PRC 2024 Western Regional Directors Recommendations

RECOMMENDATION #1
Air Transportation Workers’ Charter of Rights

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. That the PRC supports the initiative of Unifor's national aviation council to organize ongoing actions to support the rights and working conditions of air transportation and promote the Air Transportation Workers' Rights.
  2. That all PRC local unions publicize the Air Transportation Workers’ Charter of Rights within their membership and call for action to support its implementation by:
  • Sharing the website and key demands with all members using local communication channels: https://www.unifor.org/airtransportcharter
  • Writing to the federal Minister of Transportation and local Members of Parliament denouncing the previously announced and inadequate Passenger Bill of Rights and demanding urgent action toward an Air Transportation Workers’ Charter of Rights.
  1. That the PRC support the Air Transportation Workers' Charter of rights by working with the national union and the aviation council to build a long-term vision for the airlines sector, including better working conditions in airports and in all aviation workplaces, creating secure and stable employment, and improving travel experiences for everyone.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 2
Confronting the Housing Crisis

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. Prairie Regional Council will support the national union’s efforts to build a Unifor position on housing, including developing a comprehensive housing policy, with support and input from leadership, staff, and local unions.
  2. All Prairie Locals identify regional and local partners already engaged in the fight for affordable housing and housing justice, to build partnerships and identify opportunities to engage on the issue as a union.
  3. All Prairie locals identify opportunities to advance the fight for housing justice through a variety of means, including but not limited to collective bargaining, direct action, sharing resources with housing justice advocates and groups, fundraising, community organizing, political lobbying and electoral engagement.
  4. All Prairie locals commit to participating in the fight for affordable housing and housing justice while employing an equity lens at every level, since the fight for housing justice is also the fight for social justice and Reconciliation.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 3
Saskatchewan Election – Mobilizing Workers for Change

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. That the Prairie Regional council engage in a significant member to member organizing campaign during 2024 using member organizers and others as needed to assist related to the upcoming Saskatchewan provincial election.
  2. That all Saskatchewan locals work urgently with our Unifor member organizers to coordinate events and activities during this critical period to make sure all members are informed about the critical issues at stake in this election.
  3. That the Prairie Regional Council continue to support the SaskTel contracting out campaign while we continue to build volunteers for the upcoming critical election.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 4
Anti-Scab Legislation Everywhere

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. That Unifor prairie region locals urgently write to the federal Minister of Labour and each Member of Parliament covered by their local union demanding that they vote in favour of passing Bill C-58 along with an amendment to ensure it is effective much sooner than 18 months following its enactment.
  2. That Unifor Manitoba locals urgently write to the provincial Minister of Labour and each MLA covered by their local union demanding that they support introduction of and a vote in favour of provincial anti-scab legislation.
  3. That Unifor continues to campaign for the introduction and passage of anti-scab legislation everywhere including Alberta and Saskatchewan.
  4. That Unifor prairie region locals will ask their members and supporters to visit the Unifor anti-scab campaign and sign up to the campaign page: https://www.unifor.org/campaigns/all-campaigns/anti-scab-legislation-now

RECOMMENDATION NO. 5
Fighting for Worker-friendly Organizing Laws

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. That Unifor Manitoba locals urgently write to the provincial Minister of Labour and each MLA covered by their local union demanding that they support introduction of and a vote in favour of provincial single-step certification rules at 50% + 1 plus changes to labour law to allow disclosure of employee lists to unions at a 20% threshold.
  2. That Unifor prairie region locals continue to work with the PRC on a campaign to improve organizing laws in each province with single-step certification at 50%+1 plus changes to allow disclosure of employee lists to unions at a 20% threshold.
  3. That Prairie Region locals continue to work hard cultivating and identifying organizing opportunities in conjunction with our organizing department to achieve continued growth across all prairie provinces.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 6
Fix Employment Insurance

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. Unifor continue to lobby the Federal Government to deliver on their promise to reform Employment Insurance (EI) system and deliver on Unifor’s key policy demands from the Fix EI Campaign to secure an inclusive, equitable and resilient employment insurance program for workers in Canada; and
  2. The Prairie Regional Council leads a peer-to-peer texting campaign asking members to send a letter to the MP and Minister Boissonnault directly to Fix EI Now!

RECOMMENDATION NO. 7
Combatting Hate and Disinformation

Therefore, I recommend:

  1. That the Prairie Regional Council and local unions in the prairies work together to monitor and report to local leadership and regional council leadership, the activities of hate-promoting movements in our workplaces and communities. These activities may present themselves as:
  • overt bigotry, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and racism;
  • celebrations of violence and incitement to violence;
  • Death threats and targeted harassment; 
  • Far-right event planning;
  • Infighting and leadership changes.
  1. That local unions be encouraged to share educational materials, resources and/or organize training workshops to better help identify hate groups and activities and to support local anti-hate organizing groups, and engage our members in their campaigns and initiatives.
  2. That local unions be encouraged to consult and use the Canadian Anti-Hate Network’s Pride Defence Guide, which specifically refers to Pride events to prepare for many kinds of defences or strategies to counter the far-right.
  3. That the Prairie Regional Council donate $5,000 to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, and that local unions consider donating to this organization by visiting www.antihate.ca