TORONTO—On the eve of the anniversary of government-initiated travel bans, Canada’s aviation workers will issue a renewed call for funding to save the industry from total collapse.
“Canadian workers and businesses need a healthy aviation sector,” said Unifor National President, Jerry Dias. “Federal inaction continues to pose an existential threat for an industry that employs tens of thousands of Canadians and supports virtually every sector of the economy.”
With the release of the company’s new recognition plan, “Better Together” they claim to want to “highlight the work being done by our colleagues across the Bell group of companies.”
This goal apparently supports their strategic imperative to engage and invest in their employees.
However, for the members of the craft bargaining unit this could not be further from reality.
In Spring of 2019, while raking in record profits, Bell decided to trigger a layoff.
A claim of “lack of work” was made, however how much of that work was going to contractors. We cannot predict when Bell will make the next move to trigger arbitrary layoffs.
The past year has laid bare the inequities in our society.
COVID-19 has shown that workers struggling to get by on minimum wage – from personal support workers, to grocery and warehouse workers – and those in the gig economy are not only essential, but put themselves at risk to keep our communities running during a pandemic.
Working families across our province have been forced to make impossible decisions between staying home when they are sick or going to work and risk spreading a deadly virus to their co-workers.
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s high-speed, non-dial up internet became an available service to the public. Digital Subscriber Lines meant there was no need for a second phone line for the dial up computer modem. It started first with Nortel 1Mbs modems and then with Alcatel modems capable of 3Mbs and higher.
There is no doubt that the last year has been the most unprecedented time in our lives, and from the beginning of the pandemic, through multiple lockdowns, “Red Zones” and every step of the way, the technicians in the craft bargaining unit have exceeded expectations in delivering the services the Company provides, to ensure the lives of Canadians can continue as best as possible.
TORONTO–Unifor will host a virtual news conference to outline budget recommendations, as the union conducts its pre-budget lobby week to advocate for critical priorities for workers.
“Unifor members are meeting with Cabinet Ministers and MPPs to discuss a dual strategy to keep Ontarians protected from COVID-19 while putting programs and infrastructure in place to build a better economy following this crisis,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Unions representing 175,000 workers serving on the frontlines of this pandemic demand the Ford government support this female majority workforce TORONTO, ON – Today, SEIU Healthcare, Unifor, and CUPE, unions representing 175,000 healthcare workers across Ontario, held a virtual media conference to announce the launch of International Women’s Day actions with a clear message to Premier Ford: “Respect Us. Protect Us.
This column originally appeared in the Globe and Mail
The pandemic has demolished many conventional wisdoms when it comes to our economy, equality and work – especially essential work, so much of which is done by women.
Where would we be without the labour of women this past year? And yet as critical as that labour has been to the well-being of the country, we are still fighting for respect and fair pay.
TORONTO- SEIU Healthcare, CUPE, and Unifor to announce ‘Respect Us. Protect Us. Pay Us.’ campaign on behalf of the unions’ 175,000 combined health care members across Ontario.
Following the overstress of health care resources and failure of Ontario’s long-term care system during the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers are uniting to demand action from the Ford government.
I am writing you both to express Unifor’s strong recommendation that Canada officially support the proposal to improve access to COVID-19 medicines and health supports, under World Trade Organization rules.
The telecommunications industry is ever changing. At the same time as technology evolved at a rapid pace and internet and telecommunications technologies are integrated into every aspect of worker’s lives in Canada, craft workers have seen so-called ‘old jobs’ disappear from our bargaining unit.
If industry evolution creates new opportunities, so we must ask- where are all these ‘new jobs’ going?
There is no secret that Bell Canada has used offshore call centers for many years. Most people think of incoming customer calls for service or installation orders, but the work doesn’t stop there.
Bell employs an estimated 7,00-10,000 offshore workers who do jobs that used to be done by Bell employees in Canada.
In addition to service and installation orders, offshore workers perform testing, trouble shooting, monitoring, and programming jobs that used to be done here, at home by Bell Craft Technicians.
The proliferation of contracting out began in small but noticeable ways, with jobs that were described as not “aligned with the core business” such as the digging of pits or pole replacement.
The company continues to chip away, bit by bit- with the formation of Expertech and what is now called BTS, to move away certain types of work. The formation of Progistix and Transervice saw the elimination of the auto mechanics and material handlers from the bargaining unit.
From March to June, the North American Solidarity Project will be putting on 7 online exchanges with the purpose of creating connections and meaningful discussions between workers in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Registration is now open for all events. You can see the full list on the Events tab.
WINNIPEG—While full-scale privatization of Manitoba Hydro was not part of former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s new report, it does suggest incremental privatization, says Unifor.
“We can’t trust Brad Wall to advise anybody but Brad Wall,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “As premier he never acted in the best interests of working people. Nothing has changed.”
The Bargaining Committee met on Tuesday via teleconference with the Local delegates from the various regions of our unit, Southwest, North/East, Quebec and the GTA. We spoke to them about how the Company’s concessionary demands would undermine our priorities on jobs as well as job security. Furthermore, they were advised the decision to file a notice of dispute was not simply made because our demands were ignored, but because the concessionary demands would eventually lead to the elimination of the bargaining unit.
EDMONTON—For Albertan families struggling under a pandemic and a slumping economy, the budget cuts introduced today will only make matters worse, says Unifor.
“Jason Kenney doesn’t get it: Albertans don’t need an experiment in austerity. They need good jobs and high-quality public services to weather these challenging times,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Long-term care staffing in Ontario remain far below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. The gravity of the staffing shortage requires a substantive and comprehensive recruitment, training and retention workforce strategy, say health care unions representing approximately 70,000 Personal Support Workers (PSWs).
