More than 350 women from across Canada gathered at the Unifor Family Education Centre for the 2022 Women’s Conference from September 11 to 13, 2022. With a theme of “Feminists at Work: We Are Unstoppable”, the conference aimed to connect Unifor members with other sisters to create new and grow current support networks.
VANCOUVER—Wage increases and shift premiums are highlights of a new collective agreement ratified September 14 by Unifor members at Purdy’s Chocolatier.
“This contract makes important gains for workers struggling to cope with the rising cost of living in Metro Vancouver,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director.
Members vote yes to accept new tentative agreement
Dear members,
Congratulations, you now have a new collective agreement with Bell. Our 8-months of negotiations and our national fight for this deal have come to a close.
OWEN SOUND —School bus drivers at First Student have voted overwhelmingly to support strike action if negotiations with the company fail to produce a new collective agreement.
“This is a job with tremendous responsibility, not a hobby, but companies continue to ask drivers for a full-time commitment for a part-time pay,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “It’s time for these drivers to be treated with the respect that they deserve.”
Today Unifor National Secretary Treasurer Len Poirier, alongside Unifor Local 101R President Rick Raso and his bargaining committee opened negotiations with Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) for a new collective agreement this morning in Calgary.
SASKATOON—Unifor Local 609 members responsible for operating and maintaining the light beam at the Canadian Light Source have applied for mediation after the employer refused to address concerns about inflation eroding their wages.
Three women working at the University of Windsor – all Unifor members – will receive back pay in the range of $25,000 to $35,000 each from their employer, after the union filed a complaint with the province’s Pay Equity Review Services.
TORONTO- Unifor supports federal government moves to address the affordability crisis but calls for more comprehensive solutions to support Canada’s workers.
TORONTO –A jury adopted several of Unifor’s safety and process recommendations to help prevent future death and injury to miners following an inquiry into the October 15, 2015 workplace death of Sudbury miner Richard Pigeau.
“The jury’s safety, support and training recommendations must be implemented immediately as they are necessary to protect workers in the mining sector,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “One worker’s death is one too many. These practical changes can save lives and prevent injury.”
CALGARY – Bargaining for a new collective agreement began this morning in Calgary between Unifor Local 101R and Canadian Pacific (CP).
“Our members have worked tirelessly day in and night across the country, in helping CP earn record profits,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “It is our expectation that CP rewards our members with the fair and equitable wage increases that they deserve.”
VANCOUVER—Unifor Local 2000’s bargaining committee has secured a tentative agreement with Purdy’s Chocolatier during negotiations that went down to the deadline set by the union.
“I’m proud of the solidarity and the work done by Local 2000 members to reach a tentative deal that advances their goals,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director.
VANCOUVER—Members of Unifor Local 2000 working at Purdy’s Chocolatier could be on strike at midnight if the employer refuses to make a fair wage offer during negotiations today.
“Unifor members have helped make Purdy’s a household name in British Columbia,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Workers at Purdy’s deserve a fair contract that protects their wages from inflation during uncertain economic times.”
OSHAWA––Unifor members at GDI Services have won significant wage and benefit gains in a new collective agreement, bringing a 17-day labour dispute at Durham College campuses to an end.
HALIFAX-Unifor members at Bell Aliant reached a tentative agreement with the company on September 9, 2022.
“I want to congratulate the members and the bargaining committee for their solidarity and perseverance through these long and important negotiations,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.
Details of the collective agreement will only be released pending ratification by members of the bargaining unit. Local unions will hold ratification votes in the coming weeks.
Unifor has become a signatory to the Reproductive Justice Manifesto, coordinated by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, the AccessBC Campaign for free prescription contraception, the BC Humanist Association, Options for Sexual Health, and the University of British Columbia Social Justice Centre.
HALIFAX-Health Support workers have ratified a new collective agreement with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK, with the largest increases for the lowest-paid workers whose wage scales will now reach $20 per hour.
With the ratification of their very first collective agreement, workers at Cabot Manufacturing in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia are looking forward to a more reasonable pay structure and greater health and safety measures.
