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Unifor members at Dominion ratify contract with up to 23% wage increases

 

ST. JOHN’S–Unifor members working at 11 Dominion stores across the island of Newfoundland ratified a new collective agreement, voting 88% in favour. The agreement follows a supermarket pattern set in summer 2023 by the union and secured at Metro supermarkets in Ontario.

“Unifor’s strategic and sector-wide bargaining strategy for supermarket workers has delivered the largest wage gains Dominion workers have ever seen. Our union is blazing a path forward in this sector to make long over-due and well-deserved gains,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “My congratulations to the bargaining committee and the union’s amazing grocery workers in every province for standing together in this fight for fairness.”

The new agreement sees wage increases that total $4.50 per hour for full-time workers and $3.20 per hour for part-time workers at end rate over the life of the five-year agreement. For a full-time clerk at the end rate of pay, these wage increases will see more than $35,000 in additional income over the life of the agreement.

“We’re proud to make such a solid step forward for the people who prepare, stock and sell the food we all need,” said President of Unifor Local 597 Carolyn Wrice. “It warms my heart to know the difference these wage increases will have for Dominion workers, and I’m honoured to have worked beside the team of fine folks on the bargaining committee who never wavered through these negotiations.”

Other highlights of the agreement include signing bonuses, a reduction in the number of hours needed for part-time workers to maintain eligibility for health benefits, increases to paramedical benefit coverage, improved job and wage security language, and a commitment from the employer to create and post 22 new full-time positions within the first year after ratification. The agreement expires October 28, 2028.

Unifor represents more than 1,600 workers at 11 Dominion stores across the island of Newfoundland.

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Best Theratronics workers go on strike after company’s 0% offer

A goup of people standing holding place cards that read, on strike and Unifor flags

May 1, 2024

 

KANATA, Ont.—Members of Unifor Local 1541 who work at Best Theratronics – a company in Kanata, Ont. that manufactures medical devices – went on strike this morning after the company refused to budge on major concessions, including a proposed two-year contract with zero wage increases.

“We are dealing with an affordability crisis right now and having zeros on the table is untenable for our members, with the rising cost of living,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“Strike action is not something we take lightly, and we will stand by our members until Best Theratronics gets back to the table with a fair offer in hand.”

The company is also pushing the right to hire uncertified workers to do the work of machinists.

“We are concerned the company is cutting corners and it becomes a safety issue,” said Local 1541 President Steve LaBelle.

“This is a devaluing of Skilled Trades. Our members have the proper skills and certification to do their jobs and want to get back to work when the company addresses their concerns and shows them the respect they deserve.”

Local 1541’s 44 members work as machinists, maintenance workers, machining process specialists, electrical inspectors, mechanics, and lead pourers amongst other positions.

Best Theratronics develops and manufactures external beam therapy units, self-contained blood irradiators, and cyclotrons for hospitals, medical and research facilities.

The last contract expired March 31, 2023.

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Unifor welcomes 170 new members from St. Andrew’s Terrace long-term care

April 30, 2024

 

Workers at St. Andrew’s Terrace Long Term Care Community in Cambridge, Ont., have chosen Unifor as their voice in the workplace.

This new addition brings 170 workers from various classifications, including personal support workers (PSW), cooks, environmental workers, dietary aides, maintenance staff, and life enrichment personnel.

The campaign for unionization began in Feb. 2024, driven by the workers’ desires for improved job security, better working conditions, fair wages, and enhanced benefits and pension plans.

Their collective voice was clearly heard on April 11, 2024, when they voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining Unifor.

As Unifor prepares to negotiate a collective agreement, the union remains committed to ensuring that the concerns of our newest members are addressed, and that the workplace becomes a model of fairness and equity.

To learn more on how you can organize your workplace, visit join.unifor.org.

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Unifor walks alongside families who lost loved ones in workplace tragedies on the Day of Mourning

April 28, 2024

 

Unifor members and staff joined the annual Steps for Life event in Toronto’s Coronation Park on Sunday, April 28, the Day of Mourning. The walk is hosted by Threads of Life, an organization that supports those impacted by workplace illness, injury and death and fights to end workplace tragedies.

The event hit record registration this year with more than 400 participants, raising a combined $65,000 to support the work of the organization. The Unifor team raised $4,800, including contributions from the national union and Unifor’s national staff union, and supporters, family and friends’ contributions.

