MONTREAL – As Unifor members were protesting in seven Canadian cities, VIA Rail Canada awarded a $989-million contract to a German company that will build trains for Canada’s passenger rail service.
“This is a betrayal of Canadian workers and taxpayers who fund VIA Rail and who expect this crown corporation to show some loyalty by creating jobs here to build our economy,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
MONTREAL – Today Unifor members who work for VIA Rail Canada will send a strong message to their employer and the federal government at train stations across Canada.
“This crown corporation should be creating good Canadian jobs and building a national rail service that we can all be proud of, not contracting out work to foreign multinational companies,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
TORONTO – Unifor and the union’s Social Justice Fund have donated $146,000 to women’s shelters across the country in recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
VANCOUVER - Unifor applauds introduction of CleanBC plan and encourages the swift implementation of its ambitious programs.
“CleanBC is a measurable plan designed in collaboration with workers that will re-establish B.C. as a climate leader,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Regional Director. “The plan shows promise of cutting carbon pollution while ensuring that the B.C. economy will continue to grow and support workers with good, green jobs.”
HALIFAX - Mediator-arbitrator William Kaplan has issued his award which establishes a collective agreement for approximately 7500 acute care nurses working throughout the province with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK.
The award came after mediation-arbitration which took place late last month and concludes a process that began in early September of this year.
HALIFAX - On November 30, 2018, mediator/arbitrator William Kaplan issued an award that establishes a collective agreement for more than 4,200 employees within the Health Support Bargaining Unit at the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and the IWK Children’s Hospital.
Members in this bargaining unit deliver services within the acute care setting such as housekeeping, dietary, engineering services, maintenance, laundry and a wide variety of other services.
December 3, 2018 GANDER – Workers at D-J Composites in Gander have a new collective agreement after nearly two years locked out on a picket line after an arbitrator issued a final and binding decision. “This shameful lockout is finally over because hundreds of Unifor members gathered in Gander to show solidarity with Local 597 to push for binding arbitration,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
TORONTO- Private and public sector workers, represented by Unifor and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) form alliance in response to attacks from Ford.
December 01, 2018 TORONTO – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will speak on GM restructuring and the claw back of workers’ rights by Premier Doug Ford during his address to the Unifor Ontario Regional Council today. WHAT: Unifor National President Jerry Dias speaks at Ontario Regional Council WHEN: Saturday December 1, 2018 1:45 p.m. WHERE: Sheraton Centre, Grand Ballroom 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9 Media should arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.
TORONTO – As the new NAFTA, is signed today, the ongoing tariffs imposed on Canadian softwood, steel and aluminum and the threat of the closure of the General Motors Oshawa Assembly plant are of major concern to Unifor.
TORONTO – The largest union representing private sector workers in Ontario launched a province-wide bargaining strategy to fight for decent work.
“The provincial government is acting on behalf of business to roll back our rights, but the fight for decent work belongs to workers, not just the government of the day,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “Through unity, we can raise the bar for all workers.”
TORONTO- Unifor members in Ontario to launch fight back to stop the erosion of decent work.
Media are invited to attend a news conference and rally on Friday, November 30 where Naureen Rizvi, Unifor’s Ontario Regional Director, will announce a provincial strategy to fight for decent work.
TORONTO – Today, Unifor is releasing a detailed statement outlining the union’s position on General Motors’ decision to stop allocating product to the Oshawa Assembly Plant after 2019.
“We have outlined our comprehensive position on why GM’s announcement does not make sense for the company, this community or the workers who have delivered the highest-quality work for decades,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Woodstock, ON - Workers at Welkin Child and Youth Services have voted to take strike action if a new collective agreement cannot be reached. The 40 child and youth workers and social workers are members of Unifor Local 302 and could be on strike as of December 5.
OSHAWA - Unifor received notification today from General Motors that the company will make a major announcement tomorrow that will impact its global operations.
While the union does not have complete details of the overall announcement we have been informed that, as of now, there is no product allocated to the Oshawa Assembly Plant past December 2019.
Based on commitments made during 2016 contract negotiations, Unifor does not accept this announcement and is immediately calling on GM to live up to the spirit of that agreement.
Toronto – Unifor has joined the Don’t Let Go Canada coalition calling on the federal government to develop a long-term space strategy.
“The federal government was an early investor in the iconic Canadarm and RADARSAT Technologies,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Our space sector can have a strong future, but just as in the past, it will require dedicated funding and a long-term strategy.”
TORONTO – The union representing 12,000 Canadian journalists and media workers welcomes Finance Minister Bill Mourneau’s announcement of $600 million in aid for financially struggling news organizations.
“The new labour tax credit for local journalism is what’s been needed to help save local news,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
TORONTO- Unifor calls for increased opposition to the PC’s anti-worker agenda following adoption of Bill 47.
“Since the PCs tabled this Bill, the workers of Ontario have made it undeniably clear what our position is. Bill 47 was designed to steal the rights and benefits of working people, and hand them back to big business as profits,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “PC MPPs were asked to do the right thing and vote no, but instead they turned their backs on the people of Ontario.”
Unifor members from across British Columbia are gathering at the Hyatt Regency Hotel to discuss current issues in workers’ rights and make strategic plans for the year ahead.
“From fighting for a higher minimum wage to tireless work for electoral reform in British Columbia, our members are leaders on the front lines of change,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Regional Director.
DRYDEN – More than 500 Unifor members in the Dryden-based Domtar Pulp Mill and Woodlands operations have voted overwhelmingly in favour of new four-year collective agreements.
“Unifor has made it a priority to raise and equalize standards in the pulp and paper sector,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “I’m pleased to say that both of these contracts achieve the Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern established by our union in April.”
Members of Unifor Local 4003 who drive trucks to transport containers for Canadian National Transportation Limited are holding an information picket protesting unacceptable working conditions at the Brampton rail yard.
“This protest is about access to sanitary washrooms and respect in the workplace,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Our members have had enough and are taking a stand against this employer.”
TORONTO – Unifor denounces cuts to Francophone services, after confirmation that Premier Doug Ford will stand by his government’s decision to abolish the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner and cancel plans to build a Francophone university.
TORONTO – Unifor expresses grave concern following a vote by members of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party voicing support for the removal of gender identity from Ontario’s sex-ed curriculum.
“This shameful resolution shows that Doug Ford would rather appease a small faction of his party than uphold the human rights of trans students in Ontario,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Ford’s Government has already enacted this transphobia by repealing comprehensive sex-ed.”
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