This week’s announcement that Marriott International will delay plans to complete renovations and re-open its Yorkville location as a W Hotel citing the COVID-19 pandemic will not affect unionized jobs, Unifor has ascertained.
VANCOUVER—Unifor is calling on the provincial government to resist calls from employers to water down proposed changes to workers’ compensation that would see employers help to cover the costs associated with saving the lives of workers who contracted COVID-19 at work.
“These are the same forces that resisted responsibility for lung cancer and asbestos poisoning,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “COVID-19 is the latest in a long line of occupational diseases that employers wish to pretend has nothing to do with the workplace.”
TORONTO – Ontario workers who had their bargaining rights attacked by Ford’s wage restraint law, find hope and vindication as similar legislation was struck down by the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench.
Workers at the Sonoco paper mill in Quinte West are spending their last day on the job today after the company decided earlier this year to shutter the mill and focus operations in South Carolina.
VANCOUVER— Unifor is warning of dire consequences for Mackenzie, B.C., as the Paper Excellence mill in the forestry town goes into indefinite curtailment. “The federal and provincial governments have failed forestry workers in Mackenzie and all across B.C.,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This shutdown comes after a lengthy battle from both the workers and the owner to address fibre access issues and develop a sustainable plan for the province’s forestry sector.
WINNIPEG—A Manitoba court has ruled that the so-called Public Services Sustainability Act violates the right to collective bargaining protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“Free and fair collective bargaining is a right that workers have fought for,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “That right is a threat to the conservative forces that seek to undermine public services. Today’s court victory is a victory for both workers and the Manitobans that rely on our excellent social programs.”
TORONTO – Unifor opposes the decision by Loblaw Companies Ltd. to end pandemic pay for workers at its retail outlets across Canada.
“The pandemic is not over. The danger has not passed. These workers are no less at risk and are no less essential today than they were yesterday. There is no justification for ending pandemic pay now, or ever,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.
WINNIPEG—Despite pledging to protect front-line workers, Premier Brian Pallister’s Manitoba Hydro layoffs threaten to impact services for Manitobans.
“Brian Pallister has demonstrated time and again that he can’t be trusted to strengthen Manitoba Hydro,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Manitobans deserve to know why the premier is jeopardizing hydro service.”
Unifor says the cuts will come during a time when Manitoba Hydro is working at full capacity to keep up with the unique demands of COVID-19.
Unifor applauds the Ontario government's decision to appoint St. Mary's General Hospital to temporarily manage Forest Heights long-term care home due to an uncontained outbreak of COVID-19.
Unifor applauds the decision of the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the provincial government’s oversight of long-term care homes during the COVOD-19 pandemic.
REGINA—Unifor Local 594 is extremely disappointed, but not surprised, to learn of the major loss of containment from the Co-op Refinery Complex that occurred on May 22, 2020, that resulted in the contamination of the City of Regina’s sewer system.
Premier Jason Kenney’s heavy-handed attempt to criminalize peaceful protest is an authoritarian over-reach, but will ultimately fail to silence his many critics and opponents, says Unifor.
Community members and workers at the AV Group Nackawic pulp mill in Nackawic, NB, are deeply concerned about the company’s use of 60 out-of-province contractors and the lack of health and safety controls to protect local workers.
Unifor’s National President and local union leaders will be speaking out tomorrow to highlight an unfair gap in the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) that is hurting thousands of workers in the auto, rail, marine, steel, aerospace, health care and other sectors.
TORONTO – The troubling reports from Canadian Armed Forces serving in long-term care homes in Ontario reinforces the systemic crisis in the provinces long-term care system.
SOUTHEY— Premier Scott Moe’s endless dithering on whether or not to impose a settlement from the mediators in the Co-op Refinery lockout has prompted workers to establish information pickets at five rural Co-op properties.
“It boggles the mind why Scott Moe can’t finish the job he started,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Why did he appoint the nation’s best mediators if he was just going to sit on their recommendations? It doesn’t make any sense.”
TORONTO—Unifor is proud to partner with the Hospitality Workers Training Centre to support laid off workers in hospitality and food service across the Greater Toronto Area.
“Hotel and food service workers are among the hardest hit by the pandemic,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “That’s why our union acted immediately to ensure workers could access vital services from the Centre for job training, food and housing security, and mental health supports.”
TORONTO–Unifor reiterated its call for the federal government to grant workers receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to receive the Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB) they would be entitled to under normal layoff circumstances, during testimony today before the Federal Finance Committee.
REGINA—After revelations that the Regina Police Service kept secret a bomb threat against picketing members, Unifor will examine its options for expanding an existing complaint against the RPS.
“Regina police have been at the beck and call of the company from the beginning of the lockout,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Now there is clear evidence that their loyalty to the refinery has veered into a recklessness that could have cost lives.”
TORONTO – Unifor welcomes the Ontario government’s announcement to launch an independent commission to investigate Ontario's Long-Term Care (LTC) system, so long as a manageable patient to staff ratio is put in place and recent changes such as pay increases and worker protection are maintained.
FOAM LAKE—Federated Co-operatives Limited’s refusal to accept the recommendations of Premier Scott Moe’s mediators has again affected the fuel supply for farmers, says Unifor.
“It will not be business as usual for the refinery while they’ve locked out highly skilled workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This lockout must end with the mediators’ terms.”
Unifor has written to Premier Ford demanding that all Community and Home Care as well as supportive housing facilities be included in provincial directives so that all workers will be provided proper Personal Protective Equipment to avoid further deaths.
Flood relief efforts in Fort McMurray will receive a boost after Unifor Local 707A and Unifor’s Social Justice Fund partnered to donate $30,000 to the Wood Buffalo Food Bank.
TORONTO - Unifor stands with workers across the country and around the globe in recognizing and celebrating the outstanding contributions of nurses through the release of a report highlighting the contribution of RPNs and LPNs during National Nursing Week May 11 - 17, 2020.
TORONTO – Unifor mourns the loss of Leonard Rodriques a Local 40 PSW member who passed due to a preventable workplace exposure to COVID-19. “I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Leonard's family, as well as his union sisters and brothers who are working for Access Independent Living Services,” said, Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Leonard worked for more than thirty years providing care for those in need.
HALIFAX – Unifor is pleased to see government respond to Unifor’s demands for premium pay for health care workers and welcomes the latest announcement by Premier Stephen McNeil to provide a cash bonus for health care workers in Nova Scotia amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plan to relax COVID-19 restrictions on British Columbia’s economy is incomplete if it doesn’t include restoring public transit service, says Unifor.
As Ontario establishes collection of race-based data on COVID-19, Unifor requests responsible collection guidelines and asks other provinces to follow suit.
