Unifor members working in health care and social services gathered in Port Elgin for the 2025 Health Care/Social Services Conference under the theme Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus.
The conference, held Oct. 3 to 5, brought together front-line workers from across the country to share strategies, strengthen solidarity, and renew their commitment to fighting for better working conditions and a stronger public health care system.
Unifor National President, Lana Payne opened the conference with an urgent call to action to protect both workers and Canada’s public system.
TILBURY, Ont.— Unifor members at Hudson Manor Retirement Residence will hold an information picket tomorrow to demand the employer return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair collective agreement.
The Unifor Local 1941 members have been working without a new contract for almost two years, 20 months, with many members earning as little as $18.50 per hour.
Unifor Local 8300 members working in environmental, housekeeping and laundry services at Compass Group for the Hillel Lodge long-term care facility in Ottawa have ratified their first collective agreement. Members will see substantial wage increases as well as an additional statutory holiday in this two-year agreement.
Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi met with long-term care workers at the Ontario Finnish Resthome in Sault Ste. Marie, joining members of Unifor Local 1359 for a workplace tour and important discussions about the future of care work in the province.
During the tour, Hashi met with frontline staff and union leadership to hear directly about the day-to-day realities of working in long-term care and to discuss Unifor’s ongoing advocacy for better working conditions, increased funding, and stronger supports for both residents and staff.
Canada’s Health Care systems continue to be at the forefront of public concern across the country. There have been some advances on the federal level but there is still much work to do.
The unjust trade war initiated by the United States poses a clear threat to Canadian jobs and Canadian sovereignty. Unifor continues to call for all levels of government, as well as representatives from all industries, to employ all measures necessary to fight back and take sustained action as tariffs persist.
While some industries are more heavily impacted than others through direct trade activity, the tariffs pose an economy-wide threat to Canada.
Nearly 100 Unifor hospital members from across Ontario gathered in Toronto from May 21–23 for the union’s Hospital Bargaining Conference to begin shaping the priorities for the next round of bargaining amid growing challenges across the sector.
