OTTAWA – The federal government’s spring fiscal update includes a number of important advances including in the area of worker training but presents an overly-optimistic view of Canada’s economic health, as millions of workers face ongoing uncertainty amid U.S. trade tensions, public sector cost-cutting, affordability challenges and global political instability, says Unifor.
On May 1 each year, Unifor marks International Workers’ Day, May Day, to celebrate worker solidarity and the labour movement. International solidarity has achieved so much for workers’ rights, and must continue to form the foundation of the ongoing struggle against obscene greed and capital worldwide.
Lac-Mégantic – The back-to-back closures of Bestar and Meubles South Shore within a 24-hour period send a clear message: Quebec’s furniture manufacturing sector is in jeopardy. A total of 120 Unifor members are losing their jobs after Bestar announced it would close its Lac-Mégantic plant.
MONTREAL- The closure of Quebec-based furniture company South Shore Furniture, after more than 86 years in business, sends a warning signal for the future of Quebec's manufacturing sector, according to Unifor.
“The loss of these jobs, which have sustained generations, is the latest tragic casualty of Trump’s sustained attack on Canada’s industrial base. This underscores the need for urgent action to protect workers in vulnerable sectors and implement strong industrial strategies,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
On May 5, Unifor members across the country mark Red Dress Day to honour the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) whose lives have been taken or disrupted by violence, and to stand with the families still searching for answers.
Each May, Unifor celebrates Asian Heritage Month by recognizing the cultural diversity, contributions and continued struggles of Asian and South Asian communities in Canada.
Asian Canadians have a deep history in the Canadian labour movement after having faced systemic discrimination and exploitation historically and still to this day.
Within Unifor, Asian members have made our union strong, as workplace leaders, advocates and through sharing their solidarity and a deep commitment to community and to justice for all workers.
Unifor is proud to announce 35 new members from AGI Canadian Company have joined our union.
“Airport workers keep Canada’s aviation system moving, and they deserve the protections and bargaining power that only a union can provide,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“By joining Unifor, AGI workers have chosen collective strength and a seat at the table. We are proud to welcome these new members and support them in the fight for fairness.”
On World Press Freedom Day, marked each year on May 3, Unifor is calling for urgent action to protect press freedom, strengthen local journalism, and ensure the safety and independence of media workers in Canada and globally.
World Press Freedom Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in in 1993, underscores the essential role of a free press in sustaining democracy and holding power to account.
NAIRN CENTRE, ON—Unifor is calling for urgent, coordinated action from all levels of government following Interfor's announcement that it is indefinitely curtailing operations at its Nairn Centre sawmill.
"Every week brings another closure, another community in crisis," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Workers in Nairn Centre are paying the price for a trade war they didn't start. Canada needs a real industrial strategy for forestry before we lose any more jobs."
WATERLOO—The Unifor Local 4304 Bargaining Committee will be working over the next four days to avert a strike as the contract expiry and strike deadline approaches.
Unifor Road Transport Council calls for justice following death of truck driver Seo Gwong-seouk
Unifor’s Road Transport Council is deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely death of Brother Seo Gwong-seouk, a member of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU-TruckSol), who died defending the fundamental right to free and fair collective bargaining in South Korea.
Unifor is proud to welcome 218 new health care members at The Village of Ridgeview Court, Schlegel Villages in Milton, Ontario, marking another important step forward for workers in Ontario’s long-term care sector.
These members working in housekeeping, laundry, dietary, maintenance, recreation, and frontline care roles including PSWs and RPNs are joining the union at a critical time for health care workers. Across the sector, workers continue to face increasing workloads, wage pressures, and the physical and emotional toll of delivering care in an under-resourced system.
SUSSEX, N.B.— Unifor is expressing solidarity with members impacted by Agropur Dairy Cooperative’s announcement that it will close its dairy cooperative in Sussex, N.B., affecting around 50 Unifor Local 506 members. Operations are expected to continue through to 2028.
While there have been previous attempts to register PSWs practising in the province, this is the first time the government has used legislation to set the regulatory framework of the designating body.
The group responsible for the registry is the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA).
Unifor is deeply concerned about the layoffs of personal support workers (PSWs) at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, particularly as part of a broader pattern of restructuring happening across hospitals in Ontario.
Unifor Local 302 represents 27 PSWs at the hospital who have received layoff notices.
