April 10, 2025, is Equal Pay Day in Canada, highlighting how far into the year women must work to earn what men did the year before, on average.
That’s more than three months of extra work for the same pay. And for many women, especially Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, immigrant women, and women with disabilities, that gap is even wider.
There are various methods to measure the wage gap, but regardless of how it's measured, the gap remains. Our fight for equal pay is about fairness, dignity, and respect for the work women do every single day.
Members of Unifor Local 823 Mine & Office Unit at Windsor Salt in Pugwash, N.S., ratified a four-year collective agreement that sees strong improvements to wages and benefits.
“I congratulate the bargaining committee and Local 823 members at Windsor Salt who used their collective power to improve their working conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “As we collectively focus on buying Canadian goods, we can celebrate in knowing Windsor Salt products are sourced and prepared here at home by Unifor members.”
Mobilizing Unifor Members in Retail, Wholesale, Warehousing and Food, Dairy and Beverage Processing
Unifor national, local union and workplace leadership in the retail, wholesale, warehousing and food, dairy and beverage processing industries came together on April 4-6 to celebrate the union’s bargaining and organizing successes and advances to workers’ rights, while discussing the pressing economic and political challenges facing these industries now and into the future.
TORONTO—Unifor is calling for a large-scale Team Canada approach to support the forestry sector across Canada after the U.S. Department of Commerce’s recent announcement that will more than double the combined duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
Unifor members at Blue Water Rest Home in Zurich, Ontario have ratified a new two-year collective agreement.
“This agreement is a testament to the strength and determination of our long-term care members,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “They do critical work in challenging conditions and they deserve contracts that reflect that value.”
Unifor Local 27 members at St. Joseph’s Health Care London have ratified a new three-year collective agreement that delivers strong gains in wages and benefits.
OTTAWA — Canada's largest public and private sector unions stand united against attacks on Canadian workers initiated by the United States Administration’s escalating trade and investment war.
On April 3, the Trump Administration imposed tariffs of 25% on all Canadian-assembled vehicles exported to the United States. The tariffs will be applied to the total value of non-U.S. content in the vehicle, if that vehicle complies with CUSMA trade agreement rules (we understand that all vehicles built by Unifor members meet that CUSMA requirement). In the coming months, the U.S. plans to impose similar 25% tariffs on Canadian-made auto parts.
VAL-D’OR, Q.C.– Unifor is deeply concerned by the announcement of the closure of the Chantiers Chibougamau mill in Val-d’Or, Quebec, a decision that directly affects the workers represented by the union, and demonstrates once again the vulnerability of Quebec’s forestry sector.
WINDSOR— Stellantis has responded to the imposition of a 25% auto tariff with the temporary layoff of thousands of Unifor Local 444 members at Windsor Assembly Plant and additional layoffs in Mexico and at U.S. facilities.
TORONTO—Unifor is calling on the federal government to keep all options on the table in the escalating trade war with the U.S. as new auto tariffs will fall on Canada’s auto sector at midnight tonight.
TORONTO—Unifor condemns Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) executives for awarding themselves more than $5 million in bonuses, including nearly $2.4 million to CEO Mirko Bibic, following massive job cuts and stock drops.
“This announcement dropped on April Fool’s Day, but sadly, this is no joke,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“The company laid off thousands, its stock went down by 30% and yet, the richest and most powerful continue to profit off the back of our members.”
Originally published in the Toronto Star April 2, 2025 Lana Payne
U.S. President Donald Trump stumbling his way through a recent media conference was indicative of how little he knows about an industry he claims to want to protect.
From the beginning Trump’s tariff schemes for the North American auto industry have been riddled with reasons baked in half-truths and out-right fabrications and misinformation.
On April 28, Canadians will vote to elect Members of Parliament who will form Canada’s next federal government.
This election is critical for our union and for all working people across this country. Given the extremely challenging economic times we live in, there is no doubt that the stakes couldn’t be higher.
I have heard from so many of you over the past few months. Unifor members are worried about the impacts of an escalating trade war initiated by the United States on our jobs, our families and our communities.
MONTREAL - Unifor strongly condemns the U.S. government's inclusion of Bill 96 - and all measures protecting the French language - as a “foreign trade barrier” in the latest National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers. This position reflects a profound misunderstanding of Quebec's linguistic rights and democratic choices.
Unifor files for conciliation in VIA Rail negotiations
Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 filed for conciliation on March 25, 2025, and the Labour Minister now has up to 15-days to appoint a federal conciliator to assist the parties with contract negotiations. This step comes after several rounds of bargaining where key proposals from the Union remain unresolved.”
DURHAM—Members Unifor Local 4268, who are First Student Bus drivers in Durham Region voted to support a strike mandate after negotiations with the company remain far apart on key issues of work-life balance and wages.
The federal government has recently introduced a series of special Measures affecting Employment Insurance (EI). The changes are meant to both prevent unemployment and to improve EI access and benefit duration for some workers.
EDMONTON—Unifor joined more than 20 Alberta unions today to announce the Solidarity Pact to unite over 250,000 workers in a bold stand for workers’ rights and public services.
“Unifor is proud to help lead this united front in Alberta,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. “When governments attack workers, it’s our job to fight back—together. This pact is a promise to every worker that unions stand ready to defend their rights.”
TORONTO— With the imposition of a 25% tariff on all vehicles manufactured outside of the United States President Donald Trump has escalated his unjust assault on the Canadian economy and autoworkers.
“Donald Trump has convinced himself that, somehow, the jobs of Canadian autoworkers are his to claim,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We have built cars here for over a century, long before the U.S. was our primary trade partner. I will state this as clearly and unequivocally as I can. These are not his jobs to take.”
During her March 24 visit to the Ford Paris Parts Distribution Plant Unifor National President Lana Payne delivered a message to Donald Trump: Our jobs aren’t yours to steal! We’ve had an auto industry here for over 100 years. We’re going to fight to protect it!
TORONTO— Unifor is calling out Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) for awarding management bonuses while thousands of workers face termination and learn that the company has publicly refused to honour its severance pay obligations.
Unifor’s Forestry Council Executive Committee members met this week at the national office and were joined by National leadership to discuss the ongoing tariff threat to Canadian forestry, pulp and paper and lumber members.
The seven members of the Forestry Executive, with representatives from across Canada, met in Toronto on March 25 to consider the latest developments in the ongoing trade war and the softwood lumber dispute, both of which represent existential threats to forestry workers and communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
KITCHENER-WATERLOO—Unifor is asking for the public’s patience during the delays in transit service resulting from the picket lines and legal strike action of CUPE Local 1656.
On Trans Day of Visibility, March 31, Unifor stands firmly with trans, non-binary, two-spirited, and gender-diverse individuals.
In the face of mounting hate, fueled by far-right rhetoric and emboldened by politicians who choose to sow division and hatred instead of fostering unity, our union remains unwavering in its commitment to justice, equality, and solidarity.
LANIGAN, SK—Unifor Local 922 members at Nutrien have voted in favour of a new collective agreement that delivers wage increases and benefit improvements.
“Potash miners help extract a key strategic resource for Canadians,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “From wages to benefits, Local 922 has secured improvements that reflect their value to Nutrien and the important work they do.”
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