TORONTO—After the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the federal carbon tax is constitutional, Unifor is calling on the conservative provincial governments that have resisted climate action to get to work.
“You can criticize the federal carbon tax all you want, but complaining is not a plan,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Climate change is real and urgent action is the only moral course of action. If you’re a premier who doesn’t think the federal plan suits your jurisdiction, then you must act immediately to raise the bar.”
PICKERING- SEIU Healthcare, CUPE and Unifor will protest healthcare failures in the Ontario budget, including the lack of sufficient measures to reverse the staff exodus from low-paying precarious jobs, the omission of paid sick days, and refusal to make the temporary wage increase permanent for all healthcare workers, at Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s constituency office. This action will observe COVID-19 safety protocols. What: Ontario budget healthcare funding protest When: Thursday, March 25, 2021 11 a.m.
TORONTO – Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s 2021 provincial budget fails to address Ontario’s crisis in long-term care, and leaves questions about the direction and strength of the province’s economic recovery says Unifor.
Ahead of tomorrow’s budget in Ontario, hospital, and long-term care workers, who have borne the worst of pandemic risks in the last year, surrounded Queen’s Park in a drive-by action with a clear message for Premier Doug Ford and his finance minister: Respect Us. Protect Us. Pay Us.
The Together for Racial Justice webinar was held March 20 as part of the North American Solidarity Project, which Unifor is participating in along with several other unions across North America.
VANCOUVER—Unifor took its campaign for workers’ rights directly to provincial government legislators during an intensive online lobby session this week in British Columbia.
“Speaking directly with key decision-makers is a key part of our strategy for change,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “MLAs heard from Unifor members in dozens of sectors speaking directly about their experience on the shop floor. We also presented research to help make the case for a suite of new worker-friendly policies.”
TORONTO-Workers from all sectors of health care and long-term care will join supporters to demand funding to provide ‘Respect, Protect and Pay’ in the upcoming Ontario budget.
What: Pre-budget drive-by action at Queen’s Park
Who: Health care and long-term care workers and supporters
WINNIPEG—Unifor will resist the Brian Pallister government’s new attempt to ban peaceful protest and public dissent.
“We’ve seen this tactic before. When your record in office is a disaster, create a distraction,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Thankfully our right to free speech, to assemble, to protest, and to picket are all protected by the constitution.”
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21st - marred in history when police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
TORONTO—One year has passed since government-levied travel bans, but despite growing aviation sector job losses, there has been no action to bolster Canada’s struggling aviation industry.
“Governments around the world acted swiftly to support their aviation sector. The Government of Canada disturbingly stands alone when it comes to turning its back on aviation workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Canada can’t have a safe economic recovery without a healthy aviation sector.”
Your Bargaining Committee will begin conciliation with the Company next week via Zoom. Over the past two weeks, we have shared eight historical analysis documents about our past struggles. The series highlighted just how critical it is to fight for our future and laid clear that 21 years of concessions is enough.
CHETWYND—Massive unannounced sour gas flaring at the SNRI gas plant has prompted outcry from workers and the local community.
"SNRI has to answer for this behaviour," said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. "The company has no right to pollute the air of the Chetwynd region."
TORONTO—On the eve of the anniversary of government-initiated travel bans, Canada’s aviation workers will issue a renewed call for funding to save the industry from total collapse.
“Canadian workers and businesses need a healthy aviation sector,” said Unifor National President, Jerry Dias. “Federal inaction continues to pose an existential threat for an industry that employs tens of thousands of Canadians and supports virtually every sector of the economy.”
With the release of the company’s new recognition plan, “Better Together” they claim to want to “highlight the work being done by our colleagues across the Bell group of companies.”
This goal apparently supports their strategic imperative to engage and invest in their employees.
However, for the members of the craft bargaining unit this could not be further from reality.
In Spring of 2019, while raking in record profits, Bell decided to trigger a layoff.
A claim of “lack of work” was made, however how much of that work was going to contractors. We cannot predict when Bell will make the next move to trigger arbitrary layoffs.
The past year has laid bare the inequities in our society.
COVID-19 has shown that workers struggling to get by on minimum wage – from personal support workers, to grocery and warehouse workers – and those in the gig economy are not only essential, but put themselves at risk to keep our communities running during a pandemic.
Working families across our province have been forced to make impossible decisions between staying home when they are sick or going to work and risk spreading a deadly virus to their co-workers.
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s high-speed, non-dial up internet became an available service to the public. Digital Subscriber Lines meant there was no need for a second phone line for the dial up computer modem. It started first with Nortel 1Mbs modems and then with Alcatel modems capable of 3Mbs and higher.
