The 15th Quebec Council was held virtually in November, with nearly 250 people participating.
Quebec Director Renaud Gagné kicked things off with an overview of the major files that have kept the union busy over the past months and weeks. This was followed by presentations on the negative repercussions for health and safety of the adoption of Bill 59 as well as on issues related to violence against women.
Unifor Local 1015 Canadian Linen workers voted 80% to ratify a four-year collective agreement Friday, November 26, 2021 in Dartmouth, N.S.
“Congratulations to the members of Local 1015,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The bargaining team represented workers’ values and priorities and negotiated the best collective agreement for the membership.”
The term of the new agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2021 and expires on January 1, 2024.
Inflation continues to be a very hot topic, both in public policy conversations and around the bargaining table. This third blog in the research department’s “Focus on Inflation Series’ looks more closely at worker wages and the effect inflation is having on purchasing power.
This month, FFAW/Unifor celebrated 50 years of trade unionism for the workers of Newfoundland and Labrador. For 50 years, my local union has been confronting power, defying the odds, sharing the wealth and building solidarity.
Here are, in writing, some of the words I shared with the welcoming audience at the recent celebration.
Thirty years after going to work for the working women and men represented by FFAW, there was no way to know where it would lead me.
VANCOUVER—Container truck drivers at Aheer Transportation and Prudential Transportation could be on strike as soon as December 3, 2021 after 72-hours notice was served today by Unifor.
“Unifor will not let Aheer and Prudential escape their responsibilities to workers,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “The pattern collective agreement negotiated this summer is fair and reasonable. There will be no exemptions for greedy employers.”
TORONTO — Unifor Locals at Enbridge Gas Inc. have filed an application at the Ontario Labour Relations Board and filed a grievance in order to defend bargaining unit rights after learning that Enbridge Inc. is contracting out union work to a wholly-owned subsidiary.
“We will fight for union rights for all energy workers who have been cheated out of better wages and benefits,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Enbridge cannot continue to use smoke and mirrors to create a shadow workforce doing the same work under a different name.”
He plans to give subsidies to Americans buying U.S.-assembled battery electric vehicles — or BEVs. He believes this will create more American jobs, but he is wrong.
These vehicles are built with parts made in Canada and contain essential components such as nickel and cobalt from Canada.
WILLIAMS LAKE—Wage increases and improvements to benefits are the key components of a new collective agreement ratified this week by members of Unifor Local 3018.
“Unifor members are critical to the success of the Gibraltar Mine and it is important that the collective agreement reflect that,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
OTTAWA – Unifor applauds the introduction of legislation to provide 10 paid sick days for all federal private sector workers.
“Today is a day of leadership, and shows what can be done when you are aggressive and progressive… It’s about the millions of Canadians who are depending on provincial governments to pass comparable legislation,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President at today’s announcement with the federal Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan.
NAPANEE- Following a unanimous rejection on Lennox and Addington Interval House (LAIH) employer’s ‘final offer’ forced vote, striking shelter workers are united and ready to return to the bargaining table.
TORONTO– As the holiday shopping season ramps up on Black Friday, Unifor has launched the ‘Warehouse Workers Unite’ campaign to improve working conditions for workers in warehousing, distribution and logistics facilities across the country.
“Frontline essential warehouse workers literally carry the load to ensure that we have access to the goods that we need but they also bear the brunt as pressure for faster and faster delivery results in ever-worsening conditions, with increased demands to work at almost impossible speeds,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
As the holiday shopping season ramps up on Black Friday, Unifor is launching the ‘Warehouse Workers Unite’ campaign to improve working conditions for workers in warehousing, distribution and logistics facilities across the country.
“Frontline essential warehouse workers literally carry the load to ensure that we have access to the goods that we need but they also bear the brunt as pressure for faster and faster delivery results in ever-worsening conditions, with increased demands to work at almost impossible speeds,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Three Labour Action Centres in Ontario will continue providing support for laid off workers until 2022 after Unifor successfully pushed the Ontario government to extend their operations.
VANCOUVER—Container truck drivers at two large Metro Vancouver port trucking companies voted overwhelmingly to strike if necessary to achieve a fair agreem
To recognize the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women next month, Unifor is launching a new poster to commemorate the day on December 6, 2021.
The downloadable and printable posters will feature male leadership, including National President Jerry Dias, encouraging other men to speak up about men’s violence against women with a list of ways they can advocate for it.
Unifor’s activism against violence against women and gender-based violence in all its forms is strong and longstanding. Together workers have won efforts to prevent violence, and better support survivors. Women have led the way.
Women still experience violence predominantly at the hands of men, most often their intimate partners or family members. Men's violence against women has increased sharply during the pandemic.
By naming the source of the violence, we can focus more clearly on finding solutions.
SARNIA—The workers responsible for treating toxic waste at Corunna’s Clean Harbors site went on strike starting at 12:01 a.m. today.
“Gender equality and fairness are at the core of this job action,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The employer can either follow the collective agreement and ensure wages keep up with inflation or it can expect work disruptions.”
AJAX–Unifor has elevated pay, benefits and working conditions for 1,000 warehouse workers at the Loblaw Distribution Centre in Ajax, Ontario with the negotiation of a new four-year collective agreement.
Unifor’s Aviation Council held its first meeting in two years on November 17, 2021 since COVID-19 caused a shutdown of the airline sector.
“As a sector, we’re clearly in for a slow path back to where we were before the pandemic. While flights may be full, there are far fewer than before as airlines manage capacity,” said Leslie Dias, Unifor Director of Airlines in her opening remarks. “As a union, we’ve been looking at things we can do to speed up that process.”
I am writing to you on behalf of the 4,000 Registered Practical Nurses (PRNs) represented by Unifor, who have stepped up during this pandemic for the people of Ontario.
The 50 Unifor members that work at the Canadian Forces Station Alert military site in Nunavut have struck a new three-year deal with their employer, Nasittuq.
Unifor Local 2002, which represents site-support services, food services, airfield operations, program management, and logistical and administrative support to the Canadian Government for the maintenance and operation of the CFS Alert, ratified the agreement on November 15, 2021 by 67%.
Most Canadians take safe sanitation for granted. But across the world, approximately 3.6 billion people do not have access to a safely managed sanitation service (WHO/UNICEF 2021).
As an affiliate of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Unifor recognizes World Toilet Day as an opportunity to raise awareness about regions and workplaces where workers still fight for the basic dignity of safe sanitation.
The storm of right-wing politics that has raged in the United States is showing signs of coming north and affecting Canada, Duke University historian and author Nancy MacLean told a Unifor meeting this week.
“It’s very much tornado weather in U.S.,” MacLean told Unifor’s Strategic Planning Committee. “It has been quite a wild ride and now we are in a race with time ahead of the 2022 mid-term elections.”
MacLean, who also spoke at Unifor’s Constitutional convention in Quebec City, said the situation among right-wingers has only got worse since then.
Unifor recognises November 20 as the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR). November 20 is a day of mourning, as our union comes together to recognize those whose lives - overwhelmingly Black trans women and femmes - have been taken due to anti-trans violence.
Unifor’s own constitution asserts the union’s commitment to equity and inclusion, to ensure equality for all members regardless of gender identity and to fight for their rights in our workplaces, communities, and in broader society.
Accessibility
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