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KITCHENER, ON, Sept. 15, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor Economist Jim Stanford will be presenting in Kitchener on the evening of Wednesday, September 16 at a free public event, deconstructing the economic record of the Conservative government, which has had the worst performance of any post-war government in Canada's history.

OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2015 /CNW/ - In an open letter published in the Ottawa Citizen today, Unifor is calling on the provincial government to help settle the taxi lockout in Ottawa – now in its fifth week.

TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor will be supporting the resettlement of five Syrian refugee families in Canada, as well as making a substantial donation to the UNHCR.

"Unifor members have been deeply touched by the refugee crisis in Syria," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "We must respond with humanity and generosity."

In the news release, Judge halts smelter expansion until environmental assessment completed, issued 11-Sep-2015 by Unifor over CNW, we are advised by the company that the headline: "Judge halts smelter expansion until environmental assessment completed," should read "Judge orders environment board to reconsider hearings on human health effects of smelter expansion" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Talks toward a Trans Pacific Partnership are heating up with negotiations today in Washington and more planned in the coming weeks in Malaysia that threaten potentially thousands of jobs here in Canada, Unifor warns.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor rank-and-file activists from across British Columbia will meet on September 11 and 12 for the union's third regional council meeting. The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Vancouver.

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - The auto sector is a major driver of the Canadian economy, and Unifor is pleased to see that the New Democratic Party is pledging several measures to support the industry.

"It is time this country had a government that recognizes the importance of the auto sector, the many jobs it creates and the opportunities it offers our young people," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

TORONTO, Sept. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor applauds the NDP decision to back an expansion of the Canada Pension Plan and restore the retirement for the Old Age Security pension to 65, and urges all parties and provinces to get behind the idea. 

"Dignity in retirement begins with a secure and sufficient pension," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2015 /CNW/ - This morning's dismal Gross Domestic Product report from Statistics Canada confirms what working Canadians have known all along - the Harper Government has failed to meet their economic needs.

HALIFAX, Aug. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Workers at Bell Aliant are concerned at the increasing number of jobs being contracted out to workers in India as Bell Aliant adopts more of Bell Canada's outsourcing practices.

MONTREAL, Aug. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - As part of Unifor's second Canadian Council, the 1,000 delegates from across the country will march through the city, starting at the Palais de Congres on St-Antoine in protest of the federal government's policies and mismanagement of the economy. The group will be departing from the St-Antoine entrance at 12:30 p.m.

MONTREAL, Aug. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - As part of Unifor's second Canadian Council, the 1,000 delegates from across the country will march through the city, starting at the Palais de Congres on St-Antoine in protest of the federal government's policies and mismanagement of the economy. The group will be departing from the St-Antoine entrance at 12:30 p.m.

MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Hundreds of Unifor activists from across Canada will gather on August 21-23 to meet as a national council. The meeting will be held at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

HALIFAX, Aug. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - After 18 months of tensions and attacks on public sector workers and their unions, the Nova Scotia government today laid down the next step in its curtailment of workers' rights. 

PRINCE RUPERT. BC, Aug. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - The Marine Traffic and Communication Services (MTCS) centre in Prince Rupert experienced another outage last night. The affected area included the entire west coast of Vancouver Island—the area once monitored by MTCS base in Ucluelet closed by the Harper Conservatives in April this year.

OTTAWA, Aug. 17, 2015 /CNW/ - Ottawa taxi drivers serving the airport will be staging a slow-moving protest this afternoon as part of their dispute with the airport authority over fees.

"These people work 15-16 hours a day to eke out a living," said Harry Ghadban, a National Representative with Unifor, which represents the drivers.

OTTAWA, Aug. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor Local 1688, representing Ottawa taxi drivers, is offering free rides from the Ottawa Airport today for the elderly and families with children, as a dispute with the airport authority over a jump in dispatch fees continues.

"This is not a dispute between us and the public. This dispute is between us and the airport authority, and the company," said Unifor National Representative Harry Ghadban.

OTTAWA, Aug. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Taxi drivers serving passengers at the Ottawa Airport have been locked out, despite a commitment by the drivers to continue serving customers during their current dispute with the company.

"We had set up a job action that affected the employer, while continuing to provide a vital service to the public," said Unifor National Representative Harry Ghadban.

TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - While it is a positive step that the Ontario government is moving ahead with pensions for the two-thirds of Ontarians with no workplace pension, it is disappointing that there will be so many exemptions to the new provincial plan, Unifor says.

TORONTO, Aug. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - Canadian trade negotiators have no mandate to accept terms in Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations that would damage vital Canadian industries, says Jerry Dias, President of Unifor.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is asking a provincial judge to direct the Container Trucking Commissioner to enforce the wages owed to container truck drivers as part of the March 2014 Joint Action Plan. The Plan was signed by Premier Christy Clark, representatives for federal Minister of Transportation Lisa Raitt, and Jerry Dias from Unifor.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor will file papers today in provincial court to seek relief against Container Trucking Commissioner Andy Smith for his refusal to enforce the wages owed to container truck drivers as part of the March 2014 Joint Action Plan.

VANCOUVER, July 31, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor spokespeople will be available for comment following today's release of recommendations in the Independent Review of the M/V Marathassa Fuel Oil Spill Environmental Response Operation.

TORONTO, July 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is reiterating its call on the Conservative government to support the creation of a provincial pension plan.

"Prime Minister Harper's refusal to enter a service agreement to support the implementation of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) is undermining the retirement security and democratic will of the people of Ontario," said Ontario Regional Director Katha Fortier.

TORONTO, July 30, 2015 /CNW/ - With Canada possibly slipping into another recession, a new comprehensive review of the economic record of Stephen Harper's Conservative government paints a damning portrait of nearly a decade of economic failure.  

PORT MELLON, BC, July 23, 2015 /CNW/ - The unexpected closure of the paper production operations at the Howe Sound Mill owned by Paper Excellence could cost more than 130 jobs, says Unifor Local 1119.

"The announcement was a shock to us all," said Unifor Local 1119 President Don Rheaume. "We're very disappointed and will work hard to help our members who are displaced by the closure."

EDMONTON, July 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Job action at AT Films ended today with the ratification of a new collective agreement by members of Unifor 21-A. Unifor members initiated strike action earlier this week after bargaining reached an impasse.

"Our members work hard and deserve job security and reliable benefits," said Mike Kapalka, Unifor Local 21-A President. "This new agreement accomplishes our goals."

TORONTO, July 17, 2015 /CNW/ - Members of Unifor Local 414 working at 28 Metro grocery stores across the GTA have voted in favour of a new industry-leading collective agreement for supermarket workers. The deal includes wage increases across the board, an innovative new wage scale for part-time workers, improvements to scheduling practices, the creation of new full-time positions and other gains.

EDMONTON, July 16, 2015 /CNW/ - Nearly 50 Unifor Local 21-A members at AT Films went on strike at 3 p.m. today over the company's refusal to take concessions off the table and explicitly include all benefits within the collective agreement.

"Unifor members are critical to the success of AT Films, and the collective agreement should reflect that," said Unifor Local 21-A President Mike Kapalka. "Our members deserve fairness."

EDMONTON, July 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Unless a deal is reached by July 16 at 3 p.m., members of Unifor Local 21-A will be on strike at AT Films Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Polythene Industries. Collective bargaining has been at impasse since early June.