Campbell River—Workers at the Myra Falls mine were surprised to learn that an area BC Liberal candidate was taking credit for the mine’s re-opening.
“Workers don’t appreciate being used as pawns in the election,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “Wearing a hard hat at a photo op is not the same thing as negotiating the re-opening of a mine.”
Monday, May 1, 2017 Vancouver—After months of bargaining, a four-year tentative agreement between Unifor and Loomis Express was signed late Sunday night. “The bargaining committee has secured a deal that includes strong gains for Loomis Express workers,” said Todd Romanow, Unifor National Representative. “I’m very proud of what the committee was able to achieve.” Unifor’s members at Loomis Express have been bargaining since January 2017. In March, union members voted 93% in favour of a strike if the company couldn’t negotiate a fair agreement by early May.
Regina—Unifor is calling on the Sask Party government to disclose why it is in such a hurry to make Bill 40 law, especially given an election promise to keep Crown corporations public.
“On Monday Bill 40 hadn’t been studied by a legislative committee. On Thursday it is law. Why the rush?” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “Has Brad Wall already agreed to privatize something behind closed doors?”
Thursday, April 27, 2017 Vancouver—Contract talks between Unifor and Loomis Express may not be progressing enough to avoid job action, according to Unifor’s chief negotiator at the table. “I’m not encouraged by the pace of bargaining at this late stage,” said Todd Romanow, Unifor National Representative. “Our members deserve a contract that acknowledges their important contributions to the profitability of Loomis Express.” On April 21 Unifor’s members at Loomis voted to strike if bargaining doesn’t achieve a fair collective agreement by early May.
Regina—Another Brad Wall election promise was broken today as the Sask Party government used its majority to force through legislation to enable privatization of Crown corporations. “
Bill 40 has one goal: to make it easier to sell off our Crown corporations,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Region Director. “Privatization of any fraction of Crown corporations is a betrayal of what Brad Wall told voters in 2016.”
Monday, April 24, 2017 Ottawa—Canada’s 202,000 forestry workers are waiting with bated breath to see if Prime Minister Trudeau has a plan to deal with U.S. lumber tariffs—which could be levied as early as Tuesday. “It’s hard to exaggerate the impact tariffs will have on hundreds of small communities. The federal government needs to have a plan in place and act swiftly,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. As Canada’s third largest export sector, forestry directly employs 202,000 people in every region of the country.
Thursday April 20, 2017 Paul Godfrey, President and CEO of Postmedia and Brian Gibson, President of the Media Union of BC, Unifor Local 2000 are pleased to announce that the tentative collective agreement announced on April 15, 2017 was ratified at a vote of members on April 19, 2017. “This is a good example of management and the union working together to find efficiencies within the collective agreement that allowed us to preserve content and invest in our editorial products,” said Paul Godfrey.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Winnipeg—Conservative Premier Brian Pallister’s second budget puts the province’s future at risk with cuts to services and higher costs for young people. “Cuts are cuts, and Manitoba’s families will feel them immediately,” said Paul McKie, Unifor Area Director. Unifor says that Minister of Finance Cameron Friesen is misleading Manitobans when he claims that there are tax cuts in the budget because students and families will pay more as a result of higher tuition fees and less financial aid.
WATERLOO, April 2 – Workers, represented by Unifor Local 4304, at the Grand River Transit Authority reached a tentative agreement, averting a strike set to begin in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge on Monday morning. “After intense negotiations this weekend, the union is pleased to have reached a mutual agreement with the employer to address Unifor’s main concerns, and will keep our drivers on the road serving the people of Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge,” said Tim Mitchell, Unifor National Representative.
Regina—Gil Le Dressay, Vice President of Refinery Operations and Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to the Unifor National President are pleased to announce that the two sides have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement.
“We are pleased that we could reach an agreement that was fair for both sides. While the agreement is still tentative pending ratification by the membership we are encouraged by Unifor’s support for the agreement,” said Le Dressay.
The transit authority’s refusal to augment training and take working conditions seriously will result in service disruption in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge area.
Monday, March 27, 2017 Waterloo— Voting on a tentative agreement for Grand River Transit (GRT) drivers has yielded a split result, so transit service will continue during more negotiations. “There are aspects of the agreement that were rejected and remain unresolved,” said Tim Mitchell, Unifor National Representative. Unifor Local 4304 has reached out to the employer to return to the table this week to avoid job action, but the union warns that GRT has to be committed to progress.
Unifor invites former General Electric-Canada Peterborough workers, their families, and the community to attend information sessions on Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims related to hazardous material exposure at the plant. Unifor will be in attendance to aid current and former members who have or are considering an occupational disease claim. Information will be provided on the claims system, the status of cases, and the next steps in the process.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Regina—The Sask Party has introduced measures that punish families and could slow the economy even further—exactly the opposite of what the province needs, says Unifor. “The Sask Party has failed voters. This government has created a mess of our province’s finances yet they’ve asked families, the working people of the province, to bail them out,” said Paul McKie, Unifor Area Director.
OTTAWA, March 22 – While today’s federal budget contains several encouraging elements to grow and strengthen an economy that helps working people and their families, more could have been done, says Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “It is encouraging to see investment measures in this budget that will help workers, their families and their communities to build better futures,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.
