Unifor to march to Nova Scotia Legislature

HALIFAX, Oct. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Unifor members from across the region will gather at the World Trade and Convention Centre to join National President Jerry Dias and Atlantic Regional Director Lana Payne in a march to the legislature today. The members will gather at 1:00 p.m. and march by 2:00 p.m. to the legislature.

"Health care workers across the country are facing unprecedented attacks and we're here to say it has to stop," said Dias. "Bill 1 is an outrageous violation of workers' rights, union rights. This government must respect that our members, proud Unifor members, have already expressed their freedom of association. What the health care unions here have been proposing is innovative and allows for labour stability. It was developed in the true spirit of labour movement solidarity. This government needs to respect that."

Unifor members from many different sectors are expected to join health care members, many of whom have been in Halifax demonstrating at the legislature since Monday when Bill 1 was introduced.

"Unifor has been clear from the beginning, a bargaining association model is the only way that all union members have their choices respected. This bill pits worker against worker, union against union," said Payne. "We did exactly what we were asked to do, in good faith and Unifor has been clear that both the carving up of members and run-off votes are destructive and fail to respect the decisions of our members."

Unifor was founded Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. With more than 305,000 members, including more than 4,000 health care workers in Nova Scotia, Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector.

SOURCE Unifor