada CEO Elyse Allan, Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff, the Round Table members, and more.

The Summit was organized by Unifor, Ryerson University, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, with more than 305,000 members. It was formed Labour Day weekend in 2013 when the Canadian Union of Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union merged.

SOURCE: Unifor