Energy

Unifor opposes closure of Enbridge customer service centres

THUNDER BAY, ON—Enbridge Gas’ decision to close service centres in Thunder Bay and Waterloo is unnecessary and does a disservice to northern communities, says Unifor.

"Enbridge is clearly more concerned about padding shareholders’ pockets than serving customers,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Good customer service is responsive and local, and soon Enbridge customers will have a little less of it to count on.”

Unifor condemns HF Sinclair decision to shut Canada's largest base oil refinery

TORONTO—Dallas-based HF Sinclair will end base oil refining at its Mississauga, Ontario plant by 2027, shutting down Canada's largest producer of the refined oils that keep every engine, turbine and industrial machine in the country running. 

"This is a reckless decision made in a Dallas boardroom by people who will never have to look these workers in the eye," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We are about to hand control of that supply to producers in other countries at the exact moment governments here are telling us supply chain security matters.” 

Nuclear Energy Strategy an important step towards energy security

OTTAWA—Unifor welcomes the focus on CANDU in the federal government’s Nuclear Energy Strategy, released on June 22.

“Canada needs a sovereign, secure, and unionized production supply chain across the energy sector,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “With a focus on Canadian intellectual property, the Nuclear Energy Strategy has the potential to safely grow our world-leading nuclear sector.”

Union leadership in the nuclear workforce

Vice President of the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates-Unifor Local 7474 (SPEA-Local 7474) Reza Ziaei told an audience at the Canadian Nuclear Association’s annual conference that a unionized workplace has helped foster mutually respectful labour relations and can be a foundation for long-term stability.

“From job security to structured and predictable labour relations, a unionized workforce is a very positive force within AtkinsRéalis,” said Ziaei. “Every worker at every skill level can benefit from having a union.”

Unifor warns Parliament: ‘run-to-fail’ energy strategy threatens Canada's security

Unifor National President Lana Payne urged the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources today to put energy workers at the centre of Canada's plan to become an energy superpower, warning that aging infrastructure, "run-to-fail" maintenance strategies, and shrinking domestic capacity are putting the country's energy security at risk.

Unifor testimony regarding Canadian Energy Exports

Watch National President Lana Payne testify to the House of Commons Natural Resources committee to express Unifor's support for reducing Canada's export dependency on the U.S. and warned against the industry's growing reliance on "run to fail" models that endanger energy workers and their communities.