TORONTO- Thoughtless cuts to post-secondary education by Ford’s PC government threaten workers on campus and attack students’ access to education.
In an announcement on Thursday, January 17, the provincial government shared a plan of cuts to funding for colleges and universities. The announcement included:
WASHINGTON D.C.—Unifor is showing international solidarity with U.S. Indigenous peoples by sending a delegation of Canadian activists to the January 18 march in Washington D.C.
“Unifor activists are passionate about human rights,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We’re proud to stand with Indigenous peoples everywhere in their struggle for justice and respect.”
TORONTO – A growing number of Canadian consumers support an outright boycott of General Motors (GM) vehicles if the automaker does not reverse its plan to close the Oshawa assembly plant, according to an Ekos Research poll commissioned by Unifor.
DETROIT- As auto parts supply workers staged a walk-out to protest General Motors’ (GM) plan to close the Oshawa Assembly Plant, Unifor warned GM that action will continue in the fight to stop the closure.
“GM just hopes we will be quiet and go away, the chances of that are zero,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “We will get General Motors’ attention today, tomorrow and the next day.”
Unifor can confirm workers at Inteva Products in Whitby walked off the job today at 8:30am today in protest of GM’s plan to end production at Oshawa Assembly after December 2019.
The plant supplies car program components to 2 GM assembly plants – Oshawa and Detroit-Hamtramck. Both plants are targeted for closure as part of GM's November 26, 2018 restructuring announcement.
HALIFAX – Recommendations from the Nova Scotia Expert Panel on Long-Term Care highlight the need for a serious investment in the province’s long-term care system, including a call to increase staffing and deal with troubling recruitment and retention issues.
Unifor, which represents over 2,000 workers in long-term care facilities across Nova Scotia, said while the panel did not address funding specifically, it is clear that many of its recommendations can not be achieved without an increase in provincial long-term care budgets.
ORILLIA—Casino Rama’s refusal to meet provincial norms has forced members of Unifor Local 1090 to vote overwhelmingly in favour of a strike if a fair collective agreement cannot be negotiated by the end of the month.
“Unifor members are pivotal to the success of Casino Rama,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “They deserve a fair collective agreement and are prepared to escalate job action to get it.”
DETROIT – Unifor National President Jerry Dias to provide an update on the Save Oshawa GM campaign, which calls on General Motors (GM) to reverse its decision to close the Oshawa Assembly Plant.
“Maintaining this course of action will hurt workers, the economy and the company itself,” said Dias. “It is not too late for GM to keep building vehicles in Canada, so Canadians will want to keep buying its products.”
DETROIT – Unifor National President Jerry Dias to provide an update on the Save Oshawa GM campaign, which calls on General Motors (GM) to reverse its decision to close the Oshawa Assembly Plant.
“Maintaining this course of action will hurt workers, the economy and the company itself,” said Dias. “It is not too late for GM to keep building vehicles in Canada, so Canadians will want to keep buying its products.”
DETROIT – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be available to media following today’s discussions with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and with Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains on the future of the General Motors Oshawa Assembly Plant.
Dias is in Detroit to participate in the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council’s annual meeting, held during the North American International Auto Show’s media preview.
January 11, 2019 WINDSOR – Thousands rallied against General Motors (GM) blatant corporate greed today as the automaker held an investor event on its future plans, which include abandoning workers at the Oshawa Assembly Plant.
TORONTO –A new independent study verifies a closure of the General Motors (GM) Oshawa Assembly Plant would create an economic shock, resulting in 24,000 lost jobs and a loss of $1 billion per year in government revenue.
“We’re looking at tens of thousands of jobs and a direct hit to the GDP,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Should GM proceed with plans to close Oshawa, the economic impact would be substantial, both in the short and long term.”
WINDSOR – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be available to media in Windsor, Ontario following a meeting between the union and General Motors (GM) on proposals to save the Oshawa Assembly Plant.
“Unifor presented General Motors with solid options to maintain production in Oshawa last month,” said Dias. “Our position is clear that we expect GM to allocate product and continue plant operations past 2019.”
WHAT: Unifor comments on meeting with General Motors
TORONTO – Unifor continues a major advertising campaign today with the debut of a new 30-second television commercial condemning General Motors for the decision to abandon the Oshawa assembly plant while the company continues to expand production in Mexico.
“We are making sure Canadians understand that GM is betraying Canadian taxpayers and the automaker needs to realize that if they expect Canadian consumers to remain loyal to GM vehicles, they need to be loyal to GM workers and keep building here,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
VANCOUVER—Unifor is disappointed with the referendum results but says it is hard to ignore that four in ten British Columbians wanted a fairer system of voting.
“Unifor members rose to the occasion, and despite falling short, we’re proud of our role in the campaign to make B.C.’s elections fairer,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
TORONTO – News from meeting between the union and General Motors (GM) at its Detroit headquarters.
Unifor also unveiled a major advertising strategy today.
The advertising blitz targets both Canadian and American audiences with television, radio, print, digital and out-of-home advertising. This major paid-advertising campaign is driving a message to a broader audience to engage and inform consumers as part of the union’s #SaveOshawaGM campaign, a nationwide call to support autoworkers and to keep good jobs in Canada.
People of good conscience disagree all the time – always have, always will. It would be great if we could figure out a way to agree on the major issue of the day, but I’m not holding my breath.
This is not entirely a bad thing, of course. When our views and ideas are challenged, it forces us to sharpen our arguments, and to zero in on what is most important to us. In the end, debate over what policy or action to pursue makes for better policy.
At least, when it’s done right, with good will and with both sides respectful of the other.
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