The third Workers’ Justice cohort will meet every Thursday from September 24 to November 12, 2026. Over eight weeks, workers and community members will come together to share their experiences, learn about workplace rights, and explore how collective action can create change in workplaces and communities.
The course is grounded in participants’ own knowledge and experiences. Sessions will combine practical information, group discussion, participatory activities, and collective problem-solving. Together, participants will examine why workplace injustices happen, who is most affected, and how workers can respond individually and collectively.
This cohort is offered in partnership with the Global Labour Research Centre (GLRC) at York University, the Jane/Finch Centre and the Jane and Finch Education Action Group.
Who Is the Course For?
The course is open to workers and community members in Jane-Finch, Rexdale, and Northwest Toronto. It may be especially useful for:
- Racialized workers
- Non-unionized workers
- Newcomers
- Youth and first-time workers
- Workers in precarious employment
- People who want to learn more about workplace rights and collective action
No previous knowledge of labour rights or organizing is required.
What Will We Explore?
Over eight sessions, participants will explore:
- Workers’ rights and what makes a good job
- Unsafe work and why some workers face greater risks
- Wage theft and how workers can respond
- Employer power and barriers to workplace justice
- How class, race, and gender shape experiences at work
- Worker organizing and collective action
- Building solidarity across workplaces and communities
- Creating more just workplaces and communities
Eight Weeks of Learning and Action
Week 1: Situating Ourselves
September 24
What makes a good job, and why are good jobs difficult for so many workers to find?
Week 2: The Big Picture
October 1
How have global and historical processes shaped the injustices workers face today?
Week 3: Confronting Unsafe Work
October 8
Why is unsafe work so common? Which workers face the greatest risks, and why does the law often fail to protect them?
Week 4: Confronting Wage Theft
October 15
What is wage theft, and how can workers challenge it?
Week 5: Confronting Employer Roadblocks
October 22
Why do employers and employer associations hold so much power? What tools do they use to maintain that power?
Week 6: Bringing It All Together
October 29
How can workers use what they’ve learned to fight for good jobs and challenge injustice at work?
Week 7: Workers’ Power in Our Workplaces
November 5
What strategies can workers use to organize and build collective power over the long term?
Week 8: Expanding Our Visions of Justice and Solidarity
November 12
How can workplace struggles connect with wider movements for justice and community change?
Course Information
- Dates: September 24 to November 12, 2026
- Time: Thursdays, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Format: Eight in-person sessions
- Location: Jane and Finch Mall
- Cost: Free
- Supports provided: Dinner, TTC tickets, and childcare
- Certificate: Participants who attend at least six of the eight sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Global Labour Research Centre at York University
- Graduation and certificate celebration: November 19, 2026
- Questions: contact
- GLRC: glrc@yorku.ca
- Jane/Finch Centre: cd@janefinchcentre.org
- Jane and Finch Education Action Group: janefincheducationaction@gmail.com
Register for Cohort 3
Register HERE