Open letter published in collaboration with the Immigrant Workers Center
Today in Montreal, front-line workers at Dollarama are campaigning for justice.
These workers are courageously denouncing unsanitary working conditions in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
While Dollarama warehouse workers in Montreal point to health risks and inadequate compensation, retail store workers are also demanding fairer working conditions. As Montreal artists, we support these workers’ demand for justice.
This campaign is essential, since as of August 2, 2020, Dollarama plans to end a 10% wage increase. The equivalent of $1.31 an hour, this increase was given to staff in the context of the sanitary crisis. It should be noted that the company’s profits have increased, since it has not been forced to close its stores – unlike other companies, Dollarama has been recognized as an essential business in Quebec and Ontario. Despite impressive sales growth, employee wages have not kept pace with the Dollarama brand image.
Let’s not forget that this is a company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As announced in its report detailing first-quarter results, and then at its Annual General Meeting, held on June 10, 2020, it generated considerable profits. It is therefore Dollarama’s responsibility to pay its employees a decent wage, both those who work in the warehouses and those who work in the stores.
At Dollarama distribution centers, workers are contracted through Work Placement Agencies. Despite being reprimanded in recent years for exploitative practices, these agencies continue to target new immigrants and workers without legal status, in order to reap profits. These people are treated as commodities to be bought and sold to companies like Dollarama.
Many of the workers rising up against these conditions are Black, many from Haiti, and from several African countries. There are also many immigrants from elsewhere and working-class Quebecers.
Our commitment to the #BlackLivesMatter movement compels us to recognize the reality of Dollarama employees and to stand in solidarity with Black workers who have bravely denounced these injustices.
As artists based in Montreal, we have a responsibility to amplify the message of Dollarama employees. This solidarity is also a civic obligation for us, since it concerns a Canadian company headquartered in Montreal that is an integral part of our city’s social fabric.
In the context of the pandemic, local artists have lost numerous contracts and many have lost their jobs. The economic uncertainty we face allows us to understand and feel the precariousness experienced by all workers, including those at Dollarama.
Multiple generations of Montreal artists have expressed their support for social movements, they have supported community struggles with the aim of creating fairer cities, societies and a fairer world. Now these artists are expressing their support for Dollarama workers.
The Immigrant Workers Centre points out that “in its rush to make a profit” Dollarama completely ignored health risks during the first weeks of the pandemic. “The company prioritized money, leaving aside the health and safety of its workers”.
As artists in Montreal, we support this campaign for justice for Dollarama employees and their 3 key demands:
1. Dollarama must offer stable, permanent jobs to warehouse workers, and stop using Work Placement Agencies.
2. Dollarama must pay a minimum of $15 per hour for all Dollarama employees (warehouse and stores).
3. Dollarama must comply with all public health measures for workplaces.
Original signatories:
Joey Calugay, Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants
Stefan Christoff, Howl! Arts
Mostafa Henaway, Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants
Artist signatories:
