All News

Stelpipe and Welland Pipe retiree info meeting

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2015 /CNW/ -  Unifor Local 523 President Rick Alakas will speak to about 300 retirees from Stelpipe and Welland Pipe to discuss health benefit options after U.S Steel Canada immediately suspended all supports.

Unifor welcomes Teahen nomination for WSIB president

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's largest union in the private sector expressed hope today that the nomination of the Ontario premier's chief of staff to be president of the province's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board signals a renewed emphasis on the needs of injured workers.

Pacific Coach Lines workers vote 79% in favour of job action

VANCOUVER, Dec. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor members working at Pacific Coach Lines have voted overwhelmingly to take job action if necessary to achieve a fair severance package for long-serving drivers impacted by recent job cuts at the company.

"20-year veterans are being told that they won't be getting any severance," said Mario Santos, a National Representative at Unifor. "It is a cold-hearted move to treat your veteran employees like that."

Unifor supporting food banks across Canada

TORONTO, Dec. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's largest union in the private sector is donating $135,000 to 46 food banks across Canada, and is calling on its members and others to donate, as well.

"The needs of many Canadians are real all year round, but are most acute at this time of year," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

Forty workers engage MPPs on Changing Workplaces and Precarious Work

TORONTO, Dec. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Workers from across Ontario will be at Queen's Park on Monday, December 7, and Tuesday, December 8, meeting with members of the Legislature to garner their support labour law and employment standards changes to address the increasingly precarious nature of work today.

/R E P E A T -- Unifor Ontario Council meets/

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor leaders and activists from across Ontario will meet in Toronto this weekend to discuss what lies ahead for workers in the province, with a new federal government and major auto talks planned for 2016.

"This will be a very important meeting as we plan for the year ahead," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Katha Fortier.

Unifor Ontario Council meets

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor leaders and activists from across Ontario will meet in Toronto this weekend to discuss what lies ahead for workers in the province, with a new federal government and major auto talks planned for 2016.

"This will be a very important meeting as we plan for the year ahead," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Katha Fortier.

Unifor school bus drivers encouraged by Auditor-General report

TORONTO, Dec. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario's largest school bus driver's union is encouraged by many of the recommendations issued today by the Auditor-General that focus on improvements to service quality, ensuring government accountability and better tracking the impact of driver turnover on safety.

Unifor reaches new agreements with six container trucking companies

VANCOUVER, Nov. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Container truck drivers at several Metro Vancouver trucking companies have voted to ratify collective agreements with Unifor today after several days of around-the-clock bargaining. Companies with new collective agreements include AG, Aheer, Forward, Prudential, and Sunlover.

Media Advisory - Unifor to join climate change activists in Paris at COP21

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor National President Jerry Dias and a delegation of other leaders will be travelling to Paris to participate in the global gathering of labour and non-governmental organizations coinciding with the United Nations Conference on Climate Change ("COP21").

Alberta climate panel's report achieves the right balance

EDMONTON, Nov. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - The Premier's Climate Change Advisory Panel report makes sensible recommendations that, once implemented, will make significant impacts on Alberta's greenhouse gas emissions and provide real solutions for affected industries and communities.

Unifor responds to latest offer from Coventry Connections, hoping to put an end to three month taxi lockout

OTTAWA, Nov. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - /CNW/ Unifor has responded positively to Coventry Connections' most recent offer, hoping to make progress towards a resolution of the lockout that started in early August.

"We want nothing more than to reach a deal that is fair for everyone and our members are eager to get back to work. Unfortunately Coventry is spreading misinformation regarding the dispute," said Bob Orr, assistant to the Secretary Treasurer.

Unifor occupies Coventry Connections

OTTAWA, Nov. 13, 2015 /CNW/ - After more than three months locked out by an employer demanding that taxi drivers accept a drastic cut in pay, the drivers and their supporters this morning occupied the offices of Coventry Connections, the company that owns all the cabs in the city.

"We have been forced into this action by a company and an airport authority that have refused to engage in real dialogue on this issue," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

/R E P E A T - Day of Action for taxi drivers/

OTTAWA, Nov. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - A mass rally will be held Friday morning in support of locked out Ottawa taxi drivers, members of Unifor Local 1688, more than three months after their employer locked them out after they refused to accept a drastic pay cut.

Day of Action for taxi drivers

OTTAWA, Nov. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - A mass rally will be held Friday morning in support of locked out Ottawa taxi drivers, members of Unifor Local 1688, more than three months after their employer locked them out after they refused to accept a drastic pay cut.

Unifor welcomes crack down on trucking companies

VANCOUVER, Nov. 6, 2015 /CNW/ - Container Trucking Commissioner Corinne Bell's renewed call to Metro Vancouver's port trucking companies to pay their drivers is a step in the right direction and important to avoid work stoppages later this winter during bargaining, says the largest union in the sector.

Time to fix TPP mistakes: Unifor

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - With the release of the full text of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal today, Unifor is calling on the federal government to thoroughly consult with Canadians on the agreement's impact on this country and to revise the provisions that will damage key Canadian industries.

New team announces candidacy for Ontario Federation of Labour

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario unions and local union activists have put forward a team of three principled, determined and experienced trade unionists to run for the election at the upcoming convention of the Ontario Federation of Labour. The team is running under the banner of FedForward, with the goal of uniting the labour movement in Ontario and advocating for progressive labour law reform.

Unifor No Frills grocery store workers reach tentative agreement

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor members of Local 414 have reached a tentative agreement with No Frills grocery stores.  The unit includes 1,265 workers at 19 stores across Ontario.  

"We continue to break new ground within the retail sector," said Christine Connor, President of Unifor Local 414. "Details of the deal will be made available once it is ratified by the members."

Streetcar delays must be addressed without risking good jobs: Unifor

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is expressing its commitment to working with all of the parties to resolve concerns related to the delay in the delivery of new streetcars.

Earlier this month, Bombardier Transportation advised the Toronto Transit Commission that the delivery schedule of the new streetcars will not be fully met. The streetcars are built at Bombardier's Thunder Bay facility, which is employs 1,200 people, 900 of whom are members of Unifor Local 1075.

Unifor celebrates defeat of Harper Conservatives

TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is celebrating the defeat of the Harper Conservatives and calling on the Liberals and NDP to cooperate to rebuild Canada.

"Tonight's election results offer Canadians an opportunity to rebuild our country," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "Canadians have sent a clear message that the Harper Conservative agenda is not one that represents our interests and needs."

Media Advisory - "We haven't forgotten": Community to rally against Harper during photo-op at aerospace facility

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Oct. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper's last campaign stop will be met with a noisy protest of his failure to protect and create good jobs.

"The Harper record on job creation and economic growth is dismal—it's the worst in the post-war era," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "The Fraser Valley region is no different. This community owes the Harper government nothing."

Unifor supporting retirees hit by U.S. Steel decision

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor is closely monitoring a recent court decision stripping U.S. Steel retirees of their health benefits, on behalf of 300 Unifor retirees from the former Stelpipe and Welland Pipe plants in Welland.

"U.S. Steel has truly let down the retirees and the people of Welland with its heavy-handed tactics leading to this court decision," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.