Unifor’s Aviation Council held its first meeting in two years on November 17, 2021 since COVID-19 caused a shutdown of the airline sector.
“As a sector, we’re clearly in for a slow path back to where we were before the pandemic. While flights may be full, there are far fewer than before as airlines manage capacity,” said Leslie Dias, Unifor Director of Airlines in her opening remarks. “As a union, we’ve been looking at things we can do to speed up that process.”
I am writing to you on behalf of the 4,000 Registered Practical Nurses (PRNs) represented by Unifor, who have stepped up during this pandemic for the people of Ontario.
The 50 Unifor members that work at the Canadian Forces Station Alert military site in Nunavut have struck a new three-year deal with their employer, Nasittuq.
Unifor Local 2002, which represents site-support services, food services, airfield operations, program management, and logistical and administrative support to the Canadian Government for the maintenance and operation of the CFS Alert, ratified the agreement on November 15, 2021 by 67%.
Most Canadians take safe sanitation for granted. But across the world, approximately 3.6 billion people do not have access to a safely managed sanitation service (WHO/UNICEF 2021).
As an affiliate of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Unifor recognizes World Toilet Day as an opportunity to raise awareness about regions and workplaces where workers still fight for the basic dignity of safe sanitation.
The storm of right-wing politics that has raged in the United States is showing signs of coming north and affecting Canada, Duke University historian and author Nancy MacLean told a Unifor meeting this week.
“It’s very much tornado weather in U.S.,” MacLean told Unifor’s Strategic Planning Committee. “It has been quite a wild ride and now we are in a race with time ahead of the 2022 mid-term elections.”
MacLean, who also spoke at Unifor’s Constitutional convention in Quebec City, said the situation among right-wingers has only got worse since then.
Unifor recognises November 20 as the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR). November 20 is a day of mourning, as our union comes together to recognize those whose lives - overwhelmingly Black trans women and femmes - have been taken due to anti-trans violence.
Unifor’s own constitution asserts the union’s commitment to equity and inclusion, to ensure equality for all members regardless of gender identity and to fight for their rights in our workplaces, communities, and in broader society.
Unifor was among several Canadian unions and labour organizations at the recent COP26 climate change meetings in Glasgow, Scotland, helping to ensure Canada signed onto the Just Transition Declaration.
“It was vital that Unifor be at these meetings. The voice of workers needs to be heard when decisions about climate change are being made, and commitments are agreed to,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Unifor was represented in Glasgow by Environment, Health and Safety Director Sari Sairanen and Researcher Sune Sandbeck.
Families in Alberta may soon be able to have $10/day child care after the provincial government finally signed onto the federal childcare agreement, but Unifor says the long delay engineered by premier Jason Kenney was for naught.
“All the chest-pounding and Ottawa-bashing might be popular with Jason Kenney’s base, but if you read the details, the agreement announced on November 15, 2021 is effectively the same deal achieved by B.C. Premier John Horgan five months ago,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Unifor members working at BASF successfully fought back concessions to negotiate a new collective agreement that includes wage increases and fairer discipline policy.
“Congratulations to Local 341-O for persevering during difficult negotiations,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The bargaining committee got the job done and they should be proud.”
Bargaining Update: Bell Aliant and Bell Clerical Negotiations
The commencement of bargaining for both Bell Aliant and Bell Clerical continues to be delayed.
Failure to Disclose Information
Before entering into fair negotiations, your union needs to receive information about displacement of work from our bargaining units, both on shore and off shore. As everyone is aware, both units have seen a consistent reduction in membership.
Unifor’s elected National Executive Board (NEB) met in person for the first time in two years this week in Port Elgin.
“It is absolutely joyful to be back here at the Family Education Centre – the heart of our union,” said Unifor’s National Secretary Treasurer, Lana Payne as she opened the meeting, which included the 25 elected members as well as Department, Sector and Area Directors.
Workers at the Shorelines Casino in Peterborough have voted overwhelmingly to join Canada’s largest union for gaming workers, Unifor.
“After a very difficult year, casino workers want more control over their conditions of work,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Having a union gives workers an important voice and helps level the playing field with their employer.”
Unifor Local 2300 secured a 36% wage increase over the life of their first collective agreement with a newly organized unit at Scarlet Security.
“We welcome the new members in Kitimat and congratulate them on the skilled negotiations for their first collective agreement,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
The collective agreement ratified on November 7, 2021 includes major gains in addition to wage increases in the four-year contract. They also secured a pension plan, more control over scheduling, better overtime provisions, paid leaves, and health benefits.
