VICTORIA – Unifor Local 333-BC wants a fair deal at BC Transit by October 5 and is calling on government to properly fund public transit, with the union’s overtime ban set to resume and affect bus service if no agreement is reached.
“Transit workers in Victoria want a deal and they have shown real patience to get one,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “BC Transit asked for more time and it has it. But a fair agreement and reliable service both depend on public investment, and governments have to step up with the funding transit needs.”
GIBSONS, B.C.—An agreement in principle between the provincial government and Domtar will help position the mill to re-open, pending the ratification of a new collective agreement of Local 1119 members next week.
The agreement would not have been possible without the pressure applied by Unifor members and the union’s national leadership in recent weeks.
MONTREAL - Unifor members working for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) have ratified the tentative agreements reached with their employer on September 16, following several months of negotiations.
“The skills, experience and level of responsibility of our members must be reflected in their working conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These agreements mark important progress in that regard, with solid wage gains and the protection of existing rights. This is a strong result that our members fully earned.”
TORONTO – As workers across Canada navigate the impacts of the U.S. trade war and increased economic uncertainty, Unifor’s new nationwide campaign, 'Built Here. For Here.’, underscores why having a made-in-Canada union matters more than ever.
“Every worker benefits from a union,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor is proud of the benefits it provides as a union that is 100% Canadian-built, Canadian led, and focused exclusively on workers in Canada.”
TORONTO—Unifor pledges to vigorously oppose infringements on the right to strike that are contained in Bill C-39 and calls on MPs from all parties to stand with workers.
VANCOUVER – Members of Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have voted to ratify a new collective agreement with Coast Mountain Bus Company, averting a strike that would have stopped bus and SeaBus service across Metro Vancouver on September 23.
“My congratulations to the bargaining committees for their determination and commitment to get a solid collective agreement to the membership,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Transit is an important service and must be properly funded so our members can continue to deliver great service.”
TORONTO—Members of the Canadian Association of Stand-Up, Sketch and Improv Comedians (CASC) will join Unifor representatives for a media conference to call for comedy to be formally recognized as an artform and given equitable access to public arts funding as CASC launches its first-of-its-kind policy paper.
CASC members will expand on the barriers facing Canadian comedians and outline recommendations to strengthen and support Canada’s comedy industry.
What: Launch of The Problem with Being Funny policy paper on the Canadian comedy sector.
NACKAWIC, N.B. — Unifor condemns the closure of the AV Nackawic mill, a subsidiary of the India-based Aditya Birla Group. The devastating decision will put 228 active Unifor members out of work and deliver a serious blow to the community of Nackawic and the broader New Brunswick economy. The mill has long been a cornerstone of the local economy, supporting not only its direct workforce but also forestry workers, contractors, suppliers, businesses and families throughout the region.
KINGSTON, ON - Unifor members working for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) reached tentative agreements with their employer on September 16, following conciliation talks held in Kingston.
The agreements cover 320 workers in the Maintenance and Operations group and the Engineering and Supervisory group. These members facilitate vessel transit through the Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean.
VANCOUVER—Unifor members campaigning for stronger public transit and rebuilding the province’s forestry industry are seeking support from the thousands of delegates attending the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting this week in downtown Vancouver.
Unifor Locals 111, 114, 333-BC, 592, and 1119 are staffing a table in the exhibitors’ hall with research and proposals aimed at recruiting elected civic leaders into the fight for good jobs and stronger resource communities.
VANCOUVER—Feeling the heat of the first union contract soon to be awarded to workers at its YVR2 facility in Delta, B.C., Amazon has announced a sudden wage increase across its Canadian operations, much like Walmart did in 2024.
TORONTO—Unifor’s Aviation Council sent the federal government a clear message during a protest today at the Canada Investment Summit 2026 in Toronto: Canada’s airports are not for sale.
The two-day summit, hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney, brings together global investors, Canadian CEOs and public-sector representatives to discuss investment in Canadian industries, infrastructure and other assets, including still-public infrastructure.
TORONTO— Unifor opened collective bargaining today with WestJet, representing over 1,800 airport workers across three of Canada's biggest airports.
“Unifor members working at WestJet keep the company’s passengers and operations moving every day,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“They deserve a collective agreement that recognizes the value of their work and delivers meaningful improvements to their working lives. We are entering these negotiations ready to bargain and reach a fair agreement with WestJet.”
VANCOUVER – Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 and Coast Mountain Bus Company will return to the bargaining table on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the request of mediator Trevor Sones.
