Petition On Unemployment Insurance (EI)

Whereas; Fewer than 2 in 5 unemployed Canadians are receiving EI benefits at any givin time (half the coverage we had at the beginning of the 1990's); and

Whereas; in 1996 EI "Hours system" makes it harder to qualify for benefits and reduces the weeks of benefits for those who do qualify; and

Whereas; benefit rates have not increased in over 8 years; and

Whereas; many training supports have been cut back, including special programs to help those facing multiple employment barriers; and

Whereas; since 1994 the government has borrowed over $50 billion dollars from the surplus in EI premiums paid by workers and their employers;

Therefore; We the undersigned petition the Federal government to build a better, fairer Unemployment system with these improvements:
- 360 hours to qualify for any UI benefit anywhere in Canada,
- Start increasing benefit rates, initially to 66.6\% of normal eanings
- use a workers 12 best weeks to calculate normal earnings
- STOP using severence pay to reduce EI benefits
- Raise the $413 maximum weekly benefit, frozen since 1996
- Eliminate the 2-week waiting period for EI benefits
- Set fairer rules for access to benefits before and after labour disputes
- Ease access to UI benefits in adjustment situations like mass layoffs, closures
- Use EI funds to encourage older workers to retire when layoffs and restructuring are expected
- Guarantee benefits for 1 1/2 years to workers of age 45
- Provide benefits for hours of work lost while training and learning