Two premiers with the most ideologically divergent views in Canada, both recently elected by party members but untested in a general election, tabled their first budget on February 28.
There is a lot to be gleaned from the Eby and Smith budgets about “left” and “right” philosophies and more importantly, the outcomes for working people.
REGINA—Highly qualified union workers at SaskTel should do the work involved in the company’s massive expansion of its fibre optic broadband network into rural Saskatchewan.
TORONTO – Leading up to March break and the busy summer travel season, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) decision to cap flights and the number of travelers fails both passengers and airport workers, says Unifor.
“The GTAA is punishing the traveling public by limiting flights and services as a band-aid solution to airport congestion, instead of fixing the problem by implementing common sense solutions to improve job quality and hire needed workers,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
OTTAWA – On International Women’s Day 2023, hundreds of community organizations from across Canada have signed a statement declaring that gender equality cannot be achieved without supporting, celebrating, and uplifting trans women. Canada has seen rising hate against trans communities, and particularly against trans women, but trans women deserve our respect and care – in addition to concrete government action to address anti-trans hate.
Unifor Marine Workers’ Federation (MWF) Local 1 is growing!
Members of the Local are reaching out to friends and colleagues to recruit skilled tradespeople to help build the future of the Royal Canadian Navy.
“We walk into this shipyard every day knowing we are part of something truly special,” said Shannon Sampson, President of Unifor MWF Local 1. “We are eager for our Local to grow and we’re ready to welcome skilled workers to join our Unifor MWF Local 1 family.”
For Bob Lederer, creating bargaining Women’s Advocate language at his workplace’s collective agreement was personal.
In 2004, he was a new worker at the paper mill at Resolute Forest Products in Thunder Bay. At that time, the mill was not unionized. He and his co-workers wore headsets for communication and one particular interaction made him aware of the sexism in the heavily male-dominated workforce.
Manufacturing workers at Ingredion – which processes corn into sweeteners and other products in Cardinal, Ont. – have ratified a new four-year agreement.
“This agreement recognizes the skill and hard work of our members at Ingredion,” said Local 483 President Bill Garlough. “There were no concessions in the new agreement.”
The 150 members of Local 483, which includes processing and Skilled Trades workers, voted to ratify the contract on March 3, 2023, by 82%.
The new agreement begins March 15, 2023, and expires April 14, 2027.
WINNIPEG—Despite some spending measures aimed at winning re-election, the Heather Stefanson government is still defined by growing hospital wait times, health care privatization, and suppressing the minimum wage, says Unifor.
“Manitobans will not forget the Stefanson government’s deliberate and wilful dismantling of the health care system,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “One budget cannot undo years of mismanagement by the conservative government.”
TORONTO- Unifor members working at CN voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action amid ongoing negotiations in which CN has tabled a package of broad concessions.
Local 100 members voted 98%, and Council 4000 members voted 97% in favour of strike action. The earliest possible date of job action would be March 21, 2023, following a 72-hour notice.
The Robinson Solutions Maintenance unit from Unifor Local 222 in Oshawa, Ont. ratified a new agreement Feb. 28 at 84%, ensuring that members from Skilled and Semi-Skilled Trades get the respect they deserve.
“We made sure that our Skilled Trades workers had an hourly wage that reflected the global competitiveness of the skilled trades market,” said Local 222 President Jeff Gray. “These skilled workers deserve to be paid what they are worth. We are very proud that the goal was achieved. As the expression says, skilled labour isn’t cheap and cheap labour isn’t skilled.”
The 55 members of Unifor Local 197, working at Jubilant Draximage in Montreal, accepted the tentative agreement recommended by the negotiating committee at a meeting held last week.
"The negotiation process was long, but the outcome is more than positive,” said Hugues Perreault, Unifor Quebec National Representative. “I would like to acknowledge the exemplary work of the union committee and the rigor they demonstrated throughout this round of negotiations.”
On Friday, March 3, 2023, 150 members of Unifor Local 324-99 voted 88% in favor of a new four-year collective agreement with West Fraser Timber covering its Barwick oriented strand board (OSB) mill near Fort Frances.
The eight members of Unifor Local 591G at Shorewood Packaging have struck a new four-year deal with their Scarborough, Ont. employer.
“The members who work at this shipping location should be proud of the big gains made in this agreement,” Burke Moffat, President of Local 591G.
“This was a strong agreement that would not have been possible without the ground support from members who attended meetings and made their voices heard along with the hard work and commitment of the bargaining committee.”
