On November 13, members of Unifor Local 1075 took part in a flag-raising ceremony alongside Fort William First Nation (FWFN) at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay, underscoring the union’s commitment to strengthening ties with Indigenous communities.
Local 1075 President Justin Roberts previously participated in Unifor’s Turtle Island course and felt that the local and employer could do more to build relationships in the community: “This flag-raising is a step in recognizing and respecting the contributions of local Indigenous communities.”
Former B.C. Premier John Horgan will be remembered by Unifor members across the country as a champion for working people. His legacy is a British Columbia that has some of the healthiest public services and strongest workers’ rights in Canada.
The order for binding arbitration to abruptly end a lock-out at ports in British Columbia and Quebec is a blow to workers’ rights in Canada and only emboldens the employers—the associations of global multi-national corporations that operate dozens of ports around the world.
It is important to remember that it was the employer’s decision to lockout workers at the ports.
KANATA, ONT.— Unifor has learned that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has finally issued an order to Best Theratronics, confirming the company is not in compliance with its licence condition requiring a financial guarantee for decommissioning.
Unifor National President Lana Payne delivers a solidarity message to long-term care members in Ontario and Nova Scotia as they prepare for critical bargaining in 2024.
This year’s Unifor Young Workers Conference on Nov. 8 to 10, 2024, focused on the theme of “deep roots, strong growth,” building upon the challenges, responsibilities and hope of young workers leading the union into the future. With the message that with the support of the union, the next generation of workers can strengthen into an unstoppable force.
WINDSOR— Bargaining between Unifor Local 2458 and Clear Medical Imaging ended suddenly today as the employer walked away from the table.
"Today’s abrupt walkout by Clear Medical is deeply disappointing to our members who have made it clear that they will not return to work until they receive a fair deal,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Our members came ready to negotiate and won’t back down until they get the first collective agreement they deserve.”
Toronto—Unifor members at Food Basics have ratified a new five-year contract containing significant wage improvements, pension and benefit enhancements, and better job protections against automation.
WINNIPEG—Unifor is celebrating the Manitoba government’s adoption of long-awaited anti-scab and unionization legislation, a major milestone that enhances workers’ rights in every sector of the economy.
“This is a pivotal moment for workers in Manitoba,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “By banning scab labour, the NDP government is strengthening the integrity of the collective bargaining process and helping ensure fairer outcomes for workers.”
VANCOUVER—Unifor continues its momentum organizing at Walmart after the Canada Industrial Relations Board granted interim certification for approximately 95 drivers at Walmart in Surrey, B.C.
MONCTON–Unifor is celebrating Premier Holt’s reversal of the policies that limited surgical abortion to hospital settings in New Brunswick within days of forming government.
“Expanding access to women’s reproductive care, to health care, is what we and many others advocated for, and what New Brunswickers voted for,” said Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray. “This is a bright light in a week where we have been reminded that our human rights, our right to self-determination, and our access to life-saving health care should never be taken for granted.”
Unifor members across the country have closely followed the 2024 United States election. Canada and the United States are economically interdependent. As a result, any change in U.S. policy and the U.S. economy is consequential to Canadian jobs, communities, economic sectors and trade.
TORONTO – The union representing Bell workers questions the decision by Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE), to acquire American company Ziply Fiber following a year of devastating cuts in Canada.
Two members of the Royal Canadian Armed Forces have been awarded the Star of Courage for their heroic rescue of Unifor Local 1944 members aboard the fishing vessel Atlantic Destiny, when it caught fire and sank off the coast of Nova Scotia in March 2021.
Workers at Sollio Agriculture, a feed mill in New Minas, N.S., have ratified a new four-year collective agreement on Oct. 20, 2024, in a unanimous vote.
“Congratulations to the bargaining committee for negotiating a fair agreement for the members,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “A lot of work went into this agreement, and it shows.”
It is with profound sadness that Unifor acknowledges the passing of the Honourable Murray Sinclair.
In his role as Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Sinclair's leadership was instrumental in bringing to light the horrors of the residential school system, amplifying the voices of survivors, and forging a path toward healing and reconciliation.
Every single worker faces a degree of risk or danger in performing their job. Unifor leadership and staff and guest speakers from a variety of areas of expertise shared experiences in responding to and preventing these risks with nearly 150 Unifor members at the weekend’s Health, Safety and Environment Conference, titled Back to Basics and Beyond.
The Unifor National Skilled Trades Council focused on maintaining a strong Skilled Trades workforce for the future, with discussions on increasing apprenticeship opportunities, training for women in the trades, the impact of automation, and the need to protect standards against attempts to water down qualifications.
TORONTO—Unifor’s Energy Sector Council has launched the “Keep it in the Pipe” campaign, calling for comprehensive methane reduction regulations in Canada’s oil and gas sector.
“Unchecked methane leaks pose serious risks to workers, our communities, and ultimately the climate,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Today energy workers are proposing solutions that bring government, industry, and labour to the table.”
WINDSOR— Unifor Local 2458 and Clear Medical Imaging are set to resume negotiations on Friday, November 8, 2024, after Unifor’s request for a conciliator to assist in reaching a fair agreement.
KANATA, ONT.— Best Theratronics continues to refuse to negotiate as the ongoing strike by workers at its Kanata, ON facility hits the six-month mark on Nov. 1, 2024. Despite ongoing attempts by Unifor to resolve the dispute, including a proposal to resolve the dispute with the help of an independent arbitrator, the company refuses to negotiate or engage.
In a significant victory for approximately 190 workers affected by the sudden closure of the Adient seating plant in Tillsonburg, Ontario, an arbitrator has awarded each worker 14 weeks of additional pay for violating a promise to give six months notice of a plant closure. The 14 weeks pay is in addition to severance and notice of termination pay already received by the workers.
BELLEVILLE—Members of Unifor Local 1090 have ratified a new four-year collective agreement that helps harmonize wage rates at Shorelines casinos in the region.
“Local 1090 members set a goal and bargained skillfully to achieve it,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “They can be proud of their accomplishments in this round.”
The contract includes wages that will match Shorelines Peterborough rates by 2026, which includes increases of up to 32%. Other improvements include lower health benefit premiums and a higher full-to-part-time ratio.
Unifor welcomes 53 new members from Porter Airlines at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) to the union.
“Congratulations to our new members at Porter Airlines, we are thrilled to have you join more than 13,000aviation workers who are part of Unifor,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“You’re joining a robust sector full of members who are fighting to improve working conditions throughout the industry, and we look forward to bargaining your first collective agreement.”
HALIFAX—Leaders from Unifor, NSGEU and CUPE say trust with government has been bruised as collective bargaining is called off for the last of four health care bargaining units in Nova Scotia.
TORONTO—Unifor is pleased to see a path forward to distribute Google’s $100 million annual contribution to Canada’s news businesses, after the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced Monday it was granting Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act (ONA).
At the head of Canada’s largest private-sector union, Unifor National President Lana Payne says defending union rights and empowering bargaining committees across the union are top of mind given the current climate.
Payne shared perspectives on the current state of union relations and top issues related to Unifor’s members at the Canada Labour and Employee Relations Network (LERN) event in Toronto on Oct. 23, 2024.
Accessibility
Documents can be requested in alternative/accessible formats by emailing communications@unifor.org