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September 23, 2024 - VANCOUVER—Leaders from Unifor, the United Steelworkers (USW), and the Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC) met last week with representatives from Iskum Investments (Iskum) to discuss deeper collaboration to bring about changes to an unpredictable forestry industry that could create sustainable and stable forestry jobs an

INGERSOLL—Unifor members at the CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly plants have ratified a new collective agreement with General Motors that achieves significant pay increases, delivers the momentous gains in Unifor’s Detroit Three pattern and eliminates a historic pay lag with counterparts at other Canadian GM facilities.

INGERSOLL- Unifor has reached a tentative collective agreement with General Motors that covers more than 1,300 members at the company’s CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly facilities in Ingersoll, Ontario.

“Congratulations to our bargaining committee for their incredible work at the bargaining table. Every member of our team was instrumental in fighting for and winning this tentative agreement on behalf of all Unifor Local 88 members at CAMI,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.  

INGERSOLL— Unifor is extending the negotiation deadline with General Motors (GM) on behalf of members of Unifor Local 88 at the CAMI Assembly plant and Battery Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario beyond the current contract expiration at 10:59 p.m. today. 

VANCOUVER—British Columbia's forestry workers will take part in the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference as part of a campaign to strengthen and secure good paying jobs in the industry.

“Dozens of local governments across the province are experiencing the difficulties of the forestry industry’s contraction,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. “We invite municipal leadership to be a part of the solution.”

SCARBOROUGH, ONT.–The 180 members of Unifor Local 303 walked off the job Sept. 14, just after midnight after their employer, Trench Ltd. refused to negotiate sufficient wage and benefit improvements.  

HALIFAX—Members of the Health Care bargaining Council at Nova Scotia Health (NSH) and IWK Health Centre voted today to accept a tentative agreement brought forward by their bargaining committee by 79%. 

TORONTO—Workers at Walmart’s Mississauga warehouse have voted to join Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union. It is Walmart’s first warehouse to unionize in Canada.

"This victory is the result of uniting around a belief in workplace democracy and better working conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Walmart workers in Mississauga stood up for their rights, and we are excited to get to work on their first collective agreement.”

HALIFAX—In an historic move, the Nova Scotia government has taken a leadership role in the awareness and prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) declaring IPV an epidemic. The passing of legislation the same day it was tabled is both a symbolic and tangible demonstration of the ability of government to focus fully to protect and support Nova Scotians.

KANATA, ONT.—Unifor members on strike at Best Theratronics held a rally today outside of the Kanata facility, continuing to stand in solidarity to demand their employer stop violating laws and return to the bargaining table.

“Nothing makes my blood boil more than when employers threaten workers’ livelihoods, blatantly violate labour laws, and refuse to respect workers right to a union. This is Canada. Workers have rights,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

KANATA, ON. – Unifor will hold a solidarity rally tomorrow, Sept. 11, at Best Theratronics, a nuclear facility in Kanata that manufactures medical equipment, as the union’s frustration grows with the company owner’s refusal to bargain a new collective agreement. 

INGERSOLL— Master bargaining between Unifor and General Motors opened today on behalf of Local 88 members employed at the CAMI Assembly plant and Battery Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario. 

VICTORIA—Wages will increase at least 16.3% over the next three years thanks to a new collective agreement ratified this evening by members of Unifor Local 114 at the Hotel Grand Pacific.

“Unifor members are setting a high standard in the hospitality sector,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We look forward to building on what Local 114 has achieved at the Hotel Grand Pacific.”

TORONTO—Workers at Walmart in Mississauga are one step closer to forming a strong union in their workplace after Unifor filed an application today to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB).

"Workers at Walmart deserve greater job security, health and safety protections, and fair wages,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Today is an important step towards these goals.”

TORONTO – Unifor supported the International Transport Federation (ITF)’s Safe Rates campaign at rallies today at DHL locations across Canada to send a strong message to the transport industry and federal government – safe rates save lives.

TORONTO—Unifor welcomes the federal government decision to impose an additional 100% tariff on all new energy vehicles imported from China as well as a new 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminum.

MONTREAL–Retired workers – and former members of the union Unifor – who worked at the plant on Dickson Street in Montreal gathered to mark the sad anniversary of the bankruptcy of MABE Canada, which resulted in major losses for them. The rally was held in front of the plant at 5778 Notre-Dame Street East in  Montreal.

TORONTO—Unifor members who work at DHL and their supporters will hold rallies across Canada on Tuesday, August 27 in support of the International Transport Federation’s Safe Rates campaign week.

MONTREAL–Unifor will be holding a gathering to mark the 10th anniversary of the closure of MABE, after it filed for bankruptcy and workers lost their group insurance and life insurance and 22% of their pension.

WINGHAM— Unifor is intensifying efforts against Wescast Industries and its owner, Bohong Industries Group based in China, as the company continues to withhold approximately $10 million in termination and severance pay from 200 workers who lost their jobs at the Wingham, Ontario facility in July 2023. 

VICTORIA— Hotel workers at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria have voted 92 per cent in favour of strike action, after negotiations stalled in May and the employer failed to return to the bargaining table. 

LONDON—Members of Unifor Local 27 secured wage increase in a new collective agreement ratified August 9 with the warehousing firm HCL Logistics, ending an 18-day strike. 

“Local 27’s fight for fairness has resulted in a contract that ensures wages and working conditions keep up with Ontario’s rising costs of living,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

The three-year contract increases wages by more than 17% by 2027. The agreement also improves health and safety procedures and augments the boot allowance. 

Unifor Québec is expressing profound concern following the unexpected announcement of the forthcoming closure of Indorama Ventures' purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production facility in Montreal East, scheduled for September 2024.

On August 8th, Unifor Local 233 organized a huge solidarity barbecue in Témiscaming in support of the workers affected by the brutal closure of the RYAM high-purity cellulose plant. The gathering, intended to denounce the unexpected closure, turned into a peaceful blockade of the Ontario-Quebec border, illustrating the deep frustration and determination of the employees and their supporters.

ST. JOHN’S—Unifor continues to advocate for its members and their work at The Telegram in St. John’s as Postmedia moves through the process to purchase most of the assets of The Telegram’s parent company, SaltWire Network, Inc.

OTTAWA—Unifor is calling for the federal government to implement a series of tough and comprehensive measures as part of ongoing public consultations on protecting Canadian autoworkers from China’s unfair electric vehicle trade practices. 

VANCOUVER— Hotel workers at the Residence Inn in Vancouver have given their employer 72-hour strike notice, following a 100% strike vote and weeks of contract negotiations over fair wages, lighter workloads, and improved benefits.

“The union members at the Residence Inn could not be more serious when it comes to fighting for fair wages that reflect the high cost of living in the Lower Mainland,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. 

VANCOUVER— Unifor is calling on all levels of government to collaborate and ensure adequate public funding for BC's public transit systems. 

"We need strategic collaboration to fund public transit to keep our cities moving and to support good union jobs," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. "Governments must work together to solve this funding crisis and protect our transit systems."

TORONTO – Unifor is deeply concerned after Corus Entertainment Inc. – which owns Global News – announced job cuts that will affect Unifor media workers and journalists across the country.

“Every time an announcement like this comes in the media sector, it’s both heartbreaking and boils my blood,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.