The first vehicle rolled off the newly reopened General Motors assembly line in Oshawa at an event on November 8. The Chevy Silverado drove off the line following an address by Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
“Today is an incredibly important day for all of you, your families, and the community of Oshawa,” Dias told hundreds of workers who participated in the event. “It is so incredible to see so many of you who maintained your recall rights and those of you that are brand new to the operations—we want to welcome you to the Unifor family.”
SENT VIA EMAIL
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada @email
Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of Unifor, I want to express my extreme disappointment with your government’s decision to appeal the Federal Court’s ruling upholding the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) order regarding First Nations children.
TORONTO—Unifor’s Road Transport Council voted to expand its Ontario campaign for safe rest stops to every province in a push to make roads safer and protect long-haul drivers.
“Nobody should be forced to ‘drive tired’ to make deadlines,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Roads are safer for everyone when truck drivers can safely stop to rest and check their loads.”
Ontario’s recent decision to raise the provincial wage floor to $15 (including for servers) caught many by surprise. The governing Progressive Conservatives campaigned to scrap this exact pay hike when they ran for government back in 2018. Nonetheless, the 65-cent increase is welcome news and – once again – sparks a conversation on the need for living wages across the country.
PUGWASH—Bullying tactics by the employer have forced Unifor Local 823 to take strike action at one of the largest road salt suppliers in the Maritimes.
“Unifor members will not have the conditions of their work dictated to them by the employer. Collective bargaining must be a give and take,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “
Windsor Salt’s refusal to negotiate in good faith will drive up the cost of salt to their customers as the company is forced to rely on supplies from outside the region.
By Kaylie Tiessen, National Representative, Research Department
Canada’s top-line inflation measure hit an 18-year high in September 2021 at a rate of 4.4% compared to one year earlier.
September marked the sixth month in a row that year-over-year inflation is above the Bank of Canada’s target rate of 1% to 3%. That trend sparked much shock-inducing commentary stirring up fear and concern.
The clock is ticking for 10 Halifax workers at IMP Aerospace and Defence before the Halifax company forces them to temporarily relocate to British Columbia.
Unifor Local 2215 heard from concerned members on October 25 when management from IMP called for 10 volunteers to work at its sister company Cascade in Abbotsford, B.C. and when no one stepped forward, the company chose workers with the lowest seniority to board flights leaving Sunday, November 7, 2021.
Support from many member locals was important for helping the Unifor Local 449 reach a settlement with the employer SNRI, owned by oil and gas giant CNRL.
Local 449 at the Pine River Gas Plant near Chetwynd, British Columbia was on strike for 93 days between March and June this year. Foremost among supporters was the fellow energy sector members at Local 686-B, which donated $50,000 to Local 449’s strike fund.
Delegates at Unifor’s Aerospace Industry Council met over three days last week to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the industry and formulate plans for the council’s future efforts.
We know that the decision to strike is never taken lightly, and certainly CUPE NB members were no exception when they delivered their strong strike mandate.
I am writing to express the support of Unifor’s Atlantic Region for the 22,000 CUPE NB members who walked off the job last week, as well as the further 3,000 locked-out by Premier Higgs over the weekend.
November 2 is the United Nations International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
Over the past 10 years, a journalist is killed every four days and nine out of 10 killings go unpunished.
Killing a journalist is the ultimate form of censorship, and many more journalists around the world face kidnappings, torture, violence and harassment.
TORONTO- New legislation to set a $15 minimum wage in Ontario will help the province’s lowest-paid workers and raise wages for thousands of Unifor members with minimum wage plus clauses in their collective agreements.
“Workers on the frontlines of our retail, wholesale, gaming, warehousing and broader service sectors who are paid a fraction of their worth will see this increase directly,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “I’m glad this government has reversed course and has now decided to raise workers’ wages.”
Unifor was prepared to open bargaining with VIA Rail virtually on Thursday, October 21, 2021 with contracts for more than 2,000 members set to expire on December 31, 2021.
Bargaining dates for the first two weeks of November were secured and agreed to by VIA Rail for Local 100 and Council 4000.
VIA Rail has since notified us that they are not prepared to open bargaining today and won’t be ready until the week of November 21st.
Accessibility
Documents can be requested in alternative/accessible formats by emailing communications@unifor.org
