All News

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario unions and local union activists have put forward a team of three principled, determined and experienced trade unionists to run for the election at the upcoming convention of the Ontario Federation of Labour. The team is running under the banner of FedForward, with the goal of uniting the labour movement in Ontario and advocating for progressive labour law reform.

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor members of Local 414 have reached a tentative agreement with No Frills grocery stores.  The unit includes 1,265 workers at 19 stores across Ontario.  

"We continue to break new ground within the retail sector," said Christine Connor, President of Unifor Local 414. "Details of the deal will be made available once it is ratified by the members."

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is proposing sweeping changes to Ontario employment standards and labour laws to better reflect the reality of modern work in an era of precarious, low-paying part-time jobs, and to give more Ontario workers a fair chance to form a union.

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is expressing its commitment to working with all of the parties to resolve concerns related to the delay in the delivery of new streetcars.

Earlier this month, Bombardier Transportation advised the Toronto Transit Commission that the delivery schedule of the new streetcars will not be fully met. The streetcars are built at Bombardier's Thunder Bay facility, which is employs 1,200 people, 900 of whom are members of Unifor Local 1075.

TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is celebrating the defeat of the Harper Conservatives and calling on the Liberals and NDP to cooperate to rebuild Canada.

"Tonight's election results offer Canadians an opportunity to rebuild our country," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "Canadians have sent a clear message that the Harper Conservative agenda is not one that represents our interests and needs."

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Oct. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper's last campaign stop will be met with a noisy protest of his failure to protect and create good jobs.

"The Harper record on job creation and economic growth is dismal—it's the worst in the post-war era," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "The Fraser Valley region is no different. This community owes the Harper government nothing."

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is closely monitoring a recent court decision stripping U.S. Steel retirees of their health benefits, on behalf of 300 Unifor retirees from the former Stelpipe and Welland Pipe plants in Welland.

"U.S. Steel has truly let down the retirees and the people of Welland with its heavy-handed tactics leading to this court decision," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor National Economist Jim Stanford has extended an invitation to debate Conservative candidate Jeff Watson in Essex County on the impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Canada's auto sector. Watson has refused, but Stanford will proceed with an open forum where all members of the public and media are invited to attend.

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2015 /CNW/ - Locked out OLG workers, members of Unifor working at Sudbury Downs, Casino Brantford and Woodbine Racetrack, voted overwhelmingly in support of a new collective agreement today, officially putting an end to a lockout that lasted three weeks.

TORONTO, Oct. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Locked out OLG workers, members of Unifor working at Sudbury Downs, Casino Brantford and Woodbine Racetrack, have reached a tentative agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

As part of the OLG's modernization plan, OLG workers are no longer eligible for their current pension plan. Talks broke down regarding the terms of a new retirement plan. Workers were locked out on September 19.

TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Amidst growing public concern that the federal government is hiding key details of the newly signed Trans-Pacific Partnership, Unifor has joined others calling for the full text to be released immediately, so that Canadians have sufficient opportunity to study the landmark trade deal well before the federal election.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 6, 2015 /CNW/ - The largest union in the city's container trucking industry welcomes the appointment of Corinne Bell as the Acting Commissioner for the sector. Bell takes on the role after the sudden departure of Andy Smith on September 16.

TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2015 /CNW/ - With today's announcement of future funding for the auto industry, the Harper Conservatives have acknowledged that the newly signed Trans-Pacific Partnership will adversely impact the sector, according to Unifor.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 6, 2015 /CNW/ - Union members and concerned citizens will rally today to oppose the new trade deal signed by Stephen Harper has signed during the federal election.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - The Harper government approved Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline on the basis of deeply flawed analysis presented by the National Energy Board (NEB), according to arguments made today in federal court by counsel for Unifor.

TORONTO, Oct. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor has denounced the Harper Conservatives for signing a Trans-Pacific Partnership which will put an estimated 20,000 Canadian auto jobs at risk, at a time when it is supposed to be a "caretaker" government.

Today the Harper Conservatives announced that a deal had been reached among the 12 members countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Locked out OLG workers - members of Unifor working at Sudbury Downs, Casino Brantford and Woodbine Racetrack – along with supporters effectively shut down the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto earlier this afternoon, blocking all entrances to the popular gaming facility.

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2015 /CNW/ - A significant settlement was reached today at the Ontario Labour Relations Board for the wrongfully terminated employees of Gingrich Woodcraft, the custom cabinetry making factory in Devlin Ontario that was closed by its owners in August when workers at the factory voted to unionize and join Unifor.  The owners had claimed their religious beliefs precluded them from working with a union. 

VANCOUVER, Sept. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor has filed in federal court to challenge inadequate and uneven environmental measures at Port Metro Vancouver. The largest union in the sector says that new regulations aren't based on science and aren't evenly applied across all trucks at the port.

OSHAWA, ON, Sept. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Oshawa City Council has joined the growing number of Ontario municipalities that have passed resolutions calling on the Canadian government to defend auto jobs in trade negotiations.

The unanimous vote comes as negotiations for a Trans Pacific Partnership deal come to a head this week in Atlanta.

BRAMPTON/ OAKVILLE, Sept.

PLASTER ROCK, NB, Sept. 24, 2015 /CNW/ - With heavy hearts Unifor is mourning the loss of life of a local union activist and leader at the Twin Rivers Lumber Mill worksite in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick on Wednesday.

Ronald (Ronnie) Warren was the vice-president of Unifor Local 5080 and worked as a heavy-equipment operator at the lumber mill. He died as a result of a workplace incident that is being investigated by WorkSafe New Brunswick.

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - Simultaneous rallies will be held Wednesday evening outside the campaign and constituency offices of several Conservative candidates in the federal election, calling on the Harper Government to stand up for Canadian jobs in the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks.

"The Harper government has shown that it is willing to sacrifice good auto jobs to get a trade deal," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - Simultaneous rallies will be held Wednesday evening outside the campaign and constituency offices of several Conservative candidates in the federal election, calling on the Harper Government to stand up for Canadian jobs in the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks.

"The Harper government has shown that it is willing to sacrifice good auto jobs to get a trade deal," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

OTTAWA, Sept. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is filing an unfair labour practice complaint against Coventry Connections and the Ottawa Airport Authority, alleging they worked to undermine Unifor's bargaining rights and interfered with its legitimate status as the exclusive bargaining agent for airport cabbies.

In the news release, Rallies for a fair TPP, issued 22-Sep-2015 by Unifor over CNW, we are advised by the company that in the bulleted list, the address listed for Ben Lobb Campaign Office in the second last line of the second bullet should read "579 Goderich Street, Port Elgin" rather than "321 Suncoast Dr E, Goderich" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2015 /CNW/ - With as many as 26,000 Canadian auto jobs at risk in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, Unifor is urging Canadian negotiators to stand firm on regional content rules for automotive products, and other auto-related provisions.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - Container Trucking Commissioner Andy Smith's surprise resignation creates many opportunities in the industry, according to the union representing the largest number of truckers at Port Metro Vancouver. Unifor says it is eager to get to work with the next commissioner after Smith proved unwilling to enforce the provincial government's plan for truck driver rates of pay.