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From April 26-28, members gathered at the Unifor Family Education Centre to learn more about Employment Insurance (EI) and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
The EI/CPP Conference included beginner and advanced-level courses on EI, sessions on CPP, presentations from the national union’s Pensions and Benefits Department staff, guest speakers, and Q&A sessions that encouraged members to share experiences from their Locals.
“We have members at this conference who are facing nearly half of their workplace retiring in the next five years. These leaders want to be prepared for the questions they will face from their fellow members about their post-retirement incomes,” said Lisa Contini, EI/CPP Committee Chairperson.
The conference has grown in popularity each year as a greater proportion of the workforce nears retirement age and leaders find themselves facing more complex scenarios for EI qualification, retraining or skill-building funding and increasing temporary employment.
“Presenting useful information to the members is our main goal as conference organizers, but it just so happens that some of the best learning they will do at this conference will come from their fellow members,” said Contini. “Having the chance to share experiences with workers from other sectors and workplaces is a tremendous way to prepare for the questions they will face back in their own Local.”
Recent changes to Canada’s EI program include extended and earlier option parental leave, 5-8 added weeks of shared parental leave, a new family caregiver program, reducing the wait time to receive benefits, and temporary special measures for work-sharing.
