Jobs and the Economy

Canada’s largest private sector union calls for higher wages to address stark affordability challenges impacting families and joins the federal government’s call to stabilize food prices.

While Canadians grapple with an affordability crisis, economic uncertainty and housing instability, the House of Commons’ Finance Committee is consulting for the 2024 federal budget.

Unifor’s priorities for next year’s federal budget are that the federal government think big and build big to shift the country, address the affordability crisis, stabilize the health care system, and ensure no worker is left behind.

TORONTO – Unifor is fighting Air Canada’s decision to lay off more than 50 Jazz members in Newfoundland and Labrador as the company makes changes to its services in Gander, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Deer Lake.

“Unifor is committed to fighting vigorously for our aviation members at Jazz,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“Companies like Air Canada can’t just be cavalier about bringing in new contracts and expect our union to sit by on the sidelines. Our members are dedicated to their jobs and deserve respect.”

TORONTO-Unifor Local 4209 members were told to simply not report for work as YRC Freight Canada’s U.S.-based parent company, Yellow, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

INGERSOLL— Unifor welcomed news today that construction of a new EV battery module facility will bring 300 new jobs to the Ingersoll, Ontario General Motors (GM) CAMI Assembly Plant, with production scheduled to begin next year.

“This is good news for Unifor Local 88 members, good news for the community and good news for the economy,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “This investment is another important step in expanding Canada’s EV footprint and good union jobs for the next generation of autoworkers.”

MONTREAL— Transport Canada announced the conclusion of the Request for Qualification (RFQ) phase for the High Frequency Project.

Originally published in the Toronto Star

It was the news Canadians were dreading. As the Bank of Canada raised the interest rate to 5%, hearts sank and anxiety rose for workers and their families.

The hike will prove to be a disaster. It will not solve the affordability crisis and it will not have an influence on inflation. Instead, it will continue to force housing costs even higher and will not address the causes of the rising price of food (ahem, profiteering) at all. But it will cause hardship.

TORONTO, ON – Workers from hospitals across Toronto held a series of rallies today outside St. Joseph’s Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Providence Healthcare to speak out against the Ford government’s plan to privatize hospital services. Healthcare workers from the three sites, which are operated by Unity Health Toronto, included nurses, personal support workers, laboratory technologists, health care aides, cleaners, clerical staff, and many more.