Unifor’s Master Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement on behalf of 9000 Unifor members, with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that includes a significant commitment to both maintain and build its manufacturing footprint in Canada.
October 15, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–In the eighth week of escalating strike action, Dominion workers have begun picketing at the Loblaw Distribution Centre in St. John’s. “These frontline grocery workers have been on the picket line for almost two months. In that time Loblaw Co. has continued to rake in increased profits across the country due to COVID-19 but the company has refused to improve its failed offer to Dominion workers by one red cent,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Your Bargaining Committee has been at the virtual bargaining table with VIA Rail from Wednesday to Friday this week.
We are encouraged to be bargaining once more, after many sessions in the spring and fall were interrupted or delayed because of the pandemic and the second wave in Quebec.
Our bargaining is now taking place with committee members and national staff tuning in from their homes across the country. We are uniting, representing Local 100’s far-reaching geography and our shared goals.
Unifor’s Master Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement for 9000 members working at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, averting a midnight strike at its Canadian plants in Windsor, Brampton, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Montreal, and Red Deer.
Each October 18, Canada celebrates Persons Day. This day marks the day that some women were declared persons under the constitution gained the right to stand for or be appointed to public office including the Senate of Canada.
Bargaining took place throughout this past Thanksgiving Day weekend. Master and Local Committees stayed in the hotel and worked diligently toward resolving many of the outstanding issues at the table. The Committees remain determined to reach a strong settlement that secures the FCA manufacturing footprint and meets the economic pattern established by Ford.
In the last Bargaining Update, the union reported slow but steady progress toward a tentative settlement. Unfortunately, with less than 48 hours before the strike deadline, little has changed.
The media sector faced a number of significant challenges before the COVID-19 crisis struck, including the loss of advertising revenue to digital giants like Facebook and Google, cutbacks and closures of local and regional news outlets, the rise of “fake news” and resultant erosion of quality journalism, and massive loss of employment.
The union is now less than five days from the bargaining deadline with FCA. Talks continue to progress, although at a slower pace than the Master and Local Bargaining Committees had hoped. Company officials continue to review the details of the Ford pattern settlement along with various other FCA-specific proposals tabled by the Union, on behalf of the members. The union, in turn, continues to review numerous proposals submitted by the Company – all with the view that Unifor will not deviate from the pattern.
TORONTO—Health Canada’s approval of the use of rapid testing kits presents an opportunity to accelerate economic recovery and a safe return to travel, says Unifor.
“By investing in scientifically-proven technology to detect and track COVID-19, Canada can achieve an economic recovery that also keeps people safe,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Rapid testing is a safe alternative to the 14-day quarantine that has decimated air travel during the pandemic.”
Health Canada’s approval of the use of rapid testing kits presents an opportunity to accelerate economic recovery and a safe return to travel, says Unifor.
Scott Moe killed somebody. I stood up for the rights of working people. I spent more time in jail.
As has been widely reported this week, Saskatchewan’s premier was let go with a fine after a fatal crash in which a woman was killed in 1997.
Not only that, his name was not released at the time and the woman’s son, then a teenager, did not find out for 23 years who was responsible for his mother’s death.
Moe was given a ticket for driving without due care and attention, a provincial traffic offence. For killing someone in front of her son.
The federal and provincial announcement today of a total of $590 million in support of battery electric vehicle (BEV) production in Oakville is welcome news to thousands of Unifor members working at Ford Motor Company.
October 8, 2020 ST. JOHN’S–Striking Dominion workers have formed a human solidarity chain at Kevin’s No Frills in St. John’s, a partner of Dominion parent company Loblaw Companies Limited. “Today’s strike action is part of our ongoing campaign to get Loblaw to return to the bargaining table with a fair offer,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Striking Dominion workers are helping to provide meals to food insecure people across Newfoundland and Labrador with a Thanksgiving food drive at picket lines across the province.
A panel of judges of the Ontario Divisional Court has set aside a November 2019 arbitrator’s decision that allowed the closure of Nemak’s Windsor plant. The arbitrator cleared the way for the transfer of specialized General Motors work to Mexico causing the loss of approximately 200 jobs.
October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work. Unifor proudly marks this day each year as a chance to reflect on the current struggles affecting our members, and working people internationally. As a trade union, we believe that good jobs, fair wages, and improving the many conditions in which people go to work each day is the way to achieve a better world for everyone.
This has been a particularly difficult year for many Canadians. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit every household in some way. Jobs have been lost, or changed significantly. Loved ones have become sick. We all worry.
VANCOUVER—The targeted action for transit users, renters, and working people in premier John Horgan’s platform helps form a vision for B.C.’s future that leaves no one behind, says Unifor.
“John Horgan is the right leader to help navigate British Columbia through challenging times,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The platform released by Horgan today shows that he wants to continue supporting people through this pandemic while helping make life more affordable for working families.”
Following pandemic struggles, VIA Rail bargaining to re-start with virtual meetings
Unifor Local 100 and Council 4000 are set to re-start negotiations with VIA Rail following months of crisis management throughout the first and now second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local 100 virtual bargaining is scheduled for next week, from October 14-16 and October 19-23. Unifor Council 4000 is in talks with VIA on scheduling a return to the bargaining table at the end of October and/or beginning of November.
TORONTO – Today the Chief Medical Officer of Health issued Directive #5, which provides clear guidance that N-95 or superior protection masks, face shields and other equipment are to be provided to health care staff working on the front line in long-term care facilities or hospitals dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks, among other improvements. “The updated standards in Directive #5 are the culmination of many hours of frank and open collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
ST. JOHN’S–Striking Dominion workers will hold a picket line food drive to help local charities provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need.
“These workers want to make sure that no one goes hungry on Thanksgiving,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor Dominion members will be accepting donations that would normally be made in store at all picket line locations to be distributed to food insecure families across the province.”
Last month, it was reported that the Liberal caucus identified a guaranteed basic income as the top policy priority to debate and vote on at the party’s upcoming November national convention. This comes as little surprise. The COVID-19 pandemic and catastrophic job loss that ensued has intensified calls for the strengthening of Canada’s social safety net and income security programs that have proven to be inadequate during times of economic crisis.
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