Around the world road transport workers face severe work pressures due to low-cost tendering practices, unreasonable scheduling, and low rates of pay. These pressures originate in a business model based on an over-reliance on sub-contracting and a level of competition that is destroying jobs and lives.
TORONTO – Unifor is calling on the federal government and industry stakeholders to support changes to improve conditions for road transport drivers and make roads safer for all drivers.
“Low pay and unsafe conditions force drivers to take enormous risks in order to make ends meet. While this might make sense for the narrow interests of corporate shareholders, it is a disaster for everyone else,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
VANCOUVER – Unifor members at Local 114 have overwhelmingly voted in favour of job action after failing to reach a deal with their employer, Pacific Western Transportation (PWT), a contractor of BC Transit.
A delegation of activists from Unifor and several other labour organizations were on Parliament Hill September 19 to once again demand federal anti-scab legislation. Workers are demanding that the federal government keep its promises on long-awaited anti-scab legislation during this session of Parliament.
Union leaders and several Members of Parliament were on hand to address activists, including Louise Chabot of the Parti Québécois, Alexandre Boulerice and Jagmeet Singh of the NDP.
A tree, from its solid roots to its branches and leaves, became the symbol of the Black, Indigenous and Workers of Colour (BIWOC) Conference that ran Sept. 15 to 17 in Port Elgin, Ont., symbolizing the theme “growing together,” a decade of Unifor’s victories through the lens of BIWOC communities, and continuing to build on these victories moving forward.
For the first time in nearly three decades, Unifor hosted joint strategy meetings at its national offices in Toronto and Montreal, on Sept. 12 and 14, bringing together members from Ontario and Quebec Bell Canada Craft, Bell Technical Services and Expertech.
The members discussed new ways of pooling expertise and resources to build impactful bargaining approaches with the aim to better serve Unifor’s collective membership.
Unifor is launching a new Equity Fund to encourage and support local unions who wish to step up their work on equity issues.
The new program was announced at the Black, Indigenous and Workers of Colour Conference in Port Elgin, Ont. on Sunday, and will allocate $250,000 in its founding year to support projects in 2024.
KITCHENER - Unifor Local 1106, representing the dedicated and compassionate workforce at Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services, demand the employer return to the table and offer workers fair and equitable wages for its members.
“Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services is suppressing wage adjustments related to Bill 124 and neglecting to maintain and review pay equity requirements,” said Samia Hashi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “In the face of this unacceptable behaviour, we are calling for justice for our members.”
TORONTO—Unifor has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Company, covering more than 5,600 members at Canadian Ford facilities.
“We believe that this tentative agreement, endorsed by the entire master bargaining committee, addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada.”
Healthcare workers of Unifor Local 2458 have successfully concluded their contract negotiations with Chatham Kent Hospital, resulting in several improvements for members spread across Chatham and Wallaceburg, Ontario.
SAULT STE. MARIE– Unifor, the union representing the dedicated workers at ARCH Hospice will conduct an information picket outside the facility on September 18 to draw attention to the issues workers are facing in this round of contract negotiations.
Canada’s largest private sector union calls for higher wages to address stark affordability challenges impacting families and joins the federal government’s call to stabilize food prices.
On the international day of action to support the search of the Brady Road Landfill, Unifor renews its call to honour the wishes of the families for a comprehensive search.
OTTAWA—The next Parliament can make important and lasting changes for workers by banning replacement workers (“scabs”) and fixing Employment Insurance, says Unifor.
“The studies and consultations have been done. Workers shouldn’t have to wait any longer for workplace and EI changes that will improve working conditions and a withering safety net,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.
TORONTO- Metroland Media, owned and controlled by Jordan Bitove’s Nordstar, is betraying workers and leaving an information vacuum in many communities by ending the print publication of 70 of weekly community newspapers and shuttering its flyer delivery business.
Brother Fain and members of the United Auto Workers (UAW),
As Canada’s largest private sector union, representing 315,000 members across Canada, we write to express our solidarity with the UAW and your members on strike at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
It is never an easy decision for working people to take strike action in the pursuit of a fair collective agreement. The withdrawal of labour is the cornerstone of free and fair collective bargaining.