Unifor’s Director of Health, Safety and Environment Joanne Hay delivered remarks to a large crowd of participants and supporters, recognizing organized labour’s role in effecting changes that protect worker’s health and safety.

“We must continue to push and demand that employers create and support robust safety programs and cultures within their workplaces,” said Hay. “Health and Safety is not optional. Workers deserve and have a right to be safe at work.”

Joanne Hay stands at a microphone, speaking to gathered crowd

Unifor Director of Health, Safety and Environment Joanne Hay speaks to event participants on the Day of Mourning

She emphasized the increased impact authorities and regulators could have in preventing workplace death and serious injuries if they developed a stronger approach to enforcement.

“We need new and improved health and safety regulations, and even more urgently, police and regulators must enforce existing laws, including the Westray Law,” she said. “We ask police leadership to work in a coordinated manner with Crown Prosecutors and Safety Regulators to create a harmonized approach that will see employers charged when they choose profit over workers’ health and safety.”

Unions recently marked the 20th anniversary of the Westray Law, which amended the Criminal Code of Canada to establish the criminal liability of corporations and executives for careless or reckless breach of legal duties that result in injury or death.

Despite the law being on the books for two decades, there have been fewer than 20 charges and even fewer convictions of corporations and their executives.

Approximately 1,000 workers in Canada die each year in workplace incidents.

To date in 2024, Unifor mourns the loss of MWF Local 1 member Jamie Knight at the Halifax Shipyard who died on February 19; a transport driver member of Local 4209 at Kindersley Transport on March 6 who name is being withheld at the request of the family; uncle and nephew fish harvester members of FFAW-Unifor Trevor Childs and Nicholas Skinner who died on April 21; and Jim Anderson, a driver at WM in Calgary who died on April 24, 2024.

Each step taken at the Steps for Life walk is to honour those lost and to re-commit to taking action to prevent worker injuries and deaths.

See photos of the event on Facebook.

Read and share National President Lana Payne’s statement for the Day of Mourning and watch her video message to Unifor members.

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Shame on Bell – Add your voice

https://www.shameonbell.ca/

Click the above link to add your voice

Shame On Bell - Unifor

Shame on Bell.

Established 144 years ago, Bell has evolved into Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE Inc.), commanding the helm as Canada’s leading communications conglomerate. Now the company has been tarnished by the irresponsible and callous decisions by the Bell Board of Directors.

BCE’s systematic reduction of telecommunication jobs, outsourcing practices, offshoring endeavors, and the relentless downsizing of TV and radio newsrooms across the nation have cast a shadow over its legacy. Meanwhile, payouts to shareholders and executive board members have soared, exacerbating the growing chasm between corporate wealth and worker stability.

In a stunning blow to its workforce, February 2024 saw Bell axing an additional 4,800 jobs – a staggering 9% of its employees. More than 800 Unifor members, comprising 700 in telecommunications and more than 100 in media, found themselves abruptly terminated, casualties of a corporate ethos that prioritizes shareholder dividends over employee livelihoods.

Bell is a communications company with no moral fibre. While BCE points fingers at governmental policies, it cannot escape accountability for its actions.

Bell, Canadians demand that you:

  • Cease contracting and offshoring work, prioritize local employment and support Canadian workers.

    Bell must halt the practice of outsourcing jobs to foreign countries and prioritize employing Canadians. Offshoring work not only diminishes local job opportunities but also undermines the quality of service provided to Canadian customers. By investing in local jobs, Bell can contribute to the growth and prosperity of communities across the nation.

  • Stop slashing newsrooms and invest in local journalism to ensure accessible and diverse coverage for communities.

    The continuous reduction of TV and radio newsrooms across Canada limits the diversity and depth of news coverage available to citizens. Bell must cease the downsizing of newsrooms and instead commit to bolstering local journalism. Investing in newsrooms ensures that communities receive comprehensive and unbiased reporting, vital for informed civic engagement and democracy.

  • Reduce dividend payouts to prioritize reinvestment in employee well-being, job security, and infrastructure development.

    Excessive dividend payouts to shareholders and executive board members come at the expense of workers’ well-being and job security. Bell should reconsider its dividend policies and allocate a larger portion of profits towards employee benefits, training programs, and infrastructure improvements. Prioritizing reinvestment in its workforce and infrastructure ensures the long-term sustainability and success of the company.