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TORONTO—The bargaining committees for Unifor members at six Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) casinos in Ontario have signed a tentative agreement.

“Gaming sector workers were pivotal to ensuring GCGC casinos rebounded following the COVID-19 shut-downs,” said Chris MacDonald, Assistant to the Unifor National President. “It has been a very difficult period for casino workers and these tentative agreements are a step in the right direction.”

TORONTO—Most secondary issues have been resolved in productive discussions with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) on Thursday, but the most challenging negotiations are underway today, says Unifor.

“Unifor bargaining committees for eight casinos worked hard on Thursday to finalize many outstanding issues, paving the way for today’s heavy-lifting on monetary matters,” said Lana Payne, Unifor Secretary-Treasurer. “The momentum is a positive sign but we’re not out of the woods. We anticipate talks will go down to the wire tonight.”

CALGARY – WestJet workers in Calgary and Vancouver have voted overwhelmingly to support the bargaining committee and take strike action if a deal cannot be reached, as early as July 27, 2022, says Unifor.

“The union is fighting for better wages,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President. 

TORONTO – Following a recent bad faith bargaining complaint by Sunwing pilots at the Canada Industrial Relations Board, Sunwing announced that it plans on revoking the company’s Pilot Loss of License insurance as of July 31, 2022, as a cost-cutting measure.

WINNIPEG—Unifor Local 681 and other Unifor members from across the region will rally at the legislature on Day #30 of the ongoing natural gas workers’ strike.

“Premier Heather Stefanson doesn’t get it: front line gas workers deserve fairness,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “The government could end the strike today with a new collective agreement with the same wage increases already signed off for other Crown workers.”

What:    News conference and rally for Manitoba Hydro workers

JOLIETTE, QC – Yesterday afternoon, Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier was present on the picket line alongside locked-out workers of the Ash Grove cement plant, accompanied by Pierre-Luc Bellerose, mayor of Joliette, and André Champagne, mayor of St-Thomas, who came out to show their support for the group.

MONTREAL – A tentative deal has been reached with VIA Rail and Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 just hours before members were prepared to initiate job actions.

“From the beginning our bargaining committees felt the weight of their responsibility - to fight for the best deal for their members,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “They have done incredible work. They were tough and principled and they have proven that when we fight we can win for working people.”

MONTREAL – A strike deadline for VIA Rail workers, set for July 11 at 12:01 a.m. has been extended to July 11 at 4:00 p.m. eastern.

“We remain hopeful that a deal can be reached,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “Our bargaining committees have been steadfast in wanting to achieve a deal that respects and values their work.”

A strike deadline for July 11, 2022 was announced last Thursday, in an effort to give the public ample notice and an opportunity to make alternative arrangements for travel. Rail services will continue Monday.

TORONTO- Talks ended between Bell and Unifor’s 6,000 members in the Bell Clerical and Aliant groups following a week of simultaneous negotiations, pushing Unifor ACL to declare an impasse. 

MONTREAL – Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 announced the union’s 72 hours’ strike notice to VIA Rail after talks failed to progress.

“VIA Rail workers are frustrated that the employer continues to push concessions and not work towards a fair and equitable collective agreement for our members,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President and lead negotiator. “Unifor members at VIA are highly skilled and contributed to the success of the company. We will do whatever it takes to get members the collective agreement that they deserve.”

TORONTO— Unifor sees the Paper Excellence Groups’ acquisition of Resolute Forest Products as a signal the company intends to maintain and grow its presence in Canadian forestry, which is a good sign for Canadian forestry workers.

TORONTO – Sunwing pilots filed a complaint at the Canada Industrial Relations Board Monday, July 4, 2022, alleging their employer bargained in bad faith during a recent round of negotiations because the employer already knew the company was being sold to WestJet.

“Despite management reassurances that the company was not a candidate for a sale or merger, Sunwing was sold to WestJet shortly after the collective agreement was signed – a huge slap in the face,” said Scott Doherty, Unifor’s Executive Assistant to the National President.

AJAX—Wage increases and sweeping improvements to benefits are features of a new collective agreement for Unifor members working at the Hilton hotel in Ajax.

“Protecting wages from inflation was a top priority in this round of bargaining,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “I congratulate the team at Local 1090 for negotiating gains in the new contract.”

TORONTO- Unifor will seek judicial review of an arbitration award that set the new terms of collective agreements covering hundreds of long-term care workers that continues a trend of failing workers in the sector.

TORONTO–E-commerce warehouse workers at HBC Logistics have voted overwhelming at 80% to accept a new tentative agreement, ending a nine-day strike action.

“These workers stood firm with the full weight of Unifor behind them to successfully fight for retroactive pay to cover the time that they worked during the pandemic without a contract,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi.

TORONTO–Striking e-commerce warehouse workers at HBC Logistics will vote on a tentative agreement reached between the company and Unifor Local 40’s bargaining committee. 

