VANCOUVER—A planned bump in the minimum wage next month is a good step but the government must commit to a timeline to get to $15 per hour.
“British Columbia’s working poor deserve a $15 per hour minimum wage,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Too many workers, especially in Metro Vancouver, are making impossible choices between paying the rent and other bare necessities like medicine or groceries.”
TORONTO – Canada must be prepared to walk away from the table if meaningful and enforceable labour, gender and Indigenous rights, as well as environmental protections cannot be achieved in a renewed North American Free Trade Agreement, Unifor says.
REGINA— Right-wing Premier Brad Wall’s resignation won’t halt the Sask Party government’s reckless privatization and threats to the integrity of Crown corporations, says Unifor.
“Since the 2016 provincial election, Sask Party cabinet ministers have been sneaking around trying to sell off Crown corporations,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Brad Wall lied in the election and there’s no reason to believe that the rest of his caucus will honour their election promise to keep Saskatchewan’s Crowns public.”
VANCOUVER—Members of Unifor Local 4275 have voted 97% in favour of legal job action if a new contract cannot be reached by this weekend.
“The employer has been dragging their feet. There has been little or no response to our proposals and there are concessions that our members simply cannot afford,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
The strike vote puts the union in a position to serve 72-hour notice of a legal strike.
VANCOUVER—Nearly 100 food service workers at Edgewater Casino will have to re-apply for their jobs when the company moves to the new facility, says Unifor.
“It’s a kick in the teeth to workers who’ve been working hard and are loyal to this company,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Vancouver has the highest cost of living in Canada, but that doesn’t matter to corporations like Paragon Gaming. Union-busting and wage suppression is the only business model they know.”
“The current low-wage, part-time, and contract-to-contract job market has led to a grim reality of precarious work and inequality,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi. “Bill 148 takes important steps to address the gaps that characterizes so much of today’s workplace but the legislation needs to go further to protect Ontario workers.”
July 18, 2017 Toronto—Unifor’s regional councils have added another $120,000 to BC wildfire relief donations, bringing the union’s total Red Cross donation to over $220,000. “I want to thank our regional bodies for stepping up to extend Unifor’s solidarity,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Toronto– A renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement must include fundamental changes, including enforceable labour and environmental standards and the elimination of the disputes settlement system, Unifor tells the federal government.
On June 1, the Ontario government introduced the ‘Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act’ (Bill 148) in response to ongoing campaigns from workers demanding action to stop increasingly precarious work, better protections at work and a higher minimum wage.
This bill is currently undergoing public scrutiny and feedback through the Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. While many of the proposed changes will benefit workers, this piece of legislation must go much further to truly empower workers and combat poverty,
July 14, 2017 Kitimat—Members of Unifor Local 2301 have voted 99.5% in favour of a strike if a fair deal cannot be reached at the bargaining table before July 23. “Rio Tinto has created a climate of extreme disrespect in the workplace, and it should be no surprise that these workers are fed up,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
July 13, 2017 Campbell River—Unifor has reached a tentative agreement with Nyrstar at its Campbell River ore mine. “This is great news for workers and the community that has been impacted by unpredictable closures,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Our members are eager to get the mine fully operational again.” A combination of factors led the mine to slow operations nearly two years ago, reaching a total shut down in April 2017. Since then, Unifor has been working to help miners get re-training and find other work.
Toronto—Unifor is responding to the wildfire crisis in BC’s Interior with a $100,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross, and is encouraging its local unions and members to give.
“Unifor members have been following the devastation caused by the fires very closely and we feel compelled to act,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We encourage Unifor members and all Canadians to make a donation to the Red Cross so that the affected families can rebuild and recover.”
The first of what is planned to be several town halls across Canada over the coming year was held recently in Ingersoll, Ontario to discuss NAFTA and Canada's approach to trade negotiations. It was the first step in establishing a people's agenda for trade in Canada.
July 7, 2017 Thunder Bay – A tentative collective agreement has been reached between Bombardier and Unifor Local 1075 representing workers at the company’s plant in this northwestern Ontario city. “This deal is fair to the Thunder Bay workers at Bombardier while ensuring the continued production of its transit vehicles,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “The bargaining team worked very hard to get this deal, and I commend them for their work.” Details of the new collective agreement will be released after a ratification vote to be held on Sunday.
Vancouver— The Supreme Court of British Columbia has upheld the wage floor in the Container Trucking Act, after ten trucking companies sued the provincial government in an effort to avoid back pay and keep industry wages down.
“Container truck drivers work hard and deserve fair compensation,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor fought hard to get higher pay rates and retroactivity included in the Act. We’re pleased that the court recognized the greed exhibited by these trucking companies for what it was.”
July 4, 2017 Winnipeg—Unifor is proud to be part of the Partnership to Defend Public Services, the coalition of Manitoba workers’ organizations that are challenging the province’s anti-union legislation. “Workers with good jobs are the first people that right-wing governments want to blame for fiscal problems of their own making,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Ottawa-The re-introduction of a second tariff on Canadian softwood lumber exports pushes the industry closer to crisis, says Unifor.
“These tariffs are a slap in the face to the concept of fair trade,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “It’s President Trump’s gift to U.S. landowners and hundreds of Canadian communities will pay the price.”
Ottawa—Forestry workers welcomed the news that the U.S. is dropping Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia from the Commerce Department’s tariff investigations.
“The ad hoc exclusion of three provinces from duties confirms what we’ve stated all along: there is no legal basis for duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President. “This hardship can be avoided—the federal government must get to a negotiated solution as soon as possible.”
June 22, 2017 Victoria—Despite attractive promises, the BC Throne Speech is a desperate attempt to cling to power says Unifor. “British Columbians have no reason to trust anything coming from the Christy Clark government,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor’s Western Regional Director. “The Throne Speech shows that Premier Clark will say anything—at any cost—to stay in power.” More resembling the BC NDP’s election platform than a vision from the 2001–2017 BC Liberal government, the Speech from the Throne contained promises for childcare and campaign finance reform.
The recent announcement of a Delastek expansion in Mexico demonstrates once again that this employer never intended to negotiate in good faith with workers, says Unifor. The union represents employees of Delastek, members of Local 1209, who have been on strike for more than two years.
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