TORONTO- Premier Doug Ford’s plan to scrap Ontario College of Trades could erode quality and harm skilled trades workers.
“Skilled trades workers fought hard for the establishment of the Ontario College of Trades - to ensure high-quality workmanship that Ontarians can rely on,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “Apprentices in the trades need reliable training to support their learning, and a united, independent OCOT to maintain safety and excellence in Ontario’s skilled trades.”
OTTAWA- The union representing 12,000 Canadian journalists and media workers is urging members of the federal cabinet to implement key policy recommendations from the 2017 Commons Heritage report on local news in the upcoming federal budget.
TORONTO- Unifor condemns the provincial government’s plan to claw back workers’ rights and protections.
“Fair scheduling, equal pay for equal work, paid sick days. These rights are not frivolous- they are practical, minimum standard for fairness. Standards that help grow good jobs and keep workers safe,” Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This Act is a direct attack on millions of workers, backed up by an imaginary crisis.”
FREDERICTON – Unifor is calling on all New Brunswick MLAs to support today’s Throne Speech.
The results of the provincial election dictate that collaboration and consensus-building are expected by New Brunswickers, and this Throne Speech is evidence the Liberals were listening.
The Speech contains a number of initiatives that can and should be supported by most if not all the political parties.
TORONTO – Two thousand Unifor members and retirees are expected to join the rally with the Ontario Health Coalition and other advocates to defend public health care on Tuesday, October 23, at Queen’s Park, Toronto.
OSHAWA—The Unifor bargaining committee representing 73 transit workers has reached a tentative agreement with PW Transit. “Unifor is a union for transit workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Our members do important work in the regional transit network and deserve a fair contract.” The committee worked late into the night to secure the tentative agreement.
October 19, 2018 OTTAWA – A delegation of Unifor activists and leaders will be in Ottawa next week to urge the federal government to take action to address the crisis in Canadian journalism as newsrooms continue to shrink across the country. “There are plenty of things the federal government can do to stop the drain of revenues to Facebook and Google and boost Canadian media,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
OSHAWA—Pacific Western Transit’s failure to negotiate a fair contract means more than 73 transit workers could be on strike as of October 27 at midnight.
“Our members are proud to serve their communities in Durham,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Fairness for these workers needs to be a higher priority.”
HALIFAX – Hundreds of Unifor members and supporters will depart from the Irving Shipyard and march along Barrington Street to Grand Parade on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. to support the Ships Stay Here campaign.
POWELL RIVER—Unifor members at three B.C. paper mills are welcoming news that a major paper manufacturer has stepped in to purchase the troubled Catalyst Paper.
“A vibrant forestry industry is pivotal to so many B.C. communities,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “B.C.’s pulp and paper industry is both environmentally sustainable and a source of good jobs.”
TORONTO—Unifor Local 7575 members at the Hyatt Regency hotel have voted to ratify a new collective agreement that includes major economic gains and secures good jobs in the industry.
“Unifor’s new members in the hospitality industry are seeing tangible benefits of joining an activist union,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor has proven that we will fight for sector-leading collective agreements."
GANDER - D-J Composites has consented to binding arbitration to resolve a 21-month lockout of Unifor Local 597 members.
“On Monday we asked Premier Dwight Ball to intervene and stand up for 30 workers who have been on a picket line far too long and we are pleased that with his assistance, we are going to binding arbitration,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
Binding arbitration will eventually lead to a collective agreement, which will end the lockout.
CHATHAM, ON - Health care workers and members of Local 2458 invite the community of Chatham and surrounding areas to a rally to protest cuts to front-line care for seniors in long-term care.
What: Rally for care for residents When: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 1:30 pm Where: 91 Tecumseh Road Chatham, Ontario N7M 1B3 Who: Health care workers, Unifor Local 2458 members and members of the public
GANDER - Unifor is outraged, but not surprised, that D-J Composites is refusing to negotiate an end to the 21-month lockout at the Gander aerospace plant.
“The company is not being honest with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. DJ Composites’ bargaining has been illegal and deceitful and for this company to expect our union and members to be patient at day 648 is frankly ridiculous,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.
TORONTO- Unifor calls for the defence of equal pay provisions that protect millions of part-time and temporary workers in Ontario.
“Paying two workers dramatically different wages for performing the same job attacks the very core of fairness,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The Retail Council of Canada shows a callous disrespect for retail workers by lobbying to re-instate this two-tiered treatment.”
GANDER - Unifor’s National President, Jerry Dias and the President of the N.L. Federation of Labour, Mary Shortall, will join the picket line to stand with 30 Aerospace workers who have been locked out 92 weeks in Gander, N.L. “Thursday marks the 647th day that a U.S. employer has locked out our members in an attempt to break our union. We now have hundreds of members standing outside saying that is not going to happen,” said Dias.
GANDER - Hundreds of union activists and supporters have turned the tables on the managers and scabs at a Gander Aerospace facility where 30 Unifor members have been on a picket line for 646 days, effectively locking them out.
“We have had enough of D-J Composites breaking labour laws and treating our members with contempt,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President. “It is time to take a stand for not only our members but for all workers across Canada.”
REGINA—The sell-off of two publicly-owned gas plants is a betrayal of a promise made to the people of Saskatchewan during the last election, says Unifor.
“How many times can this government break the same promise?” asked Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We simply cannot trust Scott Moe. His government’s word is worthless.”
TORONTO – Unifor warns that rushed debate on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) legislation hurts Canada’s trade position at a crucial point in NAFTA negotiations.
TORONTO—Unifor Local 7575 members at the Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a path-breaking collective agreement, with significant economic gains and breakthroughs in job security and workload protections.
“We believe this is the first time in Ontario that a collective agreement has fully protected room attendants’ work from sham ‘green’ programs at a Marriott property,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
TORONTO – More than 800 workers at Toronto’s iconic Fairmont Royal York voted today on whether to switch unions and join Unifor, following a ruling from the labour board last week ordering the vote.
“These workers are finally getting the democratic choice they deserve to belong to a union of their own choosing,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
ST. JOHN’S - Unifor National President Jerry Dias is again reaching out to Premier Dwight Ball to meet concerning the 631-day lockout of 30 aerospace workers in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dias called the Premier’s office today.
It is the fourth request from Unifor for a meeting with the Premier whose media statements about the lockout this week clearly indicate he doesn’t understand what is at play in this dispute that is likely the longest lockout in the province’s labour history.
