Tim Hortons protests planned across Ontario today

Many protests are planned today outside Tim Hortons restaurants in southern Ontario. In more than 15 communities across Ontario, actions will be organized on January 10^th outside Tim Hortons stores to demand that the corporation not roll back workers’ wages and benefits.

The move comes after franchise owners in Cobourg and Kingston told their workers they’re eliminating paid breaks and some benefits in response to the province’s minimum wage hike.

There were calls yesterday for a boycott on what was called “No Timmys Tuesday.”

The Ontario Federation of Labour has organized a number of protests throughout the day in Toronto, Guelph, London, Peterborough and Windsor.

A statement on Tim Hortons’ corporate website last week placed blame on a “reckless few” franchise owners for employee benefit cuts.

Condemnation has been swift to the news that owners of two Cobourg locations decided to cut employee benefits and breaks to compensate for a provincial minimum wage hike to $14 an hour, up from $11.60.

Industry groups and business owners have cautioned that the jump in the minimum wage would cause prices to rise and staff to be cut.Ontario’s minimum wage will rise again in 2019 to $15.

TYR Labour Council tweeted, "Coffee @TimHortons used to be special for #Canadians. Now it is a symbol of corporate greed & injustice."

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