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Fighting for good retail jobs is long overdue

Jerry Dias, Unifor National President

The 1400-worker strike in Newfoundland at Dominion grocery stores owned by Loblaw Companies Limited, now in its eleventh week, will go down in history as the first major Canadian labour dispute of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On one level, it is a dispute about fundamental workplace standards, wages and job security. Dig deeper and you quickly realize this dispute is about fairness, decency and respect in Canada’s low-wage retail sector.

Update: EI and work sharing

Work Sharing is a federal program funded by unemployment insurance to assist employers and workers to avoid temporary layoffs when there is an unusual slowdown in production or service. Read the Unifor factsheet to find out more.

 

Ontario budget sets an underwhelming path to economic recovery, leaves workers with questions

TORONTO- Ontario budget begins to set the course for economic recovery, but Ontario workers must maintain pressure for a fair and equitable vision.

“Unifor members were wanting to see signs of investment in telecommunications and a made-in-Ontario manufacturing plan,” Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Though we saw some of those steps in today’s budget, we will keep up the pressure until we see economic recovery that benefits all workers.”

Keep Ontarians Protected and Build a Better Economy

Unifor recommends the Ontario government focus on two simultaneous goals for budget 2020: keep Ontarians protected through the coronavirus pandemic and ensure we build a better Ontario coming out of this crisis.

We should empower workers for a real economic recovery

As the dust settles from the 2020 B.C. election, parties on both sides of the aisle are reflecting on lessons learned and what comes next.

For the B.C. Liberals, they can hang a significant degree of blame on leadership that is increasingly out of touch with the day-to-day concerns of British Columbians. Leader Andrew Wilkinson is only a symptom of a wider rot in a caucus indifferent to the skyrocketing costs of housing and hostile to reducing income inequality.

Unifor resumes secondary picket at Weston’s bakery

Unifor has resumed a secondary picket line at the Weston’s bakery in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, as part of escalating action by the province’s 1,400 Dominion store workers, in week 11 of an ongoing strike against Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw Co.).

Bargaining Update #14

Unifor members,

Earlier today, National President Jerry Dias, alongside the Unifor-GM Master Bargaining Committee, publicly announced that the Union reached a tentative settlement with General Motors. The agreement was struck early in the morning, following a late-hour strike deadline extension as noted in a Bargaining Update posted to this website last night.

This was, by all accounts, a difficult round of negotiations for the Union. Despite its historic outcome, the path to an agreement with General Motors was a challenging one.

Unifor to continue negotiations and extend General Motors strike deadline

TORONTO—Unifor’s master bargaining committee has decided to continue bargaining with General Motors Canada past the strike deadline of 11:59 p.m. tonight.

“The master bargaining committee is ready to negotiate all night if needed to fight for our members in St. Catharines, Oshawa and Woodstock to give GM ample opportunity to work with us to achieve a fair settlement and avoid a work stoppage,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

Bargaining Update #13

Unifor Members,

Unifor’s Master Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement that is being unanimously recommended for 1700 members working at General Motors in St. Catharines, Oshawa and Woodstock, averting a strike this morning.

Unifor’s National President will provide more information at a news conference that will be streamed live on Facebook tomorrow morning at 10 a.m

Unifor welcomes overdue CTRC move on Canadian content

Unifor welcomes the announcement today that the CRTC will be given the power to compel foreign internet giants to create, stream and broadcast more Canadian content, something that is long overdue.

Bargaining Update #11

Unifor members,

As a follow up to the Bargaining Update issued earlier today, progress continues to be made in talks with General Motors, although the pace of progress remains slow.  A number of items at both Master and Local tables have been resolved since the last Update, but various items remain outstanding – including on the Company’s commitment to match pattern and on investment and product commitments. Talks will continue into the evening with both sides working toward the deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST tonight.  

Bargaining Update #10

Unifor members,

With the bargaining deadline set for 11:59 p.m. today, the GM Master and Local Bargaining Committees continue to work diligently on reaching a tentative settlement.

Unifor to file lawsuit against Royal Newfoundland Constabulary

October 30, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–Unifor, on behalf of striking Dominion workers, is filing a lawsuit against the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) for violating the rights of workers at a legal picket location. “The RNC brought tactical and riot squads to a peaceful picket location where police officers proceeded to threaten workers with criminal charges,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

Negotiations between Unifor and Loblaw fail to reach strike settlement

October 30, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–Negotiations between Unifor Local 597 and Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw Co.) have failed to reach a settlement of the ten-week long strike at 11 Dominion store locations across Newfoundland. “It’s disappointing that Loblaw Co. is still unwilling to address the workers’ key concerns, including earning a living wage,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. Negotiations broke down today after the two parties failed to come to agreement at a bargaining session in St. John’s.

Unifor to hold news conference on Royal Newfoundland Constabulary action

October 30, 2020

ST. JOHN’S—Unifor will hold a news conference to outline the union’s response to police action taken by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary during a peaceful picket by striking Dominion workers earlier this week. 

“There was no valid reason for any police presence and certainly none to deploy the tactical and riot units to threaten workers with criminal charges at a legal picket line,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

Bell Craft and Services – Bargaining Bulletin # 1

Sisters and Brothers,

Caucus

As new restrictions are being put in place on a daily/weekly basis, and to enable the Committee to move forward with Bargaining this fall, the following structure has been discussed and approved by the delegates, to be utilized in lieu of Caucus;