LETHBRIDGE—Wage increases and a signing bonus are highlights of a new collective agreement ratified August 2, 2022 by Unifor members working at Arconic.
“This was a difficult round of bargaining and the committee should be proud of what they accomplished in this collective agreement,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director.
Yesterday the bargaining committee received a request to meet with the company. On this video call, the company delivered their final offer. Their indication was that this would be the last offer we would receive before the strike deadline imposed by the union of August 18th. Whether we took this to the deadline or not this would be the last offer they would deliver to us.
The company then presented an offer to us which addressed some of the concerns of the members but fell short in others.
TORONTO-WestJet workers at Pearson International Airport have won a major victory in their right to representation as the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) certifies Unifor as their sole bargaining agent.
“WestJet workers in Toronto have gained a voice in their workplace, joining with workers in Vancouver and Calgary as members of Unifor. These employees have tremendous experience to offer their employer as airlines face an increase in travel demand from pre-pandemic travel demand,” said Unifor Secretary-Treasurer Lana Payne.
A Unifor member of Local 1090 on a legal picket line at Casino Woodbine was struck deliberately by a car late on the evening of July 31, 2022.
Members of Unifor Local 1090 have been on strike at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation’s Pickering Casino Resort and Ajax Casino since Saturday, July 23, 2022 fighting for wage increases and to reduce the employer’s reliance on a precarious part-time workforce.
In Canada, workers locked out or on strike may picket other sites owned by the employer, which is why a legal picket line was in place at Casino Woodbine.
SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA –Unifor is challenging Marine Atlantic’s decision to send 10 loss of employment letters, later rescinding three, after workers cited valid reasons for not accepting a last-minute scheduling re-assignment.
TORONTO—After negotiations broke down earlier today between Unifor and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC), a secondary picket line was erected at GCGC-owned Casino Woodbine.
“Our members, workers at Pickering Casino and their other properties, are fighting for equality with workers at other casinos. They are looking for fairness and Unifor is with them in this struggle,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer.
CALGARY – Newly unionized WestJet workers in Calgary and Vancouver have ratified a first contract that gives members at least a 13% wage increase, their first increase in five years.
TORONTO—Unifor welcomes a revised United States Senate proposal that aims to open up tax credits to Canadian-built electric vehicles.
“Unifor members have eagerly awaited a resolve to this thorny trade issue and are breathing a little easier today,” said Unifor Secretary-Treasurer Lana Payne. “With thousands of Canadian autoworkers gearing up to build electric vehicles, expanding eligibility of
On this day in 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 took effect, which laid a pathway to freeing enslaved people in British colonies across the globe and here in Canada.
Today many Black, Indigenous, and workers of colour are still being denied full and safe participation in many institutions and organizations. Unions must be a part of removing any obstacles still in the way of Black, Indigenous and workers of colour and their many other intersections in workplaces, unions, and society.
TORONTO—Inadequate progress at the bargaining table will lead to strike votes at the Loomis Express job sites across Canada represented by Unifor. Loomis Express is owned by TransForce International (TSE:TFI).
“TransForce has created instability for workers with widespread contracting out,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “We will address this at the bargaining table or we’ll address it on the picket line—it’s up to the employer.”
Unifor’s fourth Constitutional Convention is fast approaching and this year’s theme is #UniforTogether.
Delegates will be electing a new President, Secretary-Treasurer and Regional Directors as well as taking part in several important debates and discussions of Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments.
TORONTO—Unifor filed an Unfair Labour Practice complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) and alerted the federal government to Bell’s repeated attempts to undermine workers’ bargaining power with requests for scab labour.
The Honourable Alexandre Boulerice
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
To the Honourable Alexandre Boulerice,
Re: Bell Canada union busting during negotiations with Unifor
We are writing with an urgent update regarding a labour dispute that is currently unfolding between Unifor and Bell Canada, including the disgraceful behaviour of the company during this round of negotiations.
Re: Bell Canada intimidating workers, union busting during negotiations with Unifor
We write to you to update you on the actions that your union has taken against the attempted union busting from Bell Canada as we edge closer to our deadline.
We are aware of the continued communications from Reno Vaillancourt, Senior Vice President of Labour Relations at Bell encouraging yourself and your coworkers to cross the picket line should negotiations result in strike action.
