VICTORIA—The employer’s insufficient offers on wages, mental health benefits, and protections for gratuity earners has forced Unifor Local 4276 members at the Fairmont Empress Hotel to vote to strike if a resolution cannot be negotiated this month.
“The Fairmont Empress is synonymous with great service provided by Unifor members,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Local 4276 members have earned a fair contract and are prepared to stand up for what they deserve.”
HALIFAX- Unifor members at Parkland Truro, Parkland Cape Breton, and Martha’s Place Antigonish retirement homes in Nova Scotia will be in a legal strike position as of April 16, after a No Board Report was issued by the Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration on Tuesday.
“Workers have spoken clearly, they need a deal that reflects the value of their work and keeps pace with standards in long-term care,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor stands firmly behind these members as they fight for the respect and compensation they deserve.”
TORONTO—As Canadian workers mark one year of economic disruption and job losses triggered by U.S. tariffs targeting Canada’s auto industry and other key sectors, Unifor is escalating the union’s clear demand to corporate and government decision-makers: “Sell Here. Build Here.”
“The last twelve months saw workers in trade exposed industries go through hell. We’ve witnessed job loss and workers left in limbo as Trump continues to hammer our economy,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
OTTAWA – Unifor leaders from across the country are in Ottawa this week, meeting with more than 75 MPs from all sitting parties to deliver the message to Protect Canadian Jobs.
“In the face of U.S. tariffs, everything is on the line for workers in Canada, and we need the federal government and all political parties to match the urgency of this moment,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We’re ready to deliver a message to protect Canadian jobs, our country’s industrial economy, and defend trade union rights.”
MISSISSAUGA — Unifor is sounding the alarm after Boart Longyear, a global mining services company with operations in Canada since the 1930s, told workers it will close its Mississauga manufacturing facility and move operations to China, eliminating 40 unionized jobs.
OTTAWA, ON, MARCH 13, 2026 - The Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council acknowledges that many of the government’s priorities and those identified by key partners, are reflected in Canada’s 2026 – 2030 Sustainable Jobs Action Plan tabled on February 23, 2026. The Council remains committed to consulting with Canadians and providing advice on the creation and protection of sustainable jobs, work we believe is needed now more than ever.
WINNIPEG – Unifor has won a major arbitration ruling ordering CN to reinvest in the Transcona Wheel Shop, compensate affected workers and return rail work to in-house production in Canada after violating the collective agreement.
HALIFAX—Unifor is demanding the Nova Scotia government reverse budget cuts recently announced that will reduce staffing at all 100 nursing homes in the province by 3% this year, followed by additional cuts of 3% in each of the next three years.
HALIFAX – Unifor urges the Crown to uphold all charges levied against Irving Shipbuilding under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, following the company’s guilty plea to the lesser charge of failure to create a safe work procedure or plan for snow removal.
WINNIPEG — Unifor welcomes the official opening of a new bus manufacturing facility in Winnipeg by NFI Group and its subsidiary New Flyer, marking an important step forward for Canadian manufacturing and the creation of good union jobs.
“This investment means more union jobs in Winnipeg and more Canadian-made buses on our roads,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “When we build here at home, we strengthen our communities, support families with good wages and benefits, and ensure Canada can build and maintain the transit vehicles commuters rely on.”
WINDSOR—As the lockout at Titan Tool surpassed 200 days, Unifor has strengthened its picket lines after the company was observed using scab labour at the Windsor facility.
BRAMPTON, Ont.—Today, Unifor welcomed the news that the Mayor of Brampton and the City Council moved and unanimously adopted a motion to protect the future of the Stellantis Brampton assembly plant that will explicitly designate the site for auto assembly production.
AMHERSTBURG, Ont. - Diageo has closed its Crown Royal whisky plant in Amherstburg, Ontario two days ahead of schedule, without advance warning to workers.
TORONTO- The U.S. Supreme Court ruling to strike down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) represents a legal rebuke of presidential overreach but does nothing to resolve the ongoing trade crisis threatening Canadian jobs and key industrial sectors.
