WINNIPEG—Manitoba workers and their families are paying the price after key legislation was blocked this week by the PC caucus.
“The Wab Kinew government has a clear mandate from voters to build an economy on good jobs and fair pay. By blocking key employment reforms, the PC caucus has reminded voters why the PCs aren’t fit to govern,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We call on the Manitoba PCs to stop playing games and let the Premier get to work on the agenda he was democratically elected to implement.”
The federal government must pass Bill C-58 without delay, Unifor National President Lana Payne urged MPs on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities as the federal government begins its study on the long-anticipated anti-scab labour bill.
“Bill C-58, federal anti-scab legislation, must pass and be implemented without delay,” Unifor National President Lana Payne tells MPs during her testimony before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA).
Opening Statement – Lana Payne, Unifor National President
Thursday, March 21, 2024, 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Honourable members of the Committee, I am here before you today as the President of Unifor, representing 315,000 workers across Canada, including almost 70,000 in the federally-regulated private sector such as air, road, rail and marine transport as well as telecommunications and media.
Unifor rallied in Ottawa on March 19 to call out Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE) for postponing a scheduled hearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee to answer for the recent termination of 9% of BCE’s workforce.
“Last year alone, while cutting jobs, Bell paid out an all-time high of $3.7 billion to shareholders. And between 2020 and 2022, CEO compensation rose by a whopping 40%. Is it any wonder workers in this country are angry?” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
TORONTO – Hundreds of Unifor Bell telecommunications members are being terminated on virtual group meetings today, just a day after Unifor rallied in Ottawa to call out Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE) for cutting thousands of jobs across the country while continuing to rake in profits and increase payouts to shareholders.
March 20 symbolizes the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, an emblematic date when the diversity and richness of the French language are celebrated worldwide. On this special day, we are honored to join the French-speaking community in celebrating our precious linguistic and cultural heritage, both in Quebec and across Canada.
More than 130 Ontario long-term care workers showed solidarity during Unifor’s Long-Term Care Bargaining Conference that took place in Toronto from March 18 to 20, 2024.
HALIFAX—CN Autoport and Unifor met with a conciliator today, however the union was left with no choice but to leave the table following repeated offers from the company that represented a worse deal for members than the last agreement, which they soundly rejected.
HALIFAX—The introduction of Nova Scotia NDP legislation to amend the Trade Union Act to protect workers on strike from their employer using replacement, or scab, workers is another important step toward more fair and free collective bargaining.
OTTAWA –Unifor rallied in Ottawa today to call out Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE) for postponing a scheduled hearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee to answer for the recent termination of 9% of BCE’s workforce.
OTTAWA— On Tuesday March 19, Unifor will hold a media conference followed by a Bell worker rally prior to the testimony of Bell executives before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
On March 15 Unifor members in Winnipeg marched on a secondary picket line at the local CN Autoport yard. Escalating actions will continue until CN stops using scab labour during the Halifax strike.
On March 14 Unifor members in Winnipeg safely stopped a CN train in solidarity with members on strike at CN Autoport in Halifax. Watch Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle describe the escalating actions taking place across Canada against CN.
WINNIPEG—A CN train was safely stopped during a solidarity action by Unifor members in Winnipeg this evening as part of an escalation caused by the company’s use of scab labour in Halifax.
“CN cannot escape the spotlight. The shameful behaviour by CN Autoport in Halifax will be met with resistance across our union,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “CN can expect more unscheduled disruption from coast-to-coast if it continues strike-busting tactics.”
My hope for Canadian workers is that decades of struggle to advance workers’ rights in this country have reached a critical turning point.
The federal government-sponsored Bill C-58, a law that would ban the use of scab labour in strikes and lockouts, is an example of that hope. The decision of the new Manitoba government to introduce similar legislation is another.
We live in a time where hope must be turned into reality.
Despite heavy downpours, our solidarity rally supporting 239 striking CN Autoworkers in Halifax was a huge success. Unifor Local 100 are on strike for good jobs and fair pay.
International Women’s Day began because of union action by a determined group of women standing up for their rights at work more than a century ago. Unifor continues that tradition every day through solidarity, education, collective bargaining and political action that builds equity in workplaces and in communities.
But on March 8, we took a moment to gather, celebrate these achievements, and sometimes even squeeze in brunch!
Celebrate with us and see the faces of the women leading the change toward equity across Unifor workplaces.
Unifor Local 103 members working at Ontario Northland Transportation Commission ratify tentative agreement.
"This ratified agreement shows what a strong and united membership can accomplish at the bargaining table," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. "Congratulations to the bargaining committee and to every Local 103 member for their dedication in achieving such a great collective agreement."
Unifor welcomes 69 new members working at Concorde Airport Services in the Calgary International Airport, who voted almost 85% in favour of joining the union.
“We are thrilled these aviation workers have exercised their right to join a union, and have chosen Unifor,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“Democracy at work starts with having a say in your working conditions.”
The certification for this unit took place March 8, 2024, and is assigned to Unifor Local 4050.
VICTORIA—Rank-and-file forestry workers, union leaders, policymakers, and researchers gathered to hash out solutions to the crisis facing British Columbia’s forestry industry during a policy summit on March 12 in Victoria.
The summit, jointly hosted by Unifor, the United Steelworkers union (USW), and the Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC), was an unprecedented gathering of workers who have experienced firsthand the many mill closures and related job losses in an industry that was once world-renowned.
Unifor Local 2000A members have overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year agreement with their employer, Zayo, an American telecommunications company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. The agreement, reached after rigorous negotiations, marks a significant milestone as they achieved the largest wage gains in nearly 50 years.
ST. JOHN’S –Unifor is deeply concerned after Atlantic newspaper owner SaltWire Network Inc. filed for creditor protection yesterday. In addition, a private equity fund has alleged the company owes it roughly $33 million after years of mismanagement out of its $94 million total debt load.
VICTORIA, B.C. – While communities across the province are grappling with the aftermath of mill closures, fibre supply shortages, issues related to old growth, and more, B.C.’s three major forestry unions are joining together to hold an unprecedented summit on Tuesday in Victoria.
NORTH BAY – Unifor Local 103 representing workers at Ontario Northland have reached a tentative agreement.
"Entering negotiations, we had one goal in mind: to negotiate an agreement that shows the true value of our members, and we believe this tentative agreement does exactly that," said Jeremy Rodgers, President of Unifor Local 103. "We would not have been able to negotiate this agreement without the solidarity and support of our membership."
Unifor Local 27 members have ratified a new three-year agreement with their manufacturing employer, Masco Canada in St. Thomas, Ont. on March 5.
“Congratulations to the bargaining committee for their dedicated hard work negotiating a fair contract for our manufacturing members,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Every step towards making a workplace more inclusive is a move in the right direction.”
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