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Unifor media availability following meeting with General Motors

WINDSOR – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be available to media in Windsor, Ontario following a meeting between the union and General Motors (GM) on proposals to save the Oshawa Assembly Plant.

“Unifor presented General Motors with solid options to maintain production in Oshawa last month,” said Dias. “Our position is clear that we expect GM to allocate product and continue plant operations past 2019.”

WHAT:      Unifor comments on meeting with General Motors

Unifor unveils new advertisement calling on GM to save Oshawa

TORONTO – Unifor continues a major advertising campaign today with the debut of a new 30-second television commercial condemning General Motors for the decision to abandon the Oshawa assembly plant while the company continues to expand production in Mexico.

“We are making sure Canadians understand that GM is betraying Canadian taxpayers and the automaker needs to realize that if they expect Canadian consumers to remain loyal to GM vehicles, they need to be loyal to GM workers and keep building here,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.

Unifor disappointed after BC voters reject proportional representation

December 20, 2018

VANCOUVER—Unifor is disappointed with the referendum results but says it is hard to ignore that four in ten British Columbians wanted a fairer system of voting.

“Unifor members rose to the occasion, and despite falling short, we’re proud of our role in the campaign to make B.C.’s elections fairer,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. 

Unifor unveils major advertising campaign

December  20, 2018

TORONTO – News from meeting between the union and General Motors (GM) at its Detroit headquarters.

Unifor also unveiled a major advertising strategy today.

The advertising blitz targets both Canadian and American audiences with television, radio, print, digital and out-of-home advertising. This major paid-advertising campaign is driving a message to a broader audience to engage and inform consumers as part of the union’s #SaveOshawaGM campaign, a nationwide call to support autoworkers and to keep good jobs in Canada.

Unifor and CN Rail reach Tentative Agreement

MONTREAL— A new tentative collective agreement has been reached between Unifor Local 100 and CN.

“Congratulations to the bargaining committee, who have been working very hard over the last two months to make significant gains for our members,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

Unifor represents 2100 workers at Local 100 who work at CN across Canada.

Negotiations began October 5, 2018. The last collective agreement expires at the end of the month.

VIA betrays Canadians by sending hundreds of good jobs to California

December 12, 2018

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.

VIA workers hold national protest to keep jobs in Canada

December 12, 2018

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.

Unifor supports Canadian women’s shelters

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.

Unifor supports introduction of CleanBC plan

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.”

Arbitrator Renders Nursing Council Award

December 4, 2018

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. 

The new collective agreement can be found here.

Collective agreement awarded for Health Support Bargaining Unit

December 4, 2018

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.

Lock out at D-J Composites finally over

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.

Jerry Dias speaks on GM and Bill 47 at Unifor Ontario Regional Council

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.

Unifor launches provincial bargaining strategy for decent work

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.”

MEDIA ADVISORY - Unifor Media Conference on Decent Work

November 29, 2018

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.

 WHO:                     Jerry Dias, Unifor National President

Unifor statement on GM decision to abandon Oshawa

November 29, 2018

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.

December strike deadline looms for social service workers

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.

MEDIA ADVISORY - Unifor press conference

November 27, 2018

Following a meeting with the Prime Minister Trudeau about the GM restructuring announcement, Unifor President Jerry Dias will hold a press conference.

WHAT:               Unifor President Jerry Dias media availability following meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau.

WHERE:            The Charles Lynch Press Theatre (130-S)

MEDIA ADVISORY - Unifor press conference

November 26, 2018

Unifor will hold a press conference this afternoon in response to the GM restructuring announcement and its impact on the GM Oshawa Assembly Plant.

WHAT:            Unifor media conference on GM restructuring

WHERE:         Unifor Local 222, 1425 Phillip Murray Ave, Oshawa, ON

Unifor statement on Oshawa GM plant

November 25, 2018

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.

Unifor joins Don’t Let Go Canada coalition in support of long-term space sector strategy

November 23, 2018

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.”