VANCOUVER—The B.C. Labour Relations Board has ruled that Amazon violated the Labour Code by unlawfully imposing a wage freeze on unionized workers, upholding a complaint filed by Unifor.
HALIFAX-Unifor members at Parkland and Martha’s Place retirement homes in Nova Scotia have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action as contract talks continue across the three worksites. Members have delivered a mandate to negotiate wages aligned with long-term care workers in the province.
“Our caregiver members have spoken with one voice,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
OTTAWA - A new alliance of telecommunications workers is denouncing the offshoring of thousands of Canadian jobs by major telecommuncations corporations, to the detriment of the Canadian economy, as well as Canadians’ privacy, security and sovereignty.
OTTAWA – Representatives from the Canadian Telecommunications Workers Alliance – a coalition of unions representing tens of thousands of workers in the sector – will hold a press conference to launch their campaign to protect Canadian jobs from outsourcing, and to protect Canadians’ privacy and sovereignty.
TORONTO—Unifor denounces federal funding cuts to public transit, which threaten safe, reliable service and push costs onto working people and municipalities already under strain.
“Public transit is a public good and there is no better time to invest in both the services and the manufacturing of strong public transit in cities across Canada,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“Cuts to transit funding don’t save money. They shift the burden onto cities, workers, and riders through service reductions, fare hikes, and deteriorating working conditions.”
VICTORIA—Mental health and affordability are expected to dominate this month’s negotiations as Unifor Local 4276 opens bargaining today with the Fairmont Empress.
“Unifor members at Local 4276 are ready to lead the way for the hospitality industry in 2026,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The hospitality sector is a clear example of the ‘union advantage’: workers at unionized hotels enjoy higher wages, better benefits, and greater job security.”
MONTREAL— Unifor delegates from across Eastern Canada kicked off bargaining preparations for the forestry industry by selecting Domtar as the target company for the upcoming round of pattern bargaining.
TORONTO– Unifor welcomes measures in the new federal auto policy to map the direction of industry, with the understanding that this plan must be backed by bold action to safeguard Canadian auto jobs and ensure a future for autoworkers at idled plants in both Brampton and Ingersoll.
“We need a strategy that reassures workers that automaking has a future in Canada, regardless of U.S. trade attacks,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
TORONTO— Unifor is deeply concerned by Bell Media’s announcement of layoffs impacting 20 Unifor members, who delivered quality, fact-based journalism to Canadians from coast-to-coast.
“This is a critical moment to support Canadian jobs and Canadian journalists—especially when democracy itself is under attack,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
VANCOUVER—Cost of living pressures and health and safety were among key issues raised today by Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 during Day 1 contract negotiations with Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC). The two union locals negotiate on a joint bargaining committee.
“Transit workers deserve improved wages, safe working conditions, and the dignity to do their jobs without constant surveillance or unrealistic scheduling pressures,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
TORONTO–Unifor is calling on all levels of government to take decisive action to protect Canada’s aerospace industry amid a new escalation in the Trump Administration’s trade war with Canada that threatens to levy tariffs on and decertify Bombardier Global series aircraft and all aircraft made in Canada.
OSHAWA–Workers at the General Motors Oshawa Assembly Complex will report for the final third shift today, as the company eliminates more than 700 direct jobs with hundreds of additional jobs lost at supply chain companies. The job cuts come in the same week GM reported more than $12 billion in pre-tax earnings for 2025, along with a plan to boost shareholders earnings through dividend increases and a $6 billion share buyback.
TORONTO—Unifor opened collective bargaining today with Air Canada on behalf of customer service agents, who work at airports, call centres, and provide services such as customer relations and customer journey management, across the country.
“Air Canada’s customer service agents are the backbone of the passenger experience,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.
TORONTO/MONTREAL – Unifor members in the Bell Clerical bargaining units have ratified a new four-year collective agreement with Bell. The contract, effective December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2029, delivers wage increases, enhanced job protection, telework provisions, and a new oversight model to manage the impact of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace.