“The group at Cabot Manufacturing is a great example of the recent resurgence in workers unionizing to better protect and enforce their rights at work,” said Jennifer Murray, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director. “I send my congratulations to the bargaining committee for the strong work in achieving this solid first agreement.”
TORONTO —GDI Services has served illegal layoff notices to 70 Durham College campus cleaners, locking out the workers after they began strike action on August 24, 2022.
“This callous and illegal move by GDI is designed to intimidate workers, who are predominantly low-paid women,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The company also threatened workers by telling them they would only keep their jobs if they cross their own picket line. Unifor will not allow our members to be bullied. Not now. Not ever.”
TORONTO —Unifor members from across the Greater Toronto Area will join striking GDI Services workers on picket lines at Durham College campuses on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.
“GDI is using scab workers to perform the cleaning duties of the workers who maintained health standards for students and faculty during the pandemic,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These workers earn $16.05 an hour and are fighting for economic justice. Unifor will not tolerate the use of scabs and will utilize the full power of our union to support our striking members.”
HALIFAX- Unifor members at Bell Aliant are heading into the final days of bargaining Tuesday September 6, 2022.
“Unifor members at Bell Aliant have kept Atlantic Canadian connected. Their dedication to their work and solidarity across the region is strong,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “What better time to push Bell for a great contract than the week of Labour Day, when workers across our union are celebrating successes and committing to push for progress.”
TORONTO —Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, celebrates worker empowerment as members across the country gather to mark Labour Day.
“Unifor is celebrating the fighting spirit that workers are courageously displaying across our union, across the country and all over the world,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We work our entire lives as trade union activists for the kind of moment we find ourselves in right now. A moment where we can build worker power.”
There is no question that the pandemic has created a new workscape.
Despite a textbook scenario for workers to demand better from their bosses, wages remain low – relative to rising inflation – benefits are meagre and pension plans elusive.
Despite ballooning profits and claims of labour shortages, most workers still find themselves on the losing end.
TORONTO- Unifor National President Lana Payne wrote to Minister Alghabra today to offer clear solutions to the issues plaguing Canada’s airports with cancellations and delays.
“Aviation workers are listening intently to government, and so far the Minister has not shared an accurate description of the problem or common sense solutions. Aviation employers have cut jobs and continue to drive down wages in the industry, and it’s up to the federal government to change the rules to protect workers and travelers,” said Payne.
Honourable Omar Alghabra, P.C., M.P. Minister of Transport
Dear Minister Alghabra,
I am writing today to discuss the grave situation that continues to unfold at Canada’s airports.
Your deposition at the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on August 19 2022 was eye opening. The narrative of the opposition that nothing has been done to alleviate the issue is simply not true. The government narrative that enough has been done is not true either.
Montreal, August 31, 2022 – To the sound of whistles and trumpets, more than a hundred members of Quebec and Ontario local unions, FTQ-affiliated unions, FTQ regional councils as well as Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP for Rosemont-La Petit-Patrie, gathered yesterday morning in front of Bell Media’s offices in Montreal, in support of workers at Bell Technical Solutions.
TORONTO––Loomis Express workers in eight provinces have reached a tentative agreement with the company, avoiding a strike set to begin after midnight tonight.
“This tentative agreement leverages the power of a national union to set and raise standards across the country while allowing for provincial nuances in the operations," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President."I congratulate the bargaining committee for coming together to reach a deal that addresses key concerns of members.”
MABE retirees, or MABE scorned as they like to be called, gathered in front of the former MABE plant in Montreal on August 25 to mark the sad anniversary of their former employer's bankruptcy. Locals from the greater Montreal area also joined to show them that they are not alone in their fight and that their Unifor family is behind them.
Retirees and active employees lost the equivalent of 22% of their pension as well as the protection of group insurance and life insurance due to the bankruptcy in August 2014.
TORONTO–Loomis Express workers in eight provinces have served strike notice, with almost 1,500 Unifor members set to begin legal strike action in their respective time zones at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday August 31, 2022.
“This is yet another example of a huge corporation squeezing employees by shuffling work between subsidiaries or contracting out to avoid providing workers with decent full-time jobs,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “These members work in the fast-growing courier sector but many remain limited to precarious part-time work.”
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