On April 28, we observe the National Day of Mourning in honour of workers who have suffered a work-related disability, disease or death.
As we remember the victims of workplace tragedies, their grieving families, coworkers and communities, we recommit to the fight to ensure every worker ends their workday healthy, safe, and whole.
On average, approximately 1,000 workers in Canada are killed or die each year due to workplace-related causes, however, the real number could be higher. Many serious incidents and injuries, sadly, go unreported.
Unifor MWF Local 1 President Travis Farrell delivered a clear message to keep shipbuilding jobs in Canada, as he testified before the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs on Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) in relation to the development of the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS).
“The long-term commitment made by the Government of Canada has given our workers something they didn’t have before, confidence in the future,” Farrell said. “Confidence that if they enter the trades, they are investing in a career.”
Members of Local 4005 at the Discovery Centre in Halifax have ratified a new collective agreement, with 92% voting in favour of the deal. The strong support reflects members’ satisfaction with the improvements achieved through bargaining.
“This strong ratification vote shows what’s possible when members stand united and push for fairness,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This agreement delivers meaningful gains that recognize the important work members do every day at the Discovery Centre.”
TORONTO - Unifor National President Lana Payne will advocate for bold federal action to protect Canadian jobs, rebuild domestic capacity, and put workers at the centre of Canada’s industrial strategy as a member of the new federal Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations.
VICTORIA— Contract negotiations between Unifor Local 4276 and the Fairmont Empress Hotel have broken off, with no further bargaining dates scheduled.
"Fairmont Empress workers set the standard in BC's hotel sector, and they deserve a contract that reflects that," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Our members are facing real pressure from the cost of living, and they've delivered a record strike vote. The company needs to respond with a fair offer."
Unifor Local 1999 members at Mr. Furnace Heating and Air Conditioning have ratified a new three-year collective agreement that delivers meaningful wage increases and improved benefits for HVAC installers and service technicians.
"Every worker deserves a contract that respects the value of their skills and keeps pace with the cost of living," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This agreement does that, and it's a credit to the members and the bargaining committee who made it happen."
Strong workplace inspection and investigation skills are essential to protecting workers and preventing injuries and illness. From April 10 – 12 2026, more than 140 Unifor members joined the National Health and Safety Conference to build these skills.
The conference took place at Unifor’s Family Education Centre in Port Elgin under the theme, Root Cause, Real Change, with a focus on moving beyond surface-level symptom management, and towards identifying the root causes of unsafe conditions to eliminate hazards and create safer workplaces.
The Unifor Auto Council came together to chart a strong path forward for the 2026 Detroit Three negotiations, bringing union leaders, bargaining committee members, and retired worker representatives together to discuss priorities, the fight to defend jobs, and the global pressures impacting Canada’s auto industry.
More than 70 union activists from across Alberta spent three days in Calgary last week, training to knock on doors, engage in campaign conversations with coworkers, and build grassroots activism.
The Labour Votes coalition training, held April 7–9 at the Sheraton Eau Claire Hotel, brought together members from Unifor, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the United Steelworkers (USW) for an intensive program covering the political issues facing Alberta workers and the practical skills needed to do something about them.
On behalf of Unifor, I want to extend my sincere congratulations on your 2026 Hillman Prize Award.
Your reporting on the abuses at Maplehurst Correctional Complex stands as a powerful example of journalism in the public interest and the ability to remain tenacious when shut down by government roadblocks.
Unifor members of Local 4304 at Grand River Transit (GRT) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, with 93% supporting the mandate as negotiations continue ahead of the collective agreement expiry on April 30, 2026.
Unifor Local 4304 members working at Great Canadian Coaches (GCC) have ratified a new collective agreement, with 91 per cent voting in favour of the deal.
“This ratified agreement shows what a strong and united membership can accomplish at the bargaining table,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Congratulations to the bargaining committee and Local 4304 members for securing important gains that will improve working conditions and fairness on the job.”
Unifor members from across Ontario working in long-term care and retirement homes gathered this week in Toronto to prepare for upcoming bargaining, share strategies, identifying priorities, and strengthening coordination across the province.
Held April 7–9 at the Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport, the conference brought together local union leaders, bargaining committee members, and staff to assess the current economic and bargaining climate and to chart a path forward for workers in the province’s care sectors.
April 14, 2026, is Equal Pay Day in Canada. The day marks, on average, how many months into the new year a woman must work to earn what men did by December 31, 2025.