Unifor Local 1090 members at Shorelines Casino Peterborough and Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands bargained a first tentative agreement on July 24, 2022.
They credit the co-ordinated gaming sector bargaining table for the gains made in the contract, to be ratified later by the full membership of the unit.
WOOD ISLANDS, PEI - Unifor members on board the MV Holiday Island executed emergency procedures quickly and with great care, ensuring the safe evacuation of all 183 ferry passengers and their pets and 22 crew after a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room on Friday, July 22, 2022.
After a meeting between Unifor leadership and the leaders of Locals 4508 and 4508A Monday evening, it is clear that if it were not for the actions of Unifor members, especially those in the engine room who first responded to the fire, the outcome could have been very different.
The sudden announcement to close Sing Tao, Canada’s largest Chinese-language newspapers, hurts not only the Chinese-speaking people of Toronto but Canada’s cultural fabric, says the union representing its employees.
“Closing Sing Tao is an unconscionable blow to the Chinese-speaking people of Toronto who rely on a daily newspaper to keep them informed of what is happening in their city and around the world, in their language,” said Carleen Finch, President of Unifor Local 87-M, which 43 members at Sing Tao.
TORONTO –Transport Canada and the Competition Bureau must consider that WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing may have a deep and negative effect on Canadian jobs, says Unifor, after filing a public interest submission to Transport Canada on Friday, July 22, 2022.
“Unifor is concerned that, despite the promises made to create jobs, this acquisition will actually lead to more sub-contracted work with lower wages and precarious conditions,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President. “Not only that, the number of jobs may also decline.”
CALGARY – WestJet workers in Calgary and Vancouver have reached a tentative first collective agreement, avoiding any service interruptions in advance of Tuesday’s strike deadline.
“This bargaining committee has worked very hard over the last nine months to negotiate this first agreement that brings long overdue wage increases and improvements to working conditions,” said Scott Doherty, lead negotiator and Assistant to the National President.
TORONTO—The bargaining committees for Unifor members at six Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) casinos in Ontario have signed a tentative agreement.
“Gaming sector workers were pivotal to ensuring GCGC casinos rebounded following the COVID-19 shut-downs,” said Chris MacDonald, Assistant to the Unifor National President. “It has been a very difficult period for casino workers and these tentative agreements are a step in the right direction.”
TORONTO—Most secondary issues have been resolved in productive discussions with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) on Thursday, but the most challenging negotiations are underway today, says Unifor.
“Unifor bargaining committees for eight casinos worked hard on Thursday to finalize many outstanding issues, paving the way for today’s heavy-lifting on monetary matters,” said Lana Payne, Unifor Secretary-Treasurer. “The momentum is a positive sign but we’re not out of the woods. We anticipate talks will go down to the wire tonight.”
In our previous update to members, we informed you that on Wednesday May 17, 2022 the Health Support Bargaining Unit (Unifor, NSGEU and CUPE) reached an impasse in bargaining a new collective agreement with Nova Scotia Health and the IWK. As a result, two days of Conciliation were scheduled. This means both the Unions and The Employers are using an outside mediation officer to attempt to finalize bargaining.
CALGARY – WestJet workers in Calgary and Vancouver have voted overwhelmingly to support the bargaining committee and take strike action if a deal cannot be reached, as early as July 27, 2022, says Unifor.
“The union is fighting for better wages,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to Unifor’s National President.
Unifor members at six Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) casinos have voted to strike if new agreements cannot be negotiated by Friday, July 22 at midnight.
Unifor is calling on the Canadian government to prepare for expected extreme weather events this fall in the Global South with changes to Canada’s immigration and refugee policies.
Scientists tell us the time to act on climate change is now. Meteorological agencies are warning us that 2022 will see higher than average incidence of hurricanes, flooding and wildfires affecting Latin America, Africa and other regions of the Global South.
The Climate Crisis is a human crisis; it is driving population displacement and making life harder for those already forced to flee.
TORONTO – Following a recent bad faith bargaining complaint by Sunwing pilots at the Canada Industrial Relations Board, Sunwing announced that it plans on revoking the company’s Pilot Loss of License insurance as of July 31, 2022, as a cost-cutting measure.
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