As of April 30, the workers at Port Arthur Health Centre entered the fourth week of the strike, after a resounding majority of 94 per cent voted to reject the employer’s final, sub-standard offer. The members have been without a contract since December 31, 2017 and need our help.
“We are turning up the heat on management, to get them back to the table with an offer that gives workers fair wages and job security,” said Kari Jefford, President, Unifor Local 229, ““The frustrating thing about this situation is that the employer is not arguing that it does not have the ability to pay, but rather that the goal is to keep their operating costs low, which translates into profits on the backs of workers.”
Show solidarity and support in two ways:
Wednesday, May 2: Fax Action
Send a message to flood the Port Arthur Health Centre with faxes. Tell the employer to get back to the table and negotiate a fair deal.
Fax your message to: 1-888-830-5340; 1-807-346-6209; 1-807-346-6206 and 1-807-346-6244
Thursday, May 3: Social Media Action - Show the striking workers you are standing with them.
Use your social media accounts to create a buzz online about this strike.
Send a solidarity shout out: Post a message on Facebook or Twitter. Please use the hashtag #PortArthurStrike and mention Unifor Local 229.
The key issues in this strike are low wages and job security. A majority of the workers, 65 per cent, are on contract and have precarious employment. As casual contract employees many of the workers have no guaranteed hours of work from one week to the next. As a result, many face unstable economic situations and are forced to work multiple jobs to maintain a decent standard of living.