From a May Day rally to protect Canadian jobs, to discussions about how each member can find their place in the union to make this work their own. Watch a recap from Atlantic Regional Council 2025.
Council 4000 and Local 100 wrapped up negotiations with VIA Rail this week in Montreal, but despite the bargaining committees working late into the evenings, no tentative agreement was reached.
MONTREAL— Contract talks between Unifor and VIA Rail have broken off, setting the stage for a national rail dispute that threatens to disrupt passenger travel across the country later this month.
“We didn’t come to the table looking for a dispute—we came to get a deal,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “But VIA Rail’s refusal to take our demands seriously has left us with no other choice. If they’re not willing to fix what’s broken, they’re forcing this dispute onto workers and passengers alike.”
WINDSOR—Unifor Local 195 members working at the Best Western Plus in Windsor are on the picket line today in a push for fair wages and to fight back against concessionary demands from their employer.
“Unifor members at Best Western Plus deserve wages that reflect the value they bring to the hospitality sector and respect for the hard work they do every day,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Instead of seeking to improve working conditions, the employer has demanded concessions. Our members won’t stand for it.”
Unifor calls on world leaders to follow recent actions taken by the governments of Canada, France and the United Kingdom placing political and economic pressure on the Israeli government to end its ongoing military offensive in Gaza, to urgently allow access to humanitarian aid blocked from entering the region for over 11 weeks.
We continue to call for the release of all remaining hostages held captive by Hamas and for a lasting ceasefire.
After 15 weeks and stalled negotiations, Unifor held a rally in front of the British Columbia legislature in Victoria on May 28 to demand accountability from the regional transit authority—BC Transit—and the provincial government.
Unifor Atlantic Jennifer Murray brought the union’s advocacy to the forefront during the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) warehousing meeting in Brussels, Belgium this week.
In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, Unifor brought members together for an unforgettable evening of learning, storytelling, and solidarity.
The 2025 theme—Asian Canadian Legacy: We Contribute. We Serve—was brought to life through a webinar, hosted by Unifor organizers Hassan Mirza and Simon Lau, on May 27. The webinar featured a panel discussion to explore the intersection of immigration, labour, and anti-Asian racism.
More than 125 Skilled Trades delegates, observers, and Unifor staff from across Canada came together from May 23 to 25 in St. John’s, Newfoundland for the National Skilled Trades Council. What unfolded was a passionate, pointed, and powerful exchange of ideas, solutions, and solidarity amid rising challenges — including the escalating trade war.
VICTORIA — Unifor will hold a rally in front of the B.C. legislature today to support Transdev transit workers who have been on strike for over 15 weeks – since February 8 – in the Cowichan Valley.
The company refuses to address closing the wage gap between its Cowichan Valley workers in comparison to Victoria Transit. Unifor members are seeking to reduce the gap over the life of their new agreement.
What: Rally for striking Transdev transit workers.
Who: Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle.
Appearing before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on May 27, Unifor Media Director Randy Kitt testified that in wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war there is a growing need to stand up for Canadian content, protect our sovereignty and make the tough decisions necessary to save our Canadian media industry, including local news.
TORONTO/WINDSOR—Unifor members who work at Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) rallied in Windsor and Toronto to call for urgent insolvency reform and accountability from HBC executives who continue to deny workers’ severance as liquidation nears completion.
The rallies, led by Unifor Locals 40 and 240 which represent nearly 600 HBC workers, brought attention to the devastating impact of HBC’s collapse on its workforce and the broader implications for thousands of Canadian workers caught in corporate bankruptcies.
OTTAWA— Unifor is calling on the federal government to take decisive, worker-focused action to protect jobs and grow Canada’s economy during the 45th Parliament. The union’s legislative priorities offer a bold vision for a stronger, fairer, and more self-reliant Canada.
Unifor is mobilizing in Toronto and Windsor to demand that Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) put workers first as it moves through its liquidation process. The union is calling on HBC to honour its obligations to employees by protecting wages, pensions, and benefits.
Nearly 100 Unifor hospital members from across Ontario gathered in Toronto from May 21–23 for the union’s Hospital Bargaining Conference to begin shaping the priorities for the next round of bargaining amid growing challenges across the sector.
MONTREAL— VIA Rail workers represented by Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 have delivered a strong strike mandate, with 97.5% voting in favour of strike action. The result reflects widespread frustration with the employer’s conduct at the bargaining table and sends a clear message that members will not accept concessions.
Unifor members deliver strong strike mandate at VIA Rail
Dear Members,
Council 4000 and Local 100 have concluded strike votes across the VIA Rail system, delivering a strong and united mandate to their bargaining committees as negotiations continue under the conciliation process.
Council 4000 members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action with 97.5% support, while Local 100 members also delivered a strong strike mandate with 96% support.
OSHAWA, ONT.—Unifor members working at Durham Region Transit voted 98% on May 21 for strike action if they cannot reach an agreement with the region by midnight on June 6.
“The region has a responsibility to invest in public transit and in the workers who uphold it, especially as the community continues to grow,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
If the two sides cannot negotiate a new contract, Unifor members will be in a legal strike position on Sat., June 7 at 12:01 a.m.
Canadian transit and logistics systems offer one of the largest public procurement programs that can be leveraged to support Made-in-Canada production.
Procurement programs for transit buses, delivery vehicles, inter-city bus, and fleet services should all be prioritizing manufacturing production and jobs in Canada. This includes supporting local municipal procurement programs that outline made in Canada options and supports.
Unifor is calling on all levels of government and industry to step up and fight back against U.S. tariffs on Canadian products. While there are some industries who are more heavily impacted than others through direct trade activity, the tariffs are an economy-wide threat to Canada.
BRADFORD, ON – Unifor is condemning the decision by U.S.-based multinational Selig Group to relocate major industrial equipment from its Bradford, Ontario manufacturing facility to a plant in Chicago - threatening the livelihoods of dozens of workers.
TORONTO— Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, is calling on the federal government to take immediate and aggressive action against corporations that move jobs out of Canada in response to U.S. trade measures. The union has presented a detailed proposal, including legislative amendments, outlining how the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) can be deployed to penalize corporations that offshore or outsource work to the detriment of Canada’s national interest.
TORONTO – Unifor says the Ontario budget delivers major new spending on tariff-mitigation measures and economic safeguards to help workers and businesses navigate a U.S.-provoked trade war but falls short on holding corporations to account.
On this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, Unifor reflects on lives impacted by hate and reaffirms our commitment to bringing working people together with respect and shared purpose in times of growing division. This year’s theme, “The Power of Communities,” reminds us that lasting change doesn’t come from individuals acting alone—it comes from the strength of our collective voices. At Unifor, we see this power every day in our workplaces, locals, and activist networks.
TW Distribution was recently the scene of a moving, but above all inspiring, story that saw two members of Unifor Local 698—David Savard (unit president) and Steve Comptois, along with Mireille Vinet, a non-unionized employee—perform a heroic act that literally saved a life.
During a press conference held Friday, April 25, Unifor joined a broad coalition of key stakeholders in Quebec’s forestry sector opposed to Bill 97, tabled by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.. Although long awaited, this bill in its current form is doomed to failure. It neglects to address the environmental challenges facing the entire forestry industry, as well as the sector’s pressing economic and social needs.
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