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Naureen Rizvi, Unifor’s Ontario Regional Director, shared the story of Unifor’s Ontario activism and advocacy in her report to the 2022 Constitutional Convention.
Reflecting on the opportunity to unite once again, Rizvi commented, “When we talk about missing the union, I think it was this that we were all hurting over the most. To be together, to work together, to build together.”
The Ontario Regional Council, and Rizvi’s as the Regional Director, engage in constant member mobilization and political organizing. From Bill 124 to mental health or automotive investments, Rizvi outlined the many ways that workers in the province organized, though their union, to defend workers and push for a better future.
“If you want to pick a fight with an employer or government, this is the union you want to be in to do that. No one can deny that Unifor members shine when it comes to facing power head on.”
In the past three years, the attacks on workers came from both employers and government. Rizvi described the unending assaults of Premier Doug Ford’s conservative government, including his move to implement an election law change that violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms one year before a provincial election, silencing the voting public’s critique of government policy and decisions.
“When employers and the Ford government collectively declared war on us we harnessed all of the power and resources of this union and its membership and we pushed back as hard as we could.”
Before closing, Rizvi called for a “laser focus” on federal Anti-Scab Legislation. The promise was in the federal Liberal and NDP platforms in the 2021 federal election, and is outlined in the Liberal-NDP Supply and Confidence Agreement, but has yet to be introduced in the House of Commons.
While workers wait for MPs to finally table and pass federal and provincial anti-scab laws, employers continue to use replacement workers to prolong labour disputes and cut off workers’ power at their knees.
Rizvi was at the table with Bell Canada for the recent Clerical unit negotiations, and recalled how the employer, when faced with a strike deadline, intimidated workers with requests for scab labour.
The threats did not break the union, and members will vote on a tentative agreement in the next week.
Rizvi’s story of the Ontario region’s campaigns and advocacy circled on her belief that Unifor members are united, and ready to take on any challenge that’s set in their way. When the going gets tough, workers will unite and support one another, no matter what.