Thousands of administrative professionals working in the health care system throughout Nova Scotia are gearing up to hit the picket lines, as their employers continue to drag their feet on bargaining and hide behind anti-union legislation.
Unifor members at A.G Simpson Automotive Inc. in Oshawa, Ont. ratified a new collective agreement after a two-day strike. The three-year contract includes substantial wage increases, along with health care benefit improvements and enhancements to the pension programs.
“Congratulations to the dedicated bargaining committee for securing this contract”, said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “At a time when workers are rising up and demanding better, this agreement shows us what is possible when workers stand together.”
While Canadians grapple with an affordability crisis, economic uncertainty and housing instability, the House of Commons’ Finance Committee is consulting for the 2024 federal budget.
Unifor’s priorities for next year’s federal budget are that the federal government think big and build big to shift the country, address the affordability crisis, stabilize the health care system, and ensure no worker is left behind.
WINNIPEG—Voters can turn the tables on the PC government that downgraded hospital emergency rooms by electing a new government on October 3, says Unifor.
“The PCs’ abysmal record on healthcare and other vital services shows they’re not worthy of re-election,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “They downgraded vital emergency rooms, now voters can downgrade the PCs.”
Unifor Local 830 member Dan Rugg is seeking to represent the voters of Lakeside in the provincial general election scheduled for October 3, 2023.
Rugg says his commitment to improving his community has drawn him to public service, including serving on the Elie council in the Municipality of Cartier, west of Winnipeg.
Unions representing thousands of administrative professionals working in the health care system throughout Nova Scotia have spent six weeks trying to get bargaining dates from the employers and government, but they refuse to come to the table.
These hard-working administrative professionals now have a contract that expired almost three years ago. The employer and government have offered these workers a deal that amounts to a wage decrease, while other groups of health care workers have been offered much more.
HALIFAX-Unifor members at IMP Aerospace delivered an unprecedented strike mandate of 97.6%, showing their determination to make strong gains in upcoming contract negotiations.
“The members at IMP are sending a clear message with this strike vote that they need to see real improvements,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “The overwhelming support for a strike and support for their bargaining committee is important and shows these workers are ready to fight for a fair contract.”
TORONTO – Unifor is fighting Air Canada’s decision to lay off more than 50 Jazz members in Newfoundland and Labrador as the company makes changes to its services in Gander, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Deer Lake.
“Unifor is committed to fighting vigorously for our aviation members at Jazz,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“Companies like Air Canada can’t just be cavalier about bringing in new contracts and expect our union to sit by on the sidelines. Our members are dedicated to their jobs and deserve respect.”
ESPANOLA, Ont.-Nearly 350 Unifor members and their families are grappling with the news of a year-long curtailment of the Domtar mill in Espanola, Ontario.
Toronto – Unifor, representing the dedicated health care workers of the Northern Hospital Group, welcomes arbitration award as a positive step forward for health care workers in Ontario.
Unifor members rallied to oppose changes to New Brunswick’s Policy 713, the province's gender-identity policy in schools. Recent updates to the policy require teachers to obtain parental consent before using the chosen name and pronoun of a child under 16, forcing teachers to potentially ‘out’ students who aren’t ready or willing to do so.
Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray was in Fredericton on Sunday, Sept. 3 to support therally organized by Unifor Local 4504 member Nicki Lyons-MacFarlane, a standing committee member of the Atlantic Regional Council.
Since Stephen McNeil’s Liberal government proclaimed Bill 148 – the Public Services Sustainability Act, eight unions impacted by the Bill have been working diligently to have this dangerous piece of anti-worker legislation repealed as a breach of Section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
WINNIPEG—Workers across Manitoba will be volunteering for progressive candidates to ensure the Heather Stefanson government is not re-elected on October 3, 2023.
“Workers and their families cannot afford more PC health care cuts and emergency room chaos,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Working people are ready for change.”
Unifor has begun a member-to-member campaign to help inform workers about the Brian Pallister-Heather Stefanson government’s record of healthcare privatization and growing poverty.
Accessibility
Documents can be requested in alternative/accessible formats by emailing communications@unifor.org
