TORONTO—Unifor calls on Ford Motor Company to consider all possible options to mitigate the negative impact on workers following the announced substantial delay in the launch of EV production at the Oakville Assembly Plant.
Windsor Salt is blaming market conditions for an impending idling of its mining operations in Windsor, Ontario.
The cessation of operations could result in up to 150 Unifor members receiving lay-off notice. Unifor Local 1959 and 240 are currently in negotiations with the company on which workers will remain for maintenance procedures.
“Our goal in the next few days is to negotiate an aggressive return-to-work protocol to ensure the lay-off period is as short as possible,” said Local 1959 President Doug Shaw.
HALIFAX— Unifor members at CN Autoport have ratified a three-year collective agreement, ending a 37-day strike at the transshipment facility in Eastern Passage, N.S.
Unifor applauds the federal government’s announcement that the upcoming budget will include a $1 billion investment to help provide healthy meals for children and assist families during the affordability crisis.
“With high grocery costs and a surge in food bank usage across the country – with one-third of them being children – we need a structured national school nutrition program now,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
SYDNEY, N.S.—Unifor has filed for conciliation on behalf of Marine Atlantic workers represented by Locals 4285 and 4286 after the employer has demonstrated an unwillingness to bargain by delaying meaningful negotiations.
HALIFAX–Unifor and CN Autoport reached a tentative agreement today, after the conciliator invited the union back to the negotiating table at the company’s request.
Details will be shared with Autoport members first at meetings scheduled for tomorrow, April 3, 2024, where members will vote on the tentative agreement.
Picket lines at the Autoport in Eastern Passage will remain active until a collective agreement is ratified.
The bargaining committee representing Marine Atlantic workers at Unifor Local 4285 and 4286 met with the employer from March 26-28 to begin negotiations. Marine Atlantic members service ferry routes that traverse from North Sydney, N.S. to Port Aux Basques, N.L. and Argentia, N.L.
Solidarity among workers forms the backbone of progress. Standing united against transphobia and hate is not just our responsibility as a union, but a fundamental act of protecting the dignity and rights of every individual in Canada.
Unifor National President Lana Payne was at the CN Autoport picket lines in Halifax, Nova Scotia to support Local 100 members who have been on strike for more than 4 weeks.
CN chose to bring in scabs on day one of the strike while anti-scab legislation is welcomed federally and in some provinces.
Lana recently spoke to the House of Commons about the urgent need for the anti-scab legislation NOW, not months from now.
TORONTO— The bargaining committee representing members of Expertech, a wholly owned Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. company, is gearing up for a crucial strike vote, signaling the potential for imminent strike action. Following months of negotiation and the intervention of conciliation, Bell Expertech has yet to present a substantive monetary offer or commit to limit outsourcing to third-party contractors rather than investing in its own workforce.
Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray pays respects to the 26 victims of the Westray Mine Disaster, at a March 26 service at Their Light Will Always Shine Memorial Park in New Glasgow, N.S.
20th Anniversary of the Westray Law
Unifor is marking the 20th anniversary of the Westray Law with a renewed call on regulators, police and government to avail of this law to bring those who grossly violate workplace health and safety to justice.
WINNIPEG – Unifor members who work at Griffin Wheel, a foundry that manufactures train wheels in Winnipeg, went on strike this morning at 9 a.m., after the company’s latest offer would erode pensions, seniority rights and work-life balance issues.
As you are aware, the previous tentative memorandum of settlement (MOS) that was negotiated with CNTL on January 16, 2024, was not ratified by the membership.
On March 12, 2024, forestry workers from three unions convened for a summit to address the crisis in the industry and to develop sustainable solutions centred around job preservation. This meeting was unprecedented and signifies a new phase in the forestry workers' efforts to prevent the industry's collapse.
Embarking on a journey towards higher education comes with financial challenges. Recognizing this, Unifor takes pride in announcing the commencement of the application period for the 2024 Unifor National Scholarship program, designed to support individuals pursuing post-secondary education.
This year, we are pleased to offer 28 scholarships, each valued at $2,000. These scholarships are open to the children of Unifor members, as well as Unifor members themselves who are entering their first year of post-secondary studies.
Unifor welcomes key investments in infrastructure and sustained funding to reduce health care staff shortages and wait times, but more is needed to build Ontario’s economy and good jobs.
Unifor auto sector leadership are considering escalatory actions against Autoport, as the employer and its parent company CN Rail continue the use of scab labour.
“CN is showing blatant disrespect for its workers and their fundamental right to fair and free collective bargaining” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “After convening a meeting of our auto sector leadership, CN may be about to learn a very hard lesson.”
To: Tracy Robinson, CEO, Canadian National Railway Olivier Chouc, President, Autoport
As the elected representatives of Canada’s 20,000 auto sector members at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, we are writing to denounce your company and its subsidiary’s decision to use scab labour at Autoport in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
On March 22, 2024, we met to discuss the situation unfolding in Nova Scotia as well as a range of potential solidarity actions in support of Unifor Local 100 members affected by this dispute.
The Manitoba government has inaugurated its first Matriarch Circle, an initiative aimed at bolstering the protection and well-being of Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals. Announced by Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, this assembly draws together prominent matriarchs from across the province.
The approximately 281 members of the Canadian Air Navigation Specialists Association (CANSA) at Unifor Local 1016 are preparing for a strike vote next week after NAV Canada failed to reach an agreement with the union over wages and concessions.
SYDNEY, N.S.—Unifor Local 1971 members at Sobeys in Sydney, Nova Scotia, have filed for conciliation after a week of negotiations left the parties miles apart.
WINNIPEG—Manitoba workers and their families are paying the price after key legislation was blocked this week by the PC caucus.
“The Wab Kinew government has a clear mandate from voters to build an economy on good jobs and fair pay. By blocking key employment reforms, the PC caucus has reminded voters why the PCs aren’t fit to govern,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We call on the Manitoba PCs to stop playing games and let the Premier get to work on the agenda he was democratically elected to implement.”
The federal government must pass Bill C-58 without delay, Unifor National President Lana Payne urged MPs on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities as the federal government begins its study on the long-anticipated anti-scab labour bill.
“Bill C-58, federal anti-scab legislation, must pass and be implemented without delay,” Unifor National President Lana Payne tells MPs during her testimony before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA).
Opening Statement – Lana Payne, Unifor National President
Thursday, March 21, 2024, 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Honourable members of the Committee, I am here before you today as the President of Unifor, representing 315,000 workers across Canada, including almost 70,000 in the federally-regulated private sector such as air, road, rail and marine transport as well as telecommunications and media.
Unifor rallied in Ottawa on March 19 to call out Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE) for postponing a scheduled hearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee to answer for the recent termination of 9% of BCE’s workforce.
“Last year alone, while cutting jobs, Bell paid out an all-time high of $3.7 billion to shareholders. And between 2020 and 2022, CEO compensation rose by a whopping 40%. Is it any wonder workers in this country are angry?” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
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