“I congratulate the bargaining committee on reaching a tentative agreement for these workers, primarily women with the majority being newcomers, who literally carried The Bay through the pandemic,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi. 

CHATHAM – Health care workers are taking their issues right to Chatham, Ont.’s Riverview Gardens after they say negotiations have broken down.

Negotiations have broken down between Unifor Local 127 and Riverview Gardens, a Home for the Aged operated by the municipality.

“Throughout the pandemic, our members have always put residents of long-term care first and they demand fair pay and respect,” said Katha Fortier, Assistant to Unifor’s National President. “It’s time Riverview Gardens listened.”

VANCOUVER—Container truck drivers’ concerns are being ignored as the Port of Vancouver forces through a program to retire trucks arbitrarily, says Unifor.

“The program is a farce. Not only does it ignore the financial concerns of truck drivers, it exempts more than 98% of trucks on B.C.’s roads,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “It’s ‘greenwashing’ at its worst. The Port’s plan imposes massive costs on truckers and will have no real effect on emissions.”

WINNIPEG—Unifor Local 681 will hold a rally at Manitoba Hydro Place as part of the second day of picket line action against the employer and join the leader of the opposition to call for a legislative committee to hear testimony on the impasse. 

“With record profits forecasted for the employer, we call on Premier Heather Stefanson to answer questions about why gas workers in the province are being denied the same wage increases awarded to other Crown workers,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. 

TORONTO–More than 330 e-commerce warehouse workers at HBC Logistics (The Bay) began strike action at noon today. Negotiations broke down suddenly after the company refused to offer an increase in compensation for the past year, when workers continued to provide services without a contract during the pandemic.

TORONTO– Unifor members in the Bell Canada clerical unit returned a strike mandate on Sunday June 19, just ahead of this week’s negotiations with the company.

The approximately 4,200 workers in the bargaining unit perform clerical and other duties, and live and work across Ontario and Quebec. More than two-thirds of the membership voted, with 65% voting in favour of strike action.

WINNIPEG—Premier Heather Stefanson’s grudge against Manitoba Hydro workers has resulted in legal strike action and customer service disruptions, says Unifor.

WINNIPEG—Unifor Local 681 will hold a rally at Manitoba Hydro Place to launch legal strike action on June 17, 2022. 

“Premier Heather Stefanson is repeating the mistakes of Brian Pallister. The disrespect her government has shown for hard-working Manitoba Hydro workers is at the heart of this job action,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Our strike is a last resort, but we’re prepared to stand up for the fair contract our members have earned.”

What:    Rally for Manitoba Hydro workers

Toronto Police releasing race-based data that affirms Black, Indigenous and people of colour were disproportionately targeted by officers is merely a first step, says Unifor.

The report released Wednesday, June 15, 2022, found that Black residents were more than twice the amount likely to have an “enforcement action” against them and were 230% more likely to have a police officer point a gun at them when they appeared to be unarmed compared to white people.

VANCOUVER—A ground-breaking Cost of Living Adjustment was a key factor for Unifor Local 114 members who voted today to ratify a new contract with PW Transit, effectively ending the longest transit strike in B.C. history.

“We were successful at closing an unacceptable wage inequality between transit workers in Vancouver and the Sea to Sky region,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Local 114 members are eager to return to serving the communities of Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton.”

CAMBRIDGE—Unifor Local 999 members working in storage, transmission, and operations (STO) at Enbridge Gas have ratified a new collective agreement.

“Our members were united and showed great determination in their efforts to reach a fair and just collective agreement,” said Jeff Gray, President of Local 999.

The contract’s ratification puts an end to the 20-day strike and restores the safe and reliable operation of high pressure natural gas storage and transmission in the region, says Unifor.

CONCORD, ONTARIO—Unifor Local 112 members ratified a new three-year collective agreement today ending a labour dispute at the UTIL Canada Inc. auto parts plant.

“The unity, strength and solidarity of Unifor Local 112 members displayed throughout this dispute was pivotal in reaching a fair settlement,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “I would like to congratulate union members on a successful ratification and the union’s bargaining team for their hard work and determination throughout the negotiations.”

CONCORD, ONTARIO—Unifor Local 112 members at auto parts maker UTIL Canada Ltd. are on strike today after efforts to reach a negotiated settlement failed.

“Workers at UTIL are highly skilled and dedicated workers who deserve a collective agreement that reflects their years of loyal service,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “Unifor Local 112 has the full support of our union’s 315,000 members in their fight for a fair contract and a more respectful and equitable workplace.”

TILLSONBURG, ONTARIO—Unifor Local 1859 members ended a five-day strike at the Autoneum plant today after ratifying a new collective agreement.  

“I would like to congratulate all Unifor Local 1859 members for standing strong, fighting for and winning a fair contract,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “This agreement would not have been possible without the memberships’ strength and solidarity as well as the hard work and dedication of the union’s bargaining team.”