1. Raphaël Foisy-Couture // Musicien, travailleur culturel
2. Freda Guttman // Artist, community activist.
3. Norman Nawrocki // Author, musician, actor.
4. Samer Najari // cinéaste.
5. Alexandre St-Onge // musician.
6. Darren Ell // photographer.
7. Mary Ellen Davis // cinéaste, travailleuse culturelle, enseignante.
8. Anna Atkinson // composer, singer-songwriter, musician (Linaire).
9. Kimberley de Jong // dancer, choreographer and doula.
10. Thomas Boucher // photographe, musicien, enseignant.
11. Franklin Lopez // filmmaker.
12. Julia E Dyck // Sound + Radio Artist + Educator.
13. Jessie Lauren Stein // musician.
14. Maya Khamala // poet, journalist, novelist.
15. Rebecca Foon // musician (Saltland).
16. Xarah Dion // musician.
17. Asma Khan // artist.
18. Samuel Landry // musician (Le Berger).
19. Ashley Fortier // Metonymy Press.
20. Mauro Pezzente // (Casa del Popolo, Godspeed You! Black Emperor).
21. Thanya Iyer // musician.
22. Ehab Lotayef // poet.
23. Dustin Finer // musician (DF).
24. S. Ayton // musician.
25. Laurence Beaudoin Morin // performance artist.
26. Thy Anne Chu Quang // Atelier Céladon.
27. Justin Doucet // DJ, co-host, (Échantillons)
28. Mojeanne Sarah Behzadi // poet, art curator.
29. Joseph Sannicandro // musician, writer, (A Closer Listen).
30. Roozbeh Tabandeh // musician.
31. Sarah Mangle // artist, educator.
32. Nawar Al Rufaie // musician, Sandhill.
33. Laurel Sprengelmeyer // artist and musician, (Little Scream).
34. Kaitlyn Ramsden // choreographer and dance artist.
35. Patrick Flegel // musician.
36. Michel Mpambara // humoriste et acteur.
37. Cecile Thompson Hannant // musician, (Cecile Believe).
38. Ruby Kato Attwood // artist and musician, (Yamantaka // Sonic Titan).
39. Tim Crabtree // musician, (Paper Beat Scissors).
40. Basia Bulat // musician, vocalist.
41. Andrew Woods // musician (Operators).
42. Kaveh Nabatian // filmmaker and musician (Bell Orchestre).
43. Dominique Pétrin // artist.
44. Jules Bernier // musician.
45. Peter Burton // musician, cultural worker (Suoni per il Popolo).
46. Jess Robertson // musician (LILA).
47. Nima Esmailpour // artist, writer, curator.
48. Esther Bourdages // Commissaire, Grande rencontre des arts médiatiques en Gaspésie.
49. Fenton Benjamin // lyricist, CKUT radio host.
50. Shahab Mihandoust // filmmaker.
51. Hanako Hoshimi-Caines // dancer and choreographer.
52. Hannah Dorozio // actor.
53. Alexander Moskos // musician (Drainolith).
54. Mars Zaslav // cultural worker (Suoni per il Popolo).
55. Kama La Mackerel // artist II writer II educator II cultural mediator.
56. Chris Robertson // artist, print maker (La Presse du Chat Perdu).
57. Tamara Sandor // musician.
58. Saeed Kamjoo // musician.
59. Tamara Filyavich // musician, cultural workers (CKUT Radio).
60. Marjolaine Lord // photographer, cultural worker (La Salière).
61. Sarah Albu // voice, electronics, theatre, performance.
62. Lucas Huang // musician (Egyptian Cotton Arkestra).
63. Deanna Radford // writer, poet, performer.
64. Razan AlSalah // filmmaker, professor (Concordia University).
65. Amanda Ruiz // artist, cultural worker.
66. David Bryant // musician (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, Hiss Tracts).
67. Zoë Thomas // musician, doctor.
68. Kelly Nunes // musician, DJ, cultural worker.
69. Aidan Girt // musician (One Speed Bike, Godspeed You! Black Emperor).
70. Hubert Gendron-Blais // musician (ce qui nous traverse).
71. Anna Smutny // dancer, choreographer.
72. Michael Felber // musician.
73. Beatrice Deer // musician.
74. L. Alexis Emelianoff // artist.
75. Jade Barshee // Théâtre Everest.
76. James Goddard // musician (Egyptian Cotton Arkestra, Suoni per il Popolo).
77. Elise Boudreau Graham // artist (Céline Bureau).
78. Claire Abraham // musician.
79. Zahra Moloo // writer, filmmaker.
80. Norman Achneepineskum // artist, musician (Buffalo Hat Singers).
81. Duha Elmardi // writer, community activist.
82. Avi Grenadier // DJ, radio host.
83. Giselle Claudia Webber // musician (Orkestar Kriminal).
84. Vicky Mettler // musician (Kee Avil).
85. Ariel Nasr // filmmaker.
86. Daniel Añez // musician.
87. Svetla Turnin // cultural worker (Cinema Politica).
88. Sarah Pagé // musician.
89. Léon Lo // musician (Skinny Bones).
90. Catherine Debard // musician (Ylang Ylang).
91. Liam O’Neill // musician (Suuns).
92. Laura Acosta // artist.
93. Tanha Gomes // Art Educator, (Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain).
94. Nadia Moss // artist.
95. Rawi Hage // author.
96. Nadine Altounji // musician.
97. Amir Amiri // musician.
98. Laura Jeffery // musician, dancer and choreographer
99. Pietro Amato // musician (Torngat, Bell Orchestre, and The Luyas)
100. Michael Feuerstack // musician
101. Émilie Monnet // artistic director ONISHKA & Scène contemporaine autochtone.
102. Markus Floats // musician.
103. Chittakone Baccam // musician (Hazy Montagne Mystique).
104. Malcolm Guy // filmmaker (Productions Multi-Monde).
105. Olivia Dumas // artist, zinemaker, community activist (Prisoner Correspondence Project).
106. Shanice Nicole // Educator | Facilitator | Writer | (Out)spoken Word Artist.
107. Devin Brahja Waldman // musician.
108. Peggy Hogan // Hua Li.
109. TiKA Simone // Musician.
110. Arielle Cissy Loé // Empress (Échantillons).
111. Adi Shulhut // Mediteranos
112. Nick Schofield // Rêves sonores, Saxsyndrum.
113. Kandis Friesen // artist.
114. Shahrzad Arshadi // Multidisciplinary Artist.
115. Shaun Weadick // musician, educator.
116. Christeen Francis // artist, printmaker.
117. Adler Louis-Jean // photographer, cultural worker.
118. John Bart Gerald // poet, artist.
119. Julie Maas // artist.
120. Mazen Chamseddine // artist, architect.
121. Tahlia Stacey // artist.
122. Mohamad Kebbewar // poet.
123. Mathieu Bédard // Les Martyrs de Marde.
124. Meriem Ramoul // artist.
125. Farah Kashem // photographer.
126. Sam Shalabi // musician, composer.
127. Tamara Vukov // filmmaker.
128. Jessica Potenza // artist.
129. Stef Schneider // musician.
130. Odile Myrtil // DJ.
131. Jacob Wren // author.
132. Bonbon Kojak // DJ.
133. Jordan Arseneault // artist.
134. Martin Akwiranoron Loft // Indigenous artist.
135. Feroz Mehdi // writer, community activist.
To download the letter:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jvkNADhyOiMLDrt1RZUbDg_7CulUU3JQ/view?usp=drivesdk
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