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COVID-19 : The IWW Montreal-demand the suspension of payments of rents and mortgages

MONTRÉAL, the 30 mars 2020 – The crisis coronavirus hit us hard and as usual in these difficult times, the first to pay the price were workers. Only a week after the start of social distancing measures, there were over a million new unemployed and new unemployed across the country.

Despite support programs announced by the different levels of government, it seems that the funds will not be distributed in time for the beginning of April. Thus, several hundred thousand people will have to choose between eating or paying the rent or mortgage. If taken containment measures are for the health of everyone, we believe it is important to remember that the housing and food are also vital needs and should be considered human rights.

In this sense, IWW Montreal-demand the suspension of payments of rents and mortgages for everyone. The spokesman of the union, Coline says Left : « Si, the base, we already have some discomfort with the fact monetize a basic human need like housing, this exceptional situation forces us to demand that governments take extraordinary measures. It is also that, public health ! »

Solidarity with the strikers rent

Since the state is slow to implement measures concerning the right to housing for all and all during this crisis, a rent strike is in the process of setting up a coast to coast. The IWW-Montreal wishes to publicly announce it up in solidarity with the strikers tenants, and that those who will be adversely affected by their owner will contact our Solidarity Committee to help defend.

« We will support our members, and any person who will suffer the consequences of participation in the rent strike, by need or solidarity. Be assuré.e.s that our union will respond if this crackdown are exercised by owners ! "Says Ms. Gaucher.

The IWW-Montreal also directed its allied organizations to take principled positions on the suspension of mortgages and rents during the crisis, to lobby all levels of government, and preparing solidarity with the people who will have to resolve to make the rent strike. There is no secret recipe, is uniting we will successfully defend the rights to housing and food for the whole of the working class, or unemployed.

Always on the side of those who fight

The Industrial Union of Workers and Workers - Industrial Workers of the World (SITT-IWW) is an open union to all members of the working class, or that they are salarié.e.s, unemployed, étudiant.e.s or retraité.e.s.

The mission of the ISTC-IWW is to organize workplaces, industries and communities. We want to both improve our living conditions in the immediate, but also a world without bosses. A world in which the production and distribution will be managed and organized by the workers, so that the needs of the entire population are met rather than just those of a powerful minority of exploiters and owners.

Photo credit: Cedric Martin