TORONTO—New federal measures aimed at bolstering Air Canada will help protect good jobs and is an important step on the road to economic recovery, says Unifor.
April 12, 2021 THUNDER BAY–Unifor Local 39-11 Superior North Emergency Medical Services paramedics have voted 97.5% in favour to ratify a new collective agreement with the City of Thunder Bay. “Narrowing the compensation gap between paramedics and other city emergency responders is an important gain in this new contract,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
April 10, 2021 THUNDER BAY–Unifor Local 39-11 Superior North Emergency Medical Services paramedics and the City of Thunder Bay have reached a tentative collective agreement, avoiding strike action. “These members have been on the frontline since day one of this pandemic and their skillset, education, and training are second to none in terms of first responders,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
April 10, 202 THUNDER BAY–Unifor is calling on the City of Thunder Bay to break the impasse in contract negotiations to avoid a paramedic strike just hours away at midnight. “Our bargaining committee believes that an agreement is within reach but city negotiators are refusing to drop a demand for frontline paramedics to cover supervisor managerial work, taking them away from patient duties and leaving citizens vulnerable with fewer available ambulances,” said Rob Moquin, Unit Chair for Unifor Local 39-11 City Paramedics.
TORONTO—Unifor is calling on the federal government to provide amnesty in next week’s budget to low-wage workers facing a major tax hit on Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) payments during a tax season that coincides with the financial fallout of wave three of COVID-19.
TORONTO – Premier Doug Ford’s announcement of yet another provincial State of Emergency lacks the commitment to mass vaccinations and paid sick days that are required to stop the spread of COVID-19.
WINNIPEG—Tax cut gimmicks and a manufactured crisis in education will not protect Manitobans and build the economy, says Unifor.
“It is a dangerous move to reduce the government’s fiscal capacity when it has so much important and life-saving work to do,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Manitobans need strong public services and Crown corporations, not an experiment in conservative ideology.”
REGINA—If Saskatchewan’s families were looking for leadership in the latest provincial budget, they will be sorely disappointed, says Unifor.
“The Scott Moe government seems content to coast along while families are struggling,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Unifor has been calling for the provincial government to help the province’s most vulnerable with a boost to the minimum wage and employer-paid sick leave but those calls were unanswered in today’s budget.
VANCOUVER—The B.C. government needs to stand up to a handful of business lobbyists and implement paid vaccination leave and paid sick leave, said Unifor.
“As it stands, workers are paying to take time off work to be vaccinated,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Workers don’t need the bare minimum to defeat COVID-19, they need every possible opportunity to be vaccinated without financial penalty.”
TORONTO- Unifor supports the proposed combination of Canadian Pacific (CP) with Kansas City Southern (KCS).
“This new North American single-line will drive growth not only in Canada, but across the continent,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This powerful combination will be good for Unifor members in rail, and allows CP and KCS to fully utilize the USMCA to serve customers in all three countries.”
Unifor represents 1,400 workers at CP in Canada, and 9,200 rail workers across the country.
TORONTO—Unifor is calling on all provinces to mandate paid time off to allow workers to get vaccinated when it is their turn to do so.
“While some good employers out there are already doing this, most are not and won’t unless government forces them to just do the right thing,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
GODERICH—Members of Unifor Local 16-O working at Compass Minerals have ratified a new collective agreement that secures many of the outstanding issues from the 2018 strike.
“Skilled bargaining combined with collective strike action in 2018 made this contract possible,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
VANCOUVER—As British Columbia gears up to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to the general public, Unifor is urging the provincial government to follow Saskatchewan’s lead and give workers paid time off to receive the vaccine.
ST. JOHN’S —The election of Premier Andrew Furey with a majority government provides the opportunity for the Liberal government to reset its priorities to improve the lives of workers and their families.
“We’ve lost precious time during a period of crisis in election campaign mode, now it’s time for Premier Furey to roll up his sleeves and work to deliver policies that will make a difference,” said Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Linda MacNeil.
