September 22, 2017 Ottawa – In a rally outside the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa today, Unifor members, including two busloads of striking workers from the General Motors Ingersoll plant, expressed solidarity with Mexican workers on NAFTA failures. “When the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed, we were told that it would lift up wages and bring Mexican workers out of poverty and that hasn’t happened,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
What: Unifor Solidarity Rally When: Friday, September 22nd at 4:30pm (Sheraton Hotel) Where: Congregate at Sheraton Ottawa Hotel (150 Albert Street) and head over to Mexican Embassy at 45 O’Connor Street Who: Speakers at the Ottawa event will include (not necessarily in this order): • Labour Leaders from the U.S. • Labour Leaders from Mexico • Jerry Dias, Unifor • Union members from General Motors Ingersoll, ON
Why: To urge all governments to negotiating stronger labour standards in NAFTA 2.0.
No formal contract negotiations have taken place, though each day there has been communication (text and telephone) between the parties. We have found no common ground on the major issues at this time. Mike Van Boekel and Dan Borthwick met with our Unifor National representatives to review the outstanding bargaining items. At this meeting we did some brainstorming and discussed strategies. Unifor National has committed their support with any resources required during our strike.
TORONTO – Workers at Toronto’s Bombardier aerospace plant will walk out of the facility Wednesday morning to call on Boeing to drop its trade complaint against the company. "The workers at Bombardier are well aware that Boeing has no case, and that workers will end up paying the price as corporations fight this out," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
September 15, 2017 Toronto – Unifor members at Brink’s Canada Limited in British Columbia and Ontario have voted to deliver overwhelming strike mandates. “The physical safety of our members is at the core of these negotiations so there is no question that Unifor is prepared to take any and all necessary action,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. In Ontario, a total of 800 members at Unifor Local’s 27, 103, 112, 195, 229, 504, 598, 599, 1359, 1106 and 4266 voted 98 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
Vancouver—An arbitrator has upheld the Container Trucking Act’s wage floor, resulting in $90k in combined damages assessed to trucking companies Aheer Ltd and Sunlover Ltd.
“Yet again, the greediest trucking companies have failed to suppress wages by looking for loopholes in the Container Trucking Act,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The companies that think they are above the law should be banned from the industry.”
September 13, 2017 Toronto – Reports that the proposed $15 minimum wage will result in the loss of 50,000 jobs in Ontario are misleading says Unifor. “The reality is that 50,000 workers are not expected to lose their jobs,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “This figure is not a projection of actual lost jobs but rather a combination of estimates that includes potential, but not actual, future job creation and jobs lost to increased automation.”
The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO)—an independent, arm’s length, non-partisan research institute—released a paper on September 12th outlining the likely economic impacts flowing from the pending minimum wage increase (see here). The FAO’s findings are already garnering significant media attention and will almost certainly be used by the opponents of Bill 148 as further proof that the Ontario Government is economically reckless.
Victoria—The B.C. budget update formalizes commitments to important gains for working people, says Unifor, Canada’s largest union in the private sector.
“British Columbians are getting the change that they voted for,” said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Regional Director. “It is already clear that Premier John Horgan can deliver on policy proposals that will make life more affordable for British Columbians.”
September 11, 2017 Ottawa—Canada’s largest union in the rail sector says that Bill C-49’s amendments to the Canada Transportation Act constitute a landmark privacy violation and will not improve safety.
“Recording workers on the job is not a safety tool, it is a surveillance tool,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Managerial digital surveillance in the transportation industry is a dangerous precedent that will eventually spread to other sectors. This cannot become the government standard.”
September 7, 2017 MILTON - For the second day in a row, Unifor brought the call for Northstar Aerospace to fully fund the pension plan right to the company’s doorsteps, with a rally outside its Milton plant. “There are no fences and no security firms big enough to keep us from fighting for justice for these workers,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias told more than 200 people outside the Northstar plant in Milton this afternoon. The company erected two seven-foot fences around the plant and installed 24-hour security guards.
September 6, 2017 TORONTO - The union representing Chinese speaking journalists and media workers at Rogers' OMNI TV is taking legal action in response to the broadcaster's unprecedented subcontracting of its daily news coverage to its only competitor, Fairchild TV. "This $20-billion broadcaster is in violation of its CRTC licence to produce its own news coverage," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. "Rogers promised the CRTC it would cover the news with its in-house staff.
TORONTO – Unifor is planning another action to demand that Northstar Aerospace fund a dramatic 24 per cent pension deficit for its retirees and members of the Milton plant, represented by Local 112.
“There is no financial reason for Northstar Aerospace to refuse to fund the pension plan. The only excuse is corporate greed,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “If Northstar won’t meet with us we will take our message to the corporate board to demand action.”
September 5, 2017 Vancouver—Edgewater Casino food service workers received a notice this week that the company is reneging on a job security promise involved with its move this month. “Paragon Gaming’s word isn’t worth a quarter for slot machines,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Food service workers deserve to be treated fairly. Contracting out is a new low for Paragon Gaming and will hurt both patrons and workers.” Paragon Gaming is relocating Edgewater Casino to a new $600 million facility in late September.
September 5, 2017 Mexico City – Unifor put a spotlight on labour rights by bringing workers issues to the forefront during the second round of renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement in Mexico City. “During this round of talks Unifor brought labour rights into discussion with Mexican workers, with NAFTA negotiating teams, and with international media,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
After a first round of negotiations for a renewed North American Free Trade Agreement two weeks ago in Washington, where all sides mostly outlined their opening positions, talks move this weekend to the place where much of the problem with the deal lies: Mexico.
September 4, 2017 Mexico City – Unifor National President Jerry Dias has called on the Mexican government for the safe return of the President of the Los Mineros union, who has been living in exile in Canada. “Los Mineros is a leader in the fight for the rights of Mexican workers, but while I have the privilege of standing before you today your President is forced to live in exile in Canada,” Dias told the 500 conference delegates. “Unifor calls on the Mexican government to publicly state that Napoleón Gómez Urrutia can return to home to Mexico with a guarantee of his safety”.
MEDIA ADVISORY September 3, 2017 Mexico City – On Labour Day, Unifor National President Jerry Dias will open the Conference of the National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic, known as “Los Mineros”. “Los Mineros is a leader in the fight for the rights of Mexican workers, but its President is forced to live in exile in Canada,” said Dias.
September 1, 2017 Mexico City – Unifor joined thousands of Mexican workers at a labour rights rally, as the second round of meetings to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement began in Mexico City. “Donald Trump talks of building a wall. We do not need a wall, we need a bridge,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias told the cheering crowd.
