Jack Layton and the New Democrats will:

Re-establish the National Minimum Wage terminated by the Liberal government. We will set it immediately at $10 per hour, and index it to inflation.

Outlaw the use of replacement workers in strikes or lockouts based on the proposed legislation that was killed during the 2007 Parliament by Stéphane Dion and Stephen Harper.

Protect workers' pensions. Working with provincial governments we will establish a Canadian Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund. This will ensure that workers actually receive the retirement benefits they have earned, even if their employer goes out of business.

Create a new national holiday in February.

Scrap the current complaints-based pay equity system in favour of a pro-active approach. Bring pay fairness to women workers by finally implementing the recommendations of the Pay Equity Task Force.

Respect the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Honour the standards and conventions established by the United Nations' International Labour Organization.

Support tradespeople and others who are forced to travel and work away from home with new tax deductions that recognize these expenses.

Consult with stakeholders and develop an action plan based on the Arthurs' Federal Labour Standards Report recommendations. We will act on the crucial issues of work-life balance through leaves to meet family responsibilities. And we will address the non-standard employment relationships like part-time, contract, and temporary work and variable schedules. All of these are especially important to women, who often must shoulder the additional burdens of caring for elderly parents and for children.