OTTAWA, March 21 – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be in the Centre Block of Parliament as the federal budget is released on Wednesday, and available to do media interviews on what the budget means for working Canadians.
“Working people in Canada need a budget that addresses the real needs they face and creates opportunities for them, their families and their communities to prosper,” Dias said. “Canadians need to know that their government is working to improve their lives.”
Toronto - Unifor’s East Danforth Community Chapter and the South Asian Women’s Rights Organization will host a public forum on March 23 to reveal the illegal, unfair and discriminatory employment practices of temporary agencies. “Illegal working conditions are experienced by too many workers, but our voices are often silenced as we move from job to job,” said Syeda Sabiha President of the Unifor East Danforth Community Chapter.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Regina—A record turnout of Unifor Local 594 members have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s so-called final offer on Monday night. “Workers have sent a crystal clear message to Co-op’s management: drop the concessions,” said Kevin Bittman, Local 594 President. “Co-op’s owners are massively profitable.
Waterloo—After bargaining into the night and through the strike deadline, Unifor Local 4304 has reached a tentative agreement with Grand River Transit. No interruption of service will result from the last minute deal. “I’m proud of our bargaining committee’s skill and commitment to getting a tentative agreement,” said Rick Lonergan, President of Unifor Local 4304. “We are committed to serving this community, so we bargained through the night.” Lonergan said the contract is a three-year deal.
Thursday, March 16, 2017 Edmonton—The Alberta government’s commitment to job creation and protecting public services is the right course of action to a stronger recovery, says Canada’s largest private sector union. “Strong economic growth for 2017 will be Alberta’s reward for charting a course that kept social services strong during the downturn,” said Don Boucher, Unifor’s Alberta Area Director, referring to economic forecasts that say Alberta will lead all provinces in growth.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Regina—The Co-op Refinery has moved one step closer to a labour disruption after the employer served a final offer to its workers. “Giving our union an ultimatum is a tactic that is doomed to fail,” said Kate McKinley, Unifor National Representative. “Labour negotiations have to be a ‘give and take’, not ‘take it or leave it’.” Members of Unifor Local 594 meet on March 20 to discuss the offer. The union’s bargaining committee is recommending that members vote to reject the offer.
Ottawa—Unifor members from across Canada will meet with MPs next week to discuss how the federal government can save good Canadian jobs during Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement negotiations.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher for one of the largest sectors of Canada’s economy,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The Trudeau government must stop negotiating trade agreements from a position of fear and get a softwood deal that benefits Canadian forestry communities.”
Friday, March 10, 2017 Vancouver—Robust profits at Pacific Newspaper Group (PNG), a division of Postmedia Inc., mean that lay-offs announced this week are unnecessary and will undermine journalism in British Columbia, says Unifor. “The employer has posted almost $18-million in profits. There’s no reason for aggressive job cuts that will further damage the quality of professional journalism that British Columbians rely on,” said Brian Gibson, Unifor Local 2000 president. On Friday, Postmedia announced it is anticipating 54 layoffs.
Unifor local leaders working in long-term care in Nova Scotia made sure the province’s health minister knew the impact two years of funding cuts have had on the quality of care for seniors.
They were bold and heartfelt when they met with Minister Leo Glavine recently, and they did not shy away from explaining just how devastating the cuts to funding have been on staffing levels, on patient care, and on food budgets.
Some fifty employees of HS Télécom in Estrie and part of Montérégie, who are members of Unifor Local 2009, received bad news with the announcement that their employer will be closing their regional office effective July 31.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 Regina—Mediated talks have broken off at the Co-op Refinery Complex after Unifor refused to let the employer degrade pensions for new employees. “New workers with the same training and the same skills deserve the same benefits. It’s that simple,” said Kate McKinley, Unifor National Representative.
Regina—A new animated video uses the fable of the Goose that Laid Golden Eggs to demonstrate how the Sask Party government’s handling of Crown corporations is a threat to the future of the province.
“Crown corporations save people money every day and help fund our hospitals and schools,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “But the Sask Party government has paved the way for privatization. For the sake of healthy public services, they must be stopped.”
