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Canada’s Big Three telecom companies have two years to reduce rates by 25 percent

The three biggest cellphone companies in Canada are being forced to reduce their prices by 25 percent. Bell, Rogers and Telus have two years to make the change, which will be enforced by the Trudeau government according to Global News.

On Thursday, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains announced that the government will begin tracking wireless pricing on a quarterly basis instead of yearly. The goal is to better track the prices so that the required price drops are met by plans that offer two-to-six GB of data.

He added that the government will “take action with other regulatory tools to further increase competition and help reduce prices” if the Big Three do not reduce their prices.

On Thursday, Bains said, “If they fail to do so, we will look at additional regulatory measures, like how we deploy future spectrum or mobile virtual network operators as a means to drive more competition, which will help lower prices.”

Read more here….

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Unifor proudly recognizes Black Mental Health Day and the importance of confronting the effects of anti-black racism

BMH

March 2, 2020 marks the first Black Mental Health Day, set to occur annually on the first Monday in March.

The City Of Toronto recently recognized the day in partnership with TAIBU Community Health Centre to increase awareness, dismantle barriers preventing Black Torontonians from accessing quality supports and services, and to prompt long-term systemic change.

Toronto is rich in diversity; however, Anti-Black racism still pervades through media, interactions with police officers, wage gaps, and in schools with inadequate culturally appropriate supports for Black students.

Black communities are resilient, in part due to the extraordinary and additional efforts needed in order to ensure their own safety and persevere through anti-Black racism. New research correlates the significant impacts of anti-Black racism and the toll is takes on the mental health of Black Torontonians. Despite growing research in this field, Black Torontonians cannot accessibly utilize culturally appropriate mental health services.

Members are encouraged to participate in community-led events that center impacted voices in discussions on addressing mental health in Black communities. Members are also encouraged to:

Unifor is prioritizing mental health awareness and action in all levels of the union’s work, including at the bargaining table, through education, and by tackling issues head-on with policy and decision makers. Unifor advocates for Black Mental Health Days to be recognized across the country.

Unifor strives to end all forms of racism. By acknowledging anti-Black racism and its impact on mental health, we can begin to break the silence, confront the stigma, and increase access to quality and culturally responsive health care.

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Unifor Statement on International Women’s Day 2020

International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 is a global day of celebration of women and women’s achievements. It was started by working women to call attention to poor pay and working conditions. It grew to include a call for women’s right to vote and stand for office. It is now a day to celebrate equality gains and recommit to action and persistence toward full equality for all equity-seeking groups.

Eliminating harassment and violence in the world of work has been a longstanding priority for Unifor. Violence and harassment is unacceptable and incompatible with decent work, and a violation of human rights. On this IWD, we are joining the international movement for ratification of International Labour Organization Convention 190 and Recommendation 206.

This first-ever global treaty on harassment and violence is a huge victory for workers and the trade union movement. Until now, there was no law at the international level that set a baseline for taking action to address these issues.

The new Convention acknowledges the impact of violence and harassment in the world of work, and the right of everyone to a world of work free of violence, including gender-based violence.

This Convention covers the world of work, which applies not only to the workplace but also in spaces and situations linked to work such as work-related travel, training, events and commuting to and from work. It also deals with the risks brought on by new information and communication technologies.

We recognize the increased harassment and violence particular groups of women face including Indigenous women, women with disabilities, racialized and trans women.

The job now is to get Canada to ratify and implement this Convention. The federal government has set this a priority but needs the cooperation of the provinces. You can contact federal Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi and your provincial labour minister and tell them you are in favour of ratification of Convention 190!

Take action on IWD and please tag us in your posts on Twitter @UnifortheUnion, and on Facebook and Instagram at @UniforCanada so we can share your pictures.

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Unifor members protest Co-op AGM in Saskatoon

Union members were speaking to people as they entered the building for the AGM

CBC News ·

A Unifor member carries flags during a demonstration at TCU Place in Saskatoon’s Central Business District on Feb. 29, 2020. There, members are trying to relay information to board members who are in Saskatoon for the FCL’s annual general meeting. (Albert Couillard/CBC )

Red and white Unifor flags were flying high in Saskatoon’s downtown on Saturday as members of the union protested outside Federated Co-op Limited’s Annual General Meeting at TCU Place.

Unifor and FCL have been locked in an ugly labour dispute that has seen people arrested, worker camps established and bad blood formed between the two parties. Unifor Local 594 members, who work at the Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina, have been locked out since Dec. 5, 2019.

“All the Co-op Canada boards across Western Canada are here, they’re the ones that are funding this lockout and we’re here to try and wake them up a little bit,” said Kevin Bittman, president of Unifor Local 594.

The dispute between the two parties is mainly focused on the issue of pensions. A previous contract included a defined benefit pension for workers.

Now the refinery is moving toward a defined contribution plan. The union says the change would amount to taking away workers’ pensions. The refinery says it is trying to remain competitive.

Kevin Bittman, president of Unifor Local 594, was in Saskatoon with roughly 100 other Unifor members who were protesting outside of TCU Place during the Federated Co-op Limited AGM. (Albert Couillard/CBC)

There were roughly 100 members of Unifor Local 594 from Regina in the city for the protest.

Bittman hopes the protest sends a clear message to board members: “It’s time to start bargaining in good faith instead of moving the goalposts away from the deal — let’s get a deal done.”

He said Unifor members have been speaking with people attending the AGM as they enter the building.

A statement from Federated Co-op Limited indicated the company didn’t take issue with the gathering.

“They have a right to share information and we have a mandate to operate our business for our local co-ops,” FCL said in the statement. “That’s what’s happening here today.”

In the statement, Federated Co-op Limited said it does take issue with blockades that were set up in Yorkton earlier this week, with the company calling the blockade illegal.

Read the full article fron CBC