“Nobody wants these negotiations settled more than our members,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “They are the ones out on the road every day and they want a contract that works. We will be at the table Saturday and we will stay as long as it takes.”
Sones reached out to both parties and asked them to resume negotiations. Both parties have agreed.
TORONTO- The Canadian government must be prepared to use every economic lever at its disposal to defend jobs under assault from the U.S. administration, as President Trump escalates the trade war with new tariffs and outright bans on targeted Canadian goods.
"Trump's latest economic attack is part of a bigger plan to weaken Canada’s industrial base and undermine our national sovereignty,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “In response Canada must hold the line, stand up for workers and defend good jobs and critical sectors of our economy."
THUNDER BAY, ONT.— Unifor applauds today’s federal government announcement that Alstom has been awarded a $4.7 billion contract to build 313 passenger cars for VIA Rail, securing significant work for Unifor Local 1075 members at the company’s Thunder Bay facility.
VANCOUVER – Transit operators represented by Unifor Local 111 will begin taking the breaks they are entitled to at the end of designated routes starting Wednesday, September 2, escalating job action at Coast Mountain Bus Company. Operators will no longer give up their breaks to make up lost time.
Buses will continue to run and operators will remain on the job. Riders on a limited number of routes may see delays. Unifor will announce affected routes in advance so passengers can plan.
TORONTO—Unifor and Stellantis met today to begin negotiations on a new contract for more than 9,000 workers at facilities across Canada.
“Our focus in this round of bargaining will be on Stellantis’ commitment to Canada, and what that looks like. It’s about positioning our members for the future,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
Stellantis is the last Detroit Three company to enter bargaining with Unifor, following the successful negotiation of the union’s D3 pattern with Ford Motor Company and General Motors.
VICTORIA – Transit workers represented by Unifor Local 333-BC will begin an overtime ban at BC Transit as of September 1, escalating job action in Greater Victoria after more than a year without a collective agreement.
Members remain on the job and buses continue to run. Because scheduled service depends on members taking overtime, riders should expect a noticeable impact on service.
TORONTO—Unifor applauds the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)'s decision to proceed with developing rules that will ensure Canadian programming is available and visible on online streaming services. At the same time, the union is also calling on the federal government to also immediately move ahead with implementing the contributions requirements for digital streamers.
The Commission’s decisive move comes after the issue played a significant role in ending trade talks with the U.S.
TORONTO—Unifor members at General Motors voted overwhelmingly to ratify contracts that secure new products and investment, while also delivering the wages and benefit improvements in the union’s pattern agreement.
TORONTO—Unifor welcomes the Canadian tariff countermeasures announced today but is reiterating the union’s call for stronger industrial policies and income security measures, as the trade war with the United States escalates.
BURNABY, B.C.—Contract concessions demanded by one of Metro Vancouver’s key waste treatment providers have pushed Unifor Local 433 to initiate strike action starting at 6 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
TORONTO—Unifor commends the decision to stand firm on securing a fair trade deal with the United States despite the Trump administration’s imposition of additional punishing and illegal tariffs.
“Canadian negotiators made the right decision by walking away. We can’t trade good jobs for a bad deal that would cement unjust, industry-killing tariffs,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “It was clear the never-ending list of concession demands were untenable.”
TORONTO—Unifor has reached tentative agreements with General Motors (GM) on behalf of more than 4,600 union members.
“Our bargaining committee worked diligently to reach these agreements, which deliver strong income and benefit gains, amid some of the most challenging times in our history,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
The new tentative agreements cover members of Unifor Locals 222, 88,199 and 636 employed at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.
PORT MELLON, B.C.—The curtailment of operations at Domtar’s Howe Sound pulp and paper mill is more evidence of a deepening forestry sector crisis and demands immediate action from the B.C. and federal government, says Unifor.
“Collapse of the forestry industry in the west, a core pillar of the economy, is just around the corner if governments don’t act now,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
VICTORIA – Unifor Local 333-BC has served 72-hour strike notice to BC Transit, placing members in a legal strike position once the notice period expires at 3:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, August 16.
“Our members have been at this table for more than a year, and they have been very patient,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Serving notice is how the union shows we are serious about getting an agreement that our members can support. BC Transit now has a clear window to settle this at the table, and that is exactly where we want it settled.”
VANCOUVER – Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have served 72-hour strike notice to Coast Mountain Bus Company. Members will begin a uniform ban on Monday, August 17. Bus and SeaBus service will continue to operate normally.
“Our members have chosen a collective show of solidarity as their next step in the bargaining process,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Collective transit services in British Columbia depend on transit workers who connect people and communities every single day”.
