Unifor members brought the fight for public health care to Parliament Hill this week, meeting directly with MPs and senators and joining a public rally to call for action as shortages and long waits continue to strain services in communities across the country.

Members joined the Canadian Health Coalition’s Parliament Hill lobby days on Feb. 9 and 10, raising concerns about the expansion of private, for-profit delivery, staffing pressures, and access to care.

“We are facing the most consequential economic crisis Canada has ever seen,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We cannot allow anyone to use this economic crisis to roll back the public, universal health care we know Canadians deserve. We need to keep organizing, keep fighting and keep standing up for health care workers and the public system we all need and rely on. You can’t have a strong economy without strong public health care.”

The coalition said more than 200 advocates from across the country took part in lobbying meetings, bringing front-line realities into discussions about federal funding, national standards and accountability in health care.

“Workers in Ontario are living the consequences of a system under strain, and people are worried about what happens when private delivery expands,” said Samia Hashi, Unifor Ontario regional director. “We made it clear the way forward is rebuilding public capacity and addressing staffing shortages, not downloading care to for-profit providers.”

For Unifor members, the message was consistent across meetings: fix what is broken by building up the public system and addressing staffing shortages, not outsourcing care to private providers.

As part of the lobby week, a public rally was held on Parliament Hill on Feb. 10, bringing together Unifor members, health care workers, community advocates and allies to defend public health care and reject a move toward two-tier access.

“Atlantic Canadians are feeling the same pressures, including shortages, closures and longer waits,” said Jennifer Murray, Unifor Atlantic regional director. “Members raised what they are seeing at home and what needs to change so care is there when people need it.”

Unifor says the work will continue beyond Parliament Hill. The union will keep working with allies to bring members’ experiences to decision-makers and to push for improvements that strengthen public, accessible care across Canada.

TORONTO— Unifor is deeply concerned by Bell Media’s announcement of layoffs impacting 20 Unifor members, who delivered quality, fact-based journalism to Canadians from coast-to-coast.

“This is a critical moment to support Canadian jobs and Canadian journalists—especially when democracy itself is under attack,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“Unifor will stand with our media members as they navigate this uncertainty. These cuts strike at the heart of Canadian journalism. Every newsroom job eliminated means fewer Canadian stories told, fewer facts verified, and less accountability for those in power. When journalism is weakened, democracy is weakened—and Canadians are the ones who pay the price.”

The layoffs include 11 journalists, among them five newly unionized CTV National News members from Unifor Local 79-M in Toronto, as well as journalