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Wednesday, April 29
The 2026 Prairie Regional Council opened on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton with remarks from Council Chairperson Guy Desforges, setting the tone for three days of discussion centered on mobilizing Unifor members for the political fights ahead, including the looming Alberta UCP referendum, an anticipated Alberta election, and Manitoba's 2027 vote.
Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle opened his report by reflecting on a year of hard-fought bargaining gains, expanded organizing, and the union's continued resistance to unfair U.S. tariffs that have disrupted decades of economic cooperation. He told delegates that workers cannot wait for the next election or the next crisis to begin organizing, and called on members to mobilize on an ongoing basis.
"Our gains aren't coming easy. They are taking fights. Workers must still scrap for every nickel they bargain… And we know that fighting back makes a difference," McGarrigle said.
See an excerpt from McGarrigle's speech.
Delegates then heard a research presentation on tariffs and economic trends, followed by debate on the Western Regional Director's recommendation to "Protect Canadian Jobs – Holding Government to Account."
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck told delegates that the choices being made now will shape the future for generations and stressed the importance of labour having a seat at the table when decisions are made about the country's direction. "I look forward to the day I can come back to Unifor Prairie Regional Council and reintroduce card check, anti scab protection and rebalance labour legislation in Saskatchewan again," Beck said.
Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi followed with a pointed defence of workers' fundamental right to come home safe at the end of every shift. He welcomed Unifor's continued mobilization against the Danielle Smith government's attacks on workers' rights and pledged to keep fighting alongside the union as the UCP advances its referendum and prepares for the next election.
In the afternoon, National President Lana Payne delivered a forceful report linking collective bargaining power to the union's broader political work, arguing that workers' lives literally depend on the laws and governments that shape their workplaces. She told delegates that Unifor's solidarity is the antidote to the despair of the moment, and urged members to keep showing up for one another inside their workplaces and in the community.
"Collective bargaining is about how we lift everyone up. It's our most powerful tool, but so is the collective power of our union to affect change. Legislative change. Societal change," Payne said. "So my ask is this: let's keep showing up for each other. Let's keep demanding. Let's keep building this union, every day. Because in these dark times, our union is the hope. Our solidarity is the light. Our activism is what gives us a fighting chance."
See an excerpt from Payne's speech.
Economist Jim Stanford closed the day with a presentation analyzing the use of the notwithstanding clause in labour relations.
Thursday, April 30
The second day was anchored by health and safety. The Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) standing committee delivered its report alongside a presentation on workplace accidents and tragedies.
HSE Department Director Joanne Hay noted that a recent workplace fatality was a sobering reminder that Unifor must remain ever vigilant in defending and expanding health and safety protections.
Several delegates went to the microphones with personal accounts of the toll workplace incidents have taken on their workplaces and families. The mining safety recommendation was spurred by the December 15, 2025 death of Unifor Local 892 member Tyrone McLeod, killed in a fall-of-ground incident at the Mosaic K3 potash mine near Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. Delegates endorsed a call to campaign across every prairie jurisdiction for stronger enforcement of mining regulations, including mandatory penalties rather than voluntary compliance, worker representation in incident investigations, and a strong, enforceable right to refuse unsafe work.
Trevor Dixon, First Vice President of Local 87-M, presented Unifor's Fact Check campaign, equipping delegates with tools to push back against disinformation in their communities and workplaces.
National Secretary-Treasurer Len Poirier used his report to underline the high standards of accountability and transparency at Unifor, the ongoing work to equip locals with stronger financial administration tools, and the careful stewardship required in a period defined by inflationary pressures, industry transitions, and the political challenges of the tariff war.
"Acting with honesty, fairness, and integrity is not optional; it is the foundation of our union. When we lead with integrity, we don't just protect the union, we strengthen it," Poirier said.
See an excerpt from Poirier’s speech.
Delegates also received an organizing report from department director Justin Gniposky outlining inroads in energy, aviation, and the historic Amazon certification.
Following a presentation from Women Building Futures, Unifor's Social Justice Fund and CN jointly donated $200,000 to support the organization's work training women for careers in the trades.
The afternoon concluded with a "Labour Votes" panel that brought McGarrigle together with Scott Lunney of the United Steelworkers and Raj Uppal of CUPE Alberta. The three leaders pressed the urgent need for unions to work together against a provincial government bent on sowing division and stripping workers of basic rights. McGarrigle returned repeatedly to the point that political fights are not won in their final weeks: unions have to be organized, member-trained, and resourced long before any election is called.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew sent a video greeting to delegates before the day adjourned.
Friday, May 1
The final day opened with the Women's standing committee report and a keynote from Lori Platt of WIN House, the Edmonton organization that has sheltered women, children, and non-binary people fleeing violence for more than 55 years. Following the presentation, local unions and the PRC donated a collective $3,720 to WIN House.
Unifor Women's Director Tracey Ramsey followed with a presentation on reproductive justice, updating delegates on the growing threats to reproductive rights across the Prairies and the urgent need for members to stay mobilized. Ramsey framed reproductive rights as a core labour issue and a fight for which Unifor members cannot be on the sidelines.
The 2SLGBTQIA+ standing committee then welcomed Finn St. Dennis of the Queer and Trans Health Collective, who spoke to the urgent need to defend access to gender-affirming care and community health services in Alberta's increasingly hostile political climate. Local unions and the PRC later presented St. Dennis with $3,300 in total donations.
Delegates closed the meeting by debating and adopting the remaining recommendations and resolutions, including a recommendation on "Workers in Politics – Mobilizing Across the Prairies" that ties directly to the Council's central theme of a mobilized membership.
The PRC adjourned in Edmonton with delegates carrying a clear sense of urgency about what is at stake. With the Alberta UCP referendum, the next Alberta election, and Manitoba's 2027 vote on the horizon, the rights workers have spent decades fighting for, including the right to bargain collectively, to refuse unsafe work, and to come home safe at the end of a shift, are squarely on the line.
A full list of recommendations adopted at the meeting can be found here.
