The Robinson Solutions Maintenance unit from Unifor Local 222 in Oshawa, Ont. ratified a new agreement Feb. 28 at 84%, ensuring that members from Skilled and Semi-Skilled Trades get the respect they deserve.
“We made sure that our Skilled Trades workers had an hourly wage that reflected the global competitiveness of the skilled trades market,” said Local 222 President Jeff Gray. “These skilled workers deserve to be paid what they are worth. We are very proud that the goal was achieved. As the expression says, skilled labour isn’t cheap and cheap labour isn’t skilled.”
The 55 members of Unifor Local 197, working at Jubilant Draximage in Montreal, accepted the tentative agreement recommended by the negotiating committee at a meeting held last week.
"The negotiation process was long, but the outcome is more than positive,” said Hugues Perreault, Unifor Quebec National Representative. “I would like to acknowledge the exemplary work of the union committee and the rigor they demonstrated throughout this round of negotiations.”
On Friday, March 3, 2023, 150 members of Unifor Local 324-99 voted 88% in favor of a new four-year collective agreement with West Fraser Timber covering its Barwick oriented strand board (OSB) mill near Fort Frances.
The eight members of Unifor Local 591G at Shorewood Packaging have struck a new four-year deal with their Scarborough, Ont. employer.
“The members who work at this shipping location should be proud of the big gains made in this agreement,” Burke Moffat, President of Local 591G.
“This was a strong agreement that would not have been possible without the ground support from members who attended meetings and made their voices heard along with the hard work and commitment of the bargaining committee.”
Unifor members working at CN voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action. Local 100 members voted 98%, and Council 4000 members voted 97% - standing firm behind the demand for a collective agreement that values all workers.
REGINA—After a new proposal to outsource unionized SaskTel jobs surfaced on government websites this week, Unifor has demanded a stop to contracting out.
“With each outsourcing post, the Sask Party government is undermining good jobs and good customer service at SaskTel, and customers should be concerned,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “This government must stop sending jobs out of province and offshore. Why is the Sask Party so obsessed with killing good, local jobs?”
More than 30 workers at Menzies Aviation at Halifax Stanfield International Airport successfully joined Unifor on March 1.
“We welcome these new members to our union. The need for aviation workers to have representation is so important during this period of contract flipping and chaos at Canada’s airports,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor will stand by them through whatever turbulence comes our way in the industry.”
TORONTO–The news of layoffs and restructuring at Global News this week chips away at already barebones newsrooms and puts democracy at risk as the number of media workers dwindles in the industry, says Unifor.
“It is becoming impossibly difficult for media workers to face the news of restructuring and layoffs on a regular basis,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Journalists are the backbone of our democracy. We need to save local news by investing in newsrooms – not cutting them. We will continue to support our members during this devastating time.”
International Women's Day (IWD) is a day to celebrate and recognize the incredible contributions working women have made and continue to make in our country and around the world, and to regroup to face the challenges ahead.
EDMONTON—The temporary financial windfall from volatile oil prices was squandered in a UCP budget that does little to secure a stable future for Albertans, says Unifor.
VANCOUVER—The B.C. budget’s investments in core social services and health care are necessary and will help shield workers and their families from a forecasted economic slowdown, says Unifor.
“Strong public health care and measures that improve affordability are precisely what working British Columbians need,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Unlike the B.C. Liberals, this government continues to put public services and good jobs front and centre in the budget.”
Unifor Local 4606 today reached an agreement with Northwoodcare Inc. and the Provincial Government, which will see wages for our members at Northwoodcare Inc. adjusted upward by one per cent to match more recent public sector settlements. This settlement was reached outside of normal bargaining. It will include retroactive pay as outlined below.
TORONTO—The federal government’s $43-million investment under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program will help support trucking companies struggling to hire and train drivers, says Unifor.
Waving flags and chanting, “public health care,” Unifor members braved the -30C windchill to march in Thunder Bay to send a strong message to the Ontario government to stop cutting services and privatizing health care.
Over 100 Unifor members, along with supporters from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), rallied Feb. 24 in front of St. Joseph Care Group on Algoma St. N. as a precursor to Unifor’s two-day Northern Ontario Leadership Meeting (NOLM).