OTTAWA – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be in the Centre Block of Parliament as the federal budget is released on Wednesday, and available to do media interviews on what the budget means for working Canadians.
“Working people in Canada need a budget that addresses the real needs they face and creates opportunities for them, their families and their communities to prosper,” Dias said. “Canadians need to know that their government is working to improve their lives.”
OTTAWA, March 21 – Unifor National President Jerry Dias will be in the Centre Block of Parliament as the federal budget is released on Wednesday, and available to do media interviews on what the budget means for working Canadians.
“Working people in Canada need a budget that addresses the real needs they face and creates opportunities for them, their families and their communities to prosper,” Dias said. “Canadians need to know that their government is working to improve their lives.”
Toronto - Unifor’s East Danforth Community Chapter and the South Asian Women’s Rights Organization will host a public forum on March 23 to reveal the illegal, unfair and discriminatory employment practices of temporary agencies. “Illegal working conditions are experienced by too many workers, but our voices are often silenced as we move from job to job,” said Syeda Sabiha President of the Unifor East Danforth Community Chapter.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Regina—A record turnout of Unifor Local 594 members have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s so-called final offer on Monday night. “Workers have sent a crystal clear message to Co-op’s management: drop the concessions,” said Kevin Bittman, Local 594 President. “Co-op’s owners are massively profitable.
Waterloo—After bargaining into the night and through the strike deadline, Unifor Local 4304 has reached a tentative agreement with Grand River Transit. No interruption of service will result from the last minute deal. “I’m proud of our bargaining committee’s skill and commitment to getting a tentative agreement,” said Rick Lonergan, President of Unifor Local 4304. “We are committed to serving this community, so we bargained through the night.” Lonergan said the contract is a three-year deal.
Thursday, March 16, 2017 Edmonton—The Alberta government’s commitment to job creation and protecting public services is the right course of action to a stronger recovery, says Canada’s largest private sector union. “Strong economic growth for 2017 will be Alberta’s reward for charting a course that kept social services strong during the downturn,” said Don Boucher, Unifor’s Alberta Area Director, referring to economic forecasts that say Alberta will lead all provinces in growth.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Regina—The Co-op Refinery has moved one step closer to a labour disruption after the employer served a final offer to its workers. “Giving our union an ultimatum is a tactic that is doomed to fail,” said Kate McKinley, Unifor National Representative. “Labour negotiations have to be a ‘give and take’, not ‘take it or leave it’.” Members of Unifor Local 594 meet on March 20 to discuss the offer. The union’s bargaining committee is recommending that members vote to reject the offer.
Friday, March 10, 2017 Vancouver—Robust profits at Pacific Newspaper Group (PNG), a division of Postmedia Inc., mean that lay-offs announced this week are unnecessary and will undermine journalism in British Columbia, says Unifor. “The employer has posted almost $18-million in profits. There’s no reason for aggressive job cuts that will further damage the quality of professional journalism that British Columbians rely on,” said Brian Gibson, Unifor Local 2000 president. On Friday, Postmedia announced it is anticipating 54 layoffs.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 Regina—Mediated talks have broken off at the Co-op Refinery Complex after Unifor refused to let the employer degrade pensions for new employees. “New workers with the same training and the same skills deserve the same benefits. It’s that simple,” said Kate McKinley, Unifor National Representative.
Regina—A new animated video uses the fable of the Goose that Laid Golden Eggs to demonstrate how the Sask Party government’s handling of Crown corporations is a threat to the future of the province.
“Crown corporations save people money every day and help fund our hospitals and schools,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “But the Sask Party government has paved the way for privatization. For the sake of healthy public services, they must be stopped.”
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Edmonton—Workers at the Labatt facility in Edmonton will begin bargaining a new contract with AB Inbev this week. “Unifor members at Labatts are united in their call for fair wages and benefits,” said Todd Romanow, Unifor National Representative. Romanow says that key issues in this round of negotiations will be ending the two-tiered wage and benefit system as well as dealing with a broken disciplinary process.
TORONTO – Unifor calls on the international Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) to respect Tuesday’s court ruling and the democratic rights of ATU Local 113 members. “The court ruled clearly and decisively, this is a victory for democracy in the Canadian labour movement that restores the rights of union members," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Victoria—With an election around the corner, BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark tried to mask tax cuts as real help for working people and families. “From tuition fees to housing to minimum wage, this budget does little or nothing to address the skyrocketing costs of living in BC,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director.
TORONTO, February 9 – A rally will be held Friday in Scarborough for workers at Vast Auto, forced on strike last weekend by an employer refusing to pay them more than poverty-level wages despite the rapidly rising cost of living. “This company makes large profits off the backs of workers by exploiting a workforce of marginalized workers and immigrants hired through temporary agencies,” said Unifor National Representative Paulo Ribeiro, adding Unifor is prepared to return to the table at any time to negotiate a fair collective agreement.
Regina—Premier Brad Wall’s open musing about privatizing SaskTel reeks of desperation and breaks a key election promise he made on March 15, 2016.
“Saskatchewan’s Crown corporations are like the goose that lays golden eggs—we need them for the long term value, not some panicked sell-off,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Director. “Privatization means higher prices. Period.”
