October 20, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–Dominion workers have set up a round the clock picket at the Loblaw Co. Distribution Centre in St. John’s, following the company’s continued refusal to negotiate a fair collective agreement. “The Loblaw Co. business model is to tie wages for frontline grocery workers to minimum wage while refusing to classify jobs as full-time to avoid sick days, vacation and benefits, all with the end goal of enriching the Weston family and their shareholders while their workers struggle to make ends meet,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “If Loblaw Co.
TORONTO—Unifor members working at Fiat Chrysler in Brampton, Etobicoke, Windsor, Mississauga, Montreal and Red Deer have voted 78 per cent to ratify a new three year collective agreement that includes significant investment, job security and economic gains.
VANCOUVER—Trailing badly in the polls, the B.C. Liberals have begun attacking the very working people who are poised to re-elect John Horgan and the BCNDP government.
“John Horgan and his BCNDP government have delivered results for working families,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “After a decade of scandals and ideological funding cuts, it should be no surprise that the BCNDP is the choice of working people.”
SURREY—The largest union representing truck drivers at Port Metro Vancouver has endorsed the BCNDP’s re-election effort in the 2020 provincial election.
“The John Horgan government delivered on key priorities for this complex sector,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “This isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ project. Vancouver’s ports are sophisticated portals of economic activity that require ongoing attention to ensure corrupt employers aren’t threatening the integrity of port transportation.”
Premier Brian Pallister is using Bill 16 to stack the deck further in favour of his wealthy donors and attack the rights of working people says Unifor.
Unifor’s Master Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement on behalf of 9000 Unifor members, with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that includes a significant commitment to both maintain and build its manufacturing footprint in Canada.
October 15, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–In the eighth week of escalating strike action, Dominion workers have begun picketing at the Loblaw Distribution Centre in St. John’s. “These frontline grocery workers have been on the picket line for almost two months. In that time Loblaw Co. has continued to rake in increased profits across the country due to COVID-19 but the company has refused to improve its failed offer to Dominion workers by one red cent,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Unifor’s Master Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement for 9000 members working at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, averting a midnight strike at its Canadian plants in Windsor, Brampton, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Montreal, and Red Deer.
TORONTO—Health Canada’s approval of the use of rapid testing kits presents an opportunity to accelerate economic recovery and a safe return to travel, says Unifor.
“By investing in scientifically-proven technology to detect and track COVID-19, Canada can achieve an economic recovery that also keeps people safe,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Rapid testing is a safe alternative to the 14-day quarantine that has decimated air travel during the pandemic.”
The federal and provincial announcement today of a total of $590 million in support of battery electric vehicle (BEV) production in Oakville is welcome news to thousands of Unifor members working at Ford Motor Company.
October 8, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–Striking Dominion workers have formed a human solidarity chain at Kevin’s No Frills in St. John’s, a partner of Dominion parent company Loblaw Companies Limited. “Today’s strike action is part of our ongoing campaign to get Loblaw to return to the bargaining table with a fair offer,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Striking Dominion workers are helping to provide meals to food insecure people across Newfoundland and Labrador with a Thanksgiving food drive at picket lines across the province.
A panel of judges of the Ontario Divisional Court has set aside a November 2019 arbitrator’s decision that allowed the closure of Nemak’s Windsor plant. The arbitrator cleared the way for the transfer of specialized General Motors work to Mexico causing the loss of approximately 200 jobs.
VANCOUVER—The targeted action for transit users, renters, and working people in premier John Horgan’s platform helps form a vision for B.C.’s future that leaves no one behind, says Unifor.
“John Horgan is the right leader to help navigate British Columbia through challenging times,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The platform released by Horgan today shows that he wants to continue supporting people through this pandemic while helping make life more affordable for working families.”
TORONTO – Today the Chief Medical Officer of Health issued Directive #5, which provides clear guidance that N-95 or superior protection masks, face shields and other equipment are to be provided to health care staff working on the front line in long-term care facilities or hospitals dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks, among other improvements. “The updated standards in Directive #5 are the culmination of many hours of frank and open collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
ST. JOHN’S–Striking Dominion workers will hold a picket line food drive to help local charities provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need.
“These workers want to make sure that no one goes hungry on Thanksgiving,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor Dominion members will be accepting donations that would normally be made in store at all picket line locations to be distributed to food insecure families across the province.”
Unifor appreciates the recognition of personal support workers in the temporary wage enhancement but demands the Ontario government not exclude all other frontline workers.
Today, Canadian union leaders representing more than 310,000 Canadian workers are calling on the Trudeau government to take urgent, concrete steps to prevent permanent, long-lasting damage to the aviation sector by providing direct support.
October 1, 2020 HAMILTON– Torstar has reversed the elimination of 24 jobs at the Hamilton Spectator classified call centre, following collaborative consultation with Unifor. “We’re pleased that our union was able to work together with Torstar to find an alternative solution to moving these jobs to the United States so that Canadians can remain employed,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
FREDERICTON— Unifor is calling the expected closure of Clinic 554 today a failure of Premier Higgs’ government to provide adequate health care services and protect New Brunswickers.
MONTREAL—Unifor condemns the treatment of Joyce Echaquan as she lay dying in a Joliette, Quebec hospital and says that it belays the deeply systemic anti-Indigenous racism in Canadian health care.
TORONTO—Unifor members from coast to coast are participating in Orange Shirt Day today, the annual event to honour and acknowledge the survivors of Canada’s shameful residential school system.
“Unifor is deeply committed to reconciliation,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We’re proud to work with our Indigenous partners to both heal and fight for justice and put an end to systemic racism.”
Striking workers at Loblaw Co. owned Dominion stores call on billionaire Loblaw Chairman Galen Weston to pay employees a living wage and to stop the overuse of part-time employees to do full-time work in a new ad, launched on Newfoundland television and Facebook today.
Unifor members working at Ford Motor Company voted to ratify (by 81%) new three year collective agreements that include $1.95 billion in investments to bring battery electric vehicle (BEV) production to Oakville and new engine derivatives to Windsor, and other significant contract gains.
TORONTO—Local union leadership across all Ford Motor Company locals in both trades and production delivered a unanimous endorsement of the tentative agreement reached between Unifor and the company last week. “This resounding endorsement by our leadership on the shop floor across all of Ford Motor Company facilities is a testament to the strength of the deal our Bargaining Committee negotiated,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
WINNIPEG–Transcontinental Inc. has announced that it is closing its last remaining printing plant in Manitoba, abandoning 93 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 24, 2020 WINNIPEG–Transcontinental Inc. has announced that it is closing its last remaining printing plant in Manitoba, abandoning 93 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Transcontinental remains incredibly profitable, raking in $48.3 million net profit in the last quarter alone and that’s during the pandemic,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
September 23, 2020 TORONTO– Unifor welcomes the economic and social pandemic support policies outlined by the federal government in today’s Throne Speech. “As Canadians continue to live with the consequences of COVID-19, the federal government has outlined measures that will help workers and their families to endure the immediate crisis and also fix systemic issues to help the country #BuildBackBetter from the pandemic,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
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