MEDIA ADVISORY September 3, 2017 Mexico City – On Labour Day, Unifor National President Jerry Dias will open the Conference of the National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic, known as “Los Mineros”. “Los Mineros is a leader in the fight for the rights of Mexican workers, but its President is forced to live in exile in Canada,” said Dias.
September 1, 2017 Mexico City – Unifor joined thousands of Mexican workers at a labour rights rally, as the second round of meetings to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement began in Mexico City. “Donald Trump talks of building a wall. We do not need a wall, we need a bridge,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias told the cheering crowd.
August 31, 2017 Mexico City – As the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade resumes, Unifor National President Jerry Dias will speak to thousands of Mexican workers at a rally for labour rights in Mexico City. “NAFTA may have brought jobs to Mexico, but it did not bring prosperity as international companies instead chose to pit worker against worker in a race to the bottom,” “said Dias. “Unifor stands united with the working people of Mexico.
August 29, 2017 Pittsburgh, PA — Leaders of the U.S. union United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE) and Unifor signed a cooperation agreement to change and renew the North American labor movement, based on shared values and commitment to aggressive struggle, equity and political independence. “Working people in the United States, like working people in Canada, are confronted by rising inequality and a political establishment that refuses to confront that inequality head-on,” said UE General President Peter Knowlton.
Victoria—Workers at the Hotel Grand Pacific have voted 92 per cent in favour of a new three-year collective agreement that secures, among other things, wage gains and a pension plan.
“Unifor contracts in the hotel sector are a ticket to a living wage and job security,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Hotel workers deserve to share in the success and profits of their employers.”
August 25, 2017 Peterborough – General Electric has eliminated approximately 358 good manufacturing jobs as the company announced it will cease operations at its Peterborough, Ontario plant by the end of the third quarter in 2018. “General Electric has been an integral part of Peterborough’s history for over a century,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Now the company is rewarding the loyalty of the community by pulling up the stakes and moving jobs out of the country.” The workers, members of Unifor Locals 599 and 524 were informed of the impending shutdown today.
Toronto – Unifor and the United Auto Workers will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland to discuss preparations for the upcoming round of North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations.
"The next talks in Mexico will be key" said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "We got past the formalities in round one in Washington, now it's time to start seeing some cards on the table."
August 22, 2017 Victoria—The bargaining committee of Unifor Local 114 have reached a tentative agreement with the employer. “The Unifor pattern agreement for hotel workers was always going to be the solution to this round of bargaining with the Grand Pacific,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor is committed to fair contracts for hotel workers.” Earlier this month, Local 114 members voted to strike if necessary before the expiration of their current contract on September 1.
Victoria—Members of Unifor Local 114 working for the Hotel Grand Pacific have voted to strike if the employer refuses to bargain a fair deal by September 1 when the current contract expires.
“Other hotels in BC have signed onto a pattern agreement, but the Hotel Grand Pacific refuses to join the norm,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Local 114 members deserve what other hotel workers have achieved, so the Grand Pacific is risking a major customer service interruption to buck the trend.”
WASHINGTON – Unifor welcomes the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as talks get underway in Washington, D.C.
“It was made clear today that the United States is not interested in a few tweaks,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “It believes NAFTA has failed workers and that a major overhaul is required, which is exactly what Unifor has been saying for years.”
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,
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