TORONTO—After the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the federal carbon tax is constitutional, Unifor is calling on the conservative provincial governments that have resisted climate action to get to work.
“You can criticize the federal carbon tax all you want, but complaining is not a plan,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Climate change is real and urgent action is the only moral course of action. If you’re a premier who doesn’t think the federal plan suits your jurisdiction, then you must act immediately to raise the bar.”
PICKERING- SEIU Healthcare, CUPE and Unifor will protest healthcare failures in the Ontario budget, including the lack of sufficient measures to reverse the staff exodus from low-paying precarious jobs, the omission of paid sick days, and refusal to make the temporary wage increase permanent for all healthcare workers, at Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s constituency office. This action will observe COVID-19 safety protocols. What: Ontario budget healthcare funding protest When: Thursday, March 25, 2021 11 a.m.
TORONTO – Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s 2021 provincial budget fails to address Ontario’s crisis in long-term care, and leaves questions about the direction and strength of the province’s economic recovery says Unifor.
Ahead of tomorrow’s budget in Ontario, hospital, and long-term care workers, who have borne the worst of pandemic risks in the last year, surrounded Queen’s Park in a drive-by action with a clear message for Premier Doug Ford and his finance minister: Respect Us. Protect Us. Pay Us.
VANCOUVER—Unifor took its campaign for workers’ rights directly to provincial government legislators during an intensive online lobby session this week in British Columbia.
“Speaking directly with key decision-makers is a key part of our strategy for change,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “MLAs heard from Unifor members in dozens of sectors speaking directly about their experience on the shop floor. We also presented research to help make the case for a suite of new worker-friendly policies.”
TORONTO-Workers from all sectors of health care and long-term care will join supporters to demand funding to provide ‘Respect, Protect and Pay’ in the upcoming Ontario budget.
What: Pre-budget drive-by action at Queen’s Park
Who: Health care and long-term care workers and supporters
WINNIPEG—Unifor will resist the Brian Pallister government’s new attempt to ban peaceful protest and public dissent.
“We’ve seen this tactic before. When your record in office is a disaster, create a distraction,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Thankfully our right to free speech, to assemble, to protest, and to picket are all protected by the constitution.”
TORONTO—One year has passed since government-levied travel bans, but despite growing aviation sector job losses, there has been no action to bolster Canada’s struggling aviation industry.
“Governments around the world acted swiftly to support their aviation sector. The Government of Canada disturbingly stands alone when it comes to turning its back on aviation workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Canada can’t have a safe economic recovery without a healthy aviation sector.”
CHETWYND—Massive unannounced sour gas flaring at the SNRI gas plant has prompted outcry from workers and the local community.
"SNRI has to answer for this behaviour," said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. "The company has no right to pollute the air of the Chetwynd region."
TORONTO—On the eve of the anniversary of government-initiated travel bans, Canada’s aviation workers will issue a renewed call for funding to save the industry from total collapse.
“Canadian workers and businesses need a healthy aviation sector,” said Unifor National President, Jerry Dias. “Federal inaction continues to pose an existential threat for an industry that employs tens of thousands of Canadians and supports virtually every sector of the economy.”
TORONTO–Unifor will host a virtual news conference to outline budget recommendations, as the union conducts its pre-budget lobby week to advocate for critical priorities for workers.
“Unifor members are meeting with Cabinet Ministers and MPPs to discuss a dual strategy to keep Ontarians protected from COVID-19 while putting programs and infrastructure in place to build a better economy following this crisis,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Unions representing 175,000 workers serving on the frontlines of this pandemic demand the Ford government support this female majority workforce TORONTO, ON – Today, SEIU Healthcare, Unifor, and CUPE, unions representing 175,000 healthcare workers across Ontario, held a virtual media conference to announce the launch of International Women’s Day actions with a clear message to Premier Ford: “Respect Us. Protect Us.