“The costs involved for drivers is outrageous,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “We need dialogue about a policy that doesn’t financially ruin dozens of truckers.”
This communication is to address the statement CN made after we broke off talks. We’ve also prepared a flyer to set the record straight.
Frankly speaking, CN’s communication is an attempt to prevent our bargaining units from gaining a strong strike mandate, and divide members. The Employer understands with a strong strike mandate the Union is in a better position when we return to the bargaining table in March.
SURREY—Members of Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 will open bargaining February 23 with Coast Mountain Bus Company.
Unifor members share an important goal with the region’s transit ridership: more busses and more bus service,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Transit operators were on the front lines of the pandemic and maintenance staff kept the vehicles running. Transit workers are vital to the Lower Mainland’s economy and they deserve fair wages that keep pace with inflation.”
February 22, 2023 is Pink Shirt Day, when we can all take a stand against bullying. We too often see communities, workplaces, and families being divided. Through these divides, some have permitted, and even encouraged, bullying behaviours in the name of their cause.
This is harmful, and no matter the reason, we should never harm each other. Tomorrow, lets all wear pink t-shirts and send a unified message that we are standing up against any form of bullying.
MONTREAL – Unifor is concerned that a contract flip that resulted in Swissport losing its contract with Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will potentially leave up to 150 Unifor members without jobs by the end of June.
VICTORIA—Unifor is back at the bargaining table with the Empress Hotel to negotiate a collective agreement that can serve as a template for upcoming negotiations in the hospitality sector.
“Unifor is a strong union for hotel workers,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Unifor members are leading by example and negotiating industry-leading contracts. What happens this spring at the Empress will help lead the way for our other negotiations.”
ST. CATHARINES-Unifor members at the General Motors (GM) St. Catharines Propulsion Plant will be the first Detroit Three facility in Canada to produce electric vehicle propulsion systems, securing a future role in the industry’s transition to EV manufacturing.
MONTREAL—After the federal government’s Request for Qualifications for the proposed High Frequency Rail (HFR) line, Unifor is calling on the transportation minister to provide clarity about the long-term plan for VIA Rail.
MONTREAL - Unifor announced today that the union has broken off talks with Canadian National Rail (CN) and will be commencing strike votes early next week.
“In this climate of massive profits CN is proposing a multitude of concessions demonstrating just how out of touch they are,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Our hard-working rail workers have made CN the profitable company that it is today and will not accept an agreement that attacks our union and devalues them and their work.”
WINDSOR—Concessionary demands for contracting out work are among the issues that will force Unifor Locals 1959 and 240 to begin legal strike action at Windsor Salt tonight at midnight.
“When the employer comes with concessions and schemes to bust the union, Unifor members are going to fight back every time,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Workers at Windsor Salt have the full backing of our union.”
MONTREAL - Unifor members at Canadian Pacific (CP) Rail have ratified a new two-year contract.
“Rail workers, just like workers in many sectors across Canada, are bargaining in particularly challenging conditions right now,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “The members of the 101-R bargaining committee remained focused and committed to achieving a fair agreement for their membership. I applaud them for their work and look forward to their continued efforts to improve working conditions for their members in the future.”
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules and attending the ratification and strike vote meetings. We are please to report that the Local 101R membership has ratified the tentative agreement reached on January 13, 2023.
There is no other way to put it – this was a very difficult round of bargaining. Your bargaining committee was facing an employer who purposed concessions right off the bat. We knew we had our work cut out for us.
Health care workers at peopleCare long term care home in Tavistock, Ont. have voted to join Unifor.
“Health care workers across the country are demanding more for themselves and those that they care for,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Joining a union is the first step in improving the working and living conditions in long-term care homes. I welcome our newest members at peopleCare and look forward to bargaining a first collective agreement that respects, protects and adequately pays our members.”
TORONTO – Unifor Media Council is launching a new media discussion paper—Breaking the News: Media Workers Under Attack—which focuses on confronting the increasing harassment of media workers.
“We hear stories from our media members all the time about the hate, racism, homophobia and misogyny they face on a daily basis, online and in-the-field,” said Unifor Media Council Chair Julie Kotsis.