Unifor members working at CN voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action. Local 100 members voted 98%, and Council 4000 members voted 97% - standing firm behind the demand for a collective agreement that values all workers.
REGINA—After a new proposal to outsource unionized SaskTel jobs surfaced on government websites this week, Unifor has demanded a stop to contracting out.
“With each outsourcing post, the Sask Party government is undermining good jobs and good customer service at SaskTel, and customers should be concerned,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “This government must stop sending jobs out of province and offshore. Why is the Sask Party so obsessed with killing good, local jobs?”
More than 30 workers at Menzies Aviation at Halifax Stanfield International Airport successfully joined Unifor on March 1.
“We welcome these new members to our union. The need for aviation workers to have representation is so important during this period of contract flipping and chaos at Canada’s airports,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor will stand by them through whatever turbulence comes our way in the industry.”
TORONTO–The news of layoffs and restructuring at Global News this week chips away at already barebones newsrooms and puts democracy at risk as the number of media workers dwindles in the industry, says Unifor.
“It is becoming impossibly difficult for media workers to face the news of restructuring and layoffs on a regular basis,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Journalists are the backbone of our democracy. We need to save local news by investing in newsrooms – not cutting them. We will continue to support our members during this devastating time.”
International Women's Day (IWD) is a day to celebrate and recognize the incredible contributions working women have made and continue to make in our country and around the world, and to regroup to face the challenges ahead.
EDMONTON—The temporary financial windfall from volatile oil prices was squandered in a UCP budget that does little to secure a stable future for Albertans, says Unifor.
VANCOUVER—The B.C. budget’s investments in core social services and health care are necessary and will help shield workers and their families from a forecasted economic slowdown, says Unifor.
“Strong public health care and measures that improve affordability are precisely what working British Columbians need,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Unlike the B.C. Liberals, this government continues to put public services and good jobs front and centre in the budget.”
Unifor Local 4606 today reached an agreement with Northwoodcare Inc. and the Provincial Government, which will see wages for our members at Northwoodcare Inc. adjusted upward by one per cent to match more recent public sector settlements. This settlement was reached outside of normal bargaining. It will include retroactive pay as outlined below.
TORONTO—The federal government’s $43-million investment under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program will help support trucking companies struggling to hire and train drivers, says Unifor.
Waving flags and chanting, “public health care,” Unifor members braved the -30C windchill to march in Thunder Bay to send a strong message to the Ontario government to stop cutting services and privatizing health care.
Over 100 Unifor members, along with supporters from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), rallied Feb. 24 in front of St. Joseph Care Group on Algoma St. N. as a precursor to Unifor’s two-day Northern Ontario Leadership Meeting (NOLM).
“The costs involved for drivers is outrageous,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “We need dialogue about a policy that doesn’t financially ruin dozens of truckers.”
This communication is to address the statement CN made after we broke off talks. We’ve also prepared a flyer to set the record straight.
Frankly speaking, CN’s communication is an attempt to prevent our bargaining units from gaining a strong strike mandate, and divide members. The Employer understands with a strong strike mandate the Union is in a better position when we return to the bargaining table in March.
SURREY—Members of Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 will open bargaining February 23 with Coast Mountain Bus Company.
Unifor members share an important goal with the region’s transit ridership: more busses and more bus service,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Transit operators were on the front lines of the pandemic and maintenance staff kept the vehicles running. Transit workers are vital to the Lower Mainland’s economy and they deserve fair wages that keep pace with inflation.”
February 22, 2023 is Pink Shirt Day, when we can all take a stand against bullying. We too often see communities, workplaces, and families being divided. Through these divides, some have permitted, and even encouraged, bullying behaviours in the name of their cause.
This is harmful, and no matter the reason, we should never harm each other. Tomorrow, lets all wear pink t-shirts and send a unified message that we are standing up against any form of bullying.
MONTREAL – Unifor is concerned that a contract flip that resulted in Swissport losing its contract with Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will potentially leave up to 150 Unifor members without jobs by the end of June.
VICTORIA—Unifor is back at the bargaining table with the Empress Hotel to negotiate a collective agreement that can serve as a template for upcoming negotiations in the hospitality sector.
“Unifor is a strong union for hotel workers,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Unifor members are leading by example and negotiating industry-leading contracts. What happens this spring at the Empress will help lead the way for our other negotiations.”
ST. CATHARINES-Unifor members at the General Motors (GM) St. Catharines Propulsion Plant will be the first Detroit Three facility in Canada to produce electric vehicle propulsion systems, securing a future role in the industry’s transition to EV manufacturing.
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