The extension of a stay against a previous Federal Ministry of Labour ruling puts the safety of armoured car workers and the general public at risk, Unifor says.
“The directives in the original order recognized that the use of two-person, all off crews elevates the danger of armoured car personnel being attacked in public, which also increases the risk to innocent by-standers,” said Mike Armstrong, Unifor National Staff Representative and lead on armoured car industry matters.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Edmonton—Workers at the Labatt facility in Edmonton will begin bargaining a new contract with AB Inbev this week. “Unifor members at Labatts are united in their call for fair wages and benefits,” said Todd Romanow, Unifor National Representative. Romanow says that key issues in this round of negotiations will be ending the two-tiered wage and benefit system as well as dealing with a broken disciplinary process.
TORONTO – Unifor calls on the international Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) to respect Tuesday’s court ruling and the democratic rights of ATU Local 113 members. “The court ruled clearly and decisively, this is a victory for democracy in the Canadian labour movement that restores the rights of union members," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Victoria—With an election around the corner, BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark tried to mask tax cuts as real help for working people and families. “From tuition fees to housing to minimum wage, this budget does little or nothing to address the skyrocketing costs of living in BC,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director.
The auto industry in Canada is back on solid ground and has a strong future, thanks in large part to Unifor, and a federal government that recognizes the importance of the industry, Unifor National President Jerry Dias said at the Toronto Auto Show today.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) remains a bad deal for workers in both Canada and Europe, despite ratification by the European Union, and the fight to oppose full implementation will continue. For more details, click here.
TORONTO, February 9 – A rally will be held Friday in Scarborough for workers at Vast Auto, forced on strike last weekend by an employer refusing to pay them more than poverty-level wages despite the rapidly rising cost of living. “This company makes large profits off the backs of workers by exploiting a workforce of marginalized workers and immigrants hired through temporary agencies,” said Unifor National Representative Paulo Ribeiro, adding Unifor is prepared to return to the table at any time to negotiate a fair collective agreement.
Regina—Premier Brad Wall’s open musing about privatizing SaskTel reeks of desperation and breaks a key election promise he made on March 15, 2016.
“Saskatchewan’s Crown corporations are like the goose that lays golden eggs—we need them for the long term value, not some panicked sell-off,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “Privatization means higher prices. Period.”
Speaking to a visiting delegation of Danish parliamentarians, Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi said that trade deals that put a higher priority on the desires of big companies or corporations than the needs of citizens tend to result in a race to the bottom, and warned against rapid CETA ratification. For more details, click here.
TORONTO, February 7 – As part of its effort to advance a united labour movement, Unifor will make a statement and offer solidarity to the TTC union that is dealing with an American take over.
The elimination of local sports coverage at a TV station in Barrie, Ontario, is a prime example of the crisis facing media outlets across this country, Unifor says.
Toronto - Unifor stands in solidarity with Canadian Union of Brewery and General Workers (CUBGW) members, forced on strike by Molson Coors since January 12. “This is a straight out attack on the middle-class by a multi-million dollar company,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “The strings are being pulled by an American head office determined to engage in a race to the bottom, with an agenda to lower the standard of living for workers in the name of corporate greed.” Molson Coors tabled an offer with reductions in wages, pensions and benefits.
Toronto—Unifor has reached a tentative agreement with one of the world’s largest international parcel shipping companies, avoiding midnight job action deadline. “The bargaining committee worked around the clock to secure fair compensation for the workers who make DHL successful,” said Mario Santos, Unifor National Representative. “DHL has achieved success and growth in recent years, and its unionized employees were a key party of that.” Unifor’s 900 members would have been in a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, February 6.
BRAMPTON, February 5 – Workers at Vast Auto Distribution in Brampton were forced on strike early today after the employer walked away from the bargaining table on Friday and refused to consider raising wages above poverty levels. “This employer continues to want to pay its workers poverty rate wages, in a city where the cost of living is rising rapidly,” said Unifor National Representative Paulo Ribeiro. “Our membership is committed to ensuring that doesn’t happen, for themselves, their spouses and their children.” The 29 members of Local 1285 were forced on strike at 12:01am today.
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