Dear members,

There is less than one week until Election Day. Unifor members across Canada are busy talking to their co-workers about the issues that matter most to our union: affordability, worker’s rights, pharmacare, and many others.  An informed vote by Unifor members can make all the difference in electing a progressive, government that will stand with Canada’s workers.

Although it has not made headlines, or been a topic in the recent federal leaders’ debates, the outcome of this election could have a dramatic affect on employment standards – specifically for workers in the Federally Regulated Private Sector (FRPS).

Over the past year, the federal government has undertaken an ambitious modernization of the Canada Labour Code – perhaps the most progressive overhaul of labour standards in all of Canada. Unifor is proud to have played an advocacy role in winning these reforms, workplace protections that our union has long bargained for.

New rules introduced by the Trudeau Government, such as paid personal days, flexible work arrangements, gender pay equity, accessible leaves, protections against contract flipping, guaranteed rest periods and improved scheduling notice are just a few of the long-overdue improvements to work standards for workers in the FRPS.

Additional changes, including fair pay laws for part-time and contract workers, will soon come into force… but only if we have a federal government willing to fight for them.
Here is what we know: corporations are not happy. Many large employers have successfully pushed to have entire categories of workers temporarily exempted from specific rules, including new rest periods.

In some cases, new standards still lack supporting regulations – clear, practical instructions that outline how new rules should be applied. This leaves workers vulnerable. It can result in a denial of benefits, especially in non-union workplaces.

We also know that provincially, conservative governments have irresponsibly torn up progressive labour laws. In Ontario, the Doug Ford conservatives ripped up landmark labour legislation within months of taking office. In Alberta, Jason Kenney weakened provincial labour standards within days.

Unifor believes that, if elected, Andrew Scheer will follow the lead of both Ford and Kenney and these federal labour gains, while not perfect, will be lost. We can’t take that risk.

This election matters to Unifor members working in the Federally-Regulated Private Sector – workers in Canada’s airlines, railways, roadways, waterways; in  elecommunications and broadcasting; in banking and financial services; in grain handling and others.

We need you to step up, speak out and STAND STRONG for Canada’s workers. On October 21, we need all Unifor members to cast their ballot to Stop Scheer.

In solidarity,

Jerry Dias
National President