OSHAWA—Pacific Western Transit’s failure to negotiate a fair contract means more than 73 transit workers could be on strike as of October 27 at midnight.
“Our members are proud to serve their communities in Durham,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Fairness for these workers needs to be a higher priority.”
HALIFAX – Hundreds of Unifor members and supporters will depart from the Irving Shipyard and march along Barrington Street to Grand Parade on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. to support the Ships Stay Here campaign.
POWELL RIVER—Unifor members at three B.C. paper mills are welcoming news that a major paper manufacturer has stepped in to purchase the troubled Catalyst Paper.
“A vibrant forestry industry is pivotal to so many B.C. communities,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “B.C.’s pulp and paper industry is both environmentally sustainable and a source of good jobs.”
TORONTO—Unifor Local 7575 members at the Hyatt Regency hotel have voted to ratify a new collective agreement that includes major economic gains and secures good jobs in the industry.
“Unifor’s new members in the hospitality industry are seeing tangible benefits of joining an activist union,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor has proven that we will fight for sector-leading collective agreements."
GANDER - D-J Composites has consented to binding arbitration to resolve a 21-month lockout of Unifor Local 597 members.
“On Monday we asked Premier Dwight Ball to intervene and stand up for 30 workers who have been on a picket line far too long and we are pleased that with his assistance, we are going to binding arbitration,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
Binding arbitration will eventually lead to a collective agreement, which will end the lockout.
CHATHAM, ON - Health care workers and members of Local 2458 invite the community of Chatham and surrounding areas to a rally to protest cuts to front-line care for seniors in long-term care.
What: Rally for care for residents When: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 1:30 pm Where: 91 Tecumseh Road Chatham, Ontario N7M 1B3 Who: Health care workers, Unifor Local 2458 members and members of the public
GANDER - Unifor is outraged, but not surprised, that D-J Composites is refusing to negotiate an end to the 21-month lockout at the Gander aerospace plant.
“The company is not being honest with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. DJ Composites’ bargaining has been illegal and deceitful and for this company to expect our union and members to be patient at day 648 is frankly ridiculous,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
TORONTO- Unifor calls for the defence of equal pay provisions that protect millions of part-time and temporary workers in Ontario.
“Paying two workers dramatically different wages for performing the same job attacks the very core of fairness,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The Retail Council of Canada shows a callous disrespect for retail workers by lobbying to re-instate this two-tiered treatment.”
GANDER - Unifor’s National President, Jerry Dias and the President of the N.L. Federation of Labour, Mary Shortall, will join the picket line to stand with 30 Aerospace workers who have been locked out 92 weeks in Gander, N.L. “Thursday marks the 647th day that a U.S. employer has locked out our members in an attempt to break our union. We now have hundreds of members standing outside saying that is not going to happen,” said Dias.
GANDER - Hundreds of union activists and supporters have turned the tables on the managers and scabs at a Gander Aerospace facility where 30 Unifor members have been on a picket line for 646 days, effectively locking them out.
“We have had enough of D-J Composites breaking labour laws and treating our members with contempt,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President. “It is time to take a stand for not only our members but for all workers across Canada.”
REGINA—The sell-off of two publicly-owned gas plants is a betrayal of a promise made to the people of Saskatchewan during the last election, says Unifor.
“How many times can this government break the same promise?” asked Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We simply cannot trust Scott Moe. His government’s word is worthless.”
TORONTO – Unifor warns that rushed debate on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) legislation hurts Canada’s trade position at a crucial point in NAFTA negotiations.
TORONTO—Unifor Local 7575 members at the Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a path-breaking collective agreement, with significant economic gains and breakthroughs in job security and workload protections.
“We believe this is the first time in Ontario that a collective agreement has fully protected room attendants’ work from sham ‘green’ programs at a Marriott property,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
TORONTO – More than 800 workers at Toronto’s iconic Fairmont Royal York voted today on whether to switch unions and join Unifor, following a ruling from the labour board last week ordering the vote.
“These workers are finally getting the democratic choice they deserve to belong to a union of their own choosing,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
ST. JOHN’S - Unifor National President Jerry Dias is again reaching out to Premier Dwight Ball to meet concerning the 631-day lockout of 30 aerospace workers in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dias called the Premier’s office today.
It is the fourth request from Unifor for a meeting with the Premier whose media statements about the lockout this week clearly indicate he doesn’t understand what is at play in this dispute that is likely the longest lockout in the province’s labour history.
GANDER – Unifor will host a major rally in Gander, Newfoundland, marking the 92rd week of a difficult lockout by D-J Composites.
“This callous lockout has been dragged on for far too long by this union-busting employer and a shamefully complacent provincial government,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “If you believe that workers deserve to be treated fairly by their bosses and that governments should support working people - then I’ll see you at our rally in Gander on September 26.”
TORONTO – A tentative agreement has been reached between Unifor Local 7575 and the Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville, averting a strike.
“We are pleased that the bargaining committee has reached an agreement they will recommend to members that if ratified, will avoid any inconvenience to hotel guests and the public during the Toronto International Film Festival,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
OSHAWA – As key issues are negotiated at the ongoing NAFTA talks and debate is set to begin on the CPTPP, Unifor invites community members and the media to the Oshawa People’s Trade Town Hall.
“Amid all the drama and brinkmanship it’s vital that workers’ interests are brought to the table and incorporated into any new agreement,” said Colin James, President of Unifor Local 222, representing GM Oshawa workers. “For too long international trade deals have benefited corporations and not people.”
September 5, 2018 HALIFAX - Unifor welcomes the establishment of an expert advisory panel on Nova Scotia’s long-term care system. “The system is under-funded. Workers, most of whom are women, earn low to modest wages. The funding cuts by the McNeil government have made it harder for a system that was already challenged to deliver high quality care,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s Atlantic Regional Director. “Workers are stressed to the max, working short staffed, and worried about their patients and residents, most of whom are seniors.”
The federal government’s plans to modernize labour standards in the federal jurisdiction can’t happen fast enough says Unifor, after a report on government consultations was released today.
TORONTO- – There is no excuse for any shortage of school bus drivers when classes start next week, as some Ontario school boards are already warning could happen, Unifor says.
“It can’t really be a surprise to anyone that if you pay someone poorly, make them work for free and flip their contracts every few years, that you then have trouble recruiting and keeping employees,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
“When drivers are paid fairly, they stick around. It’s not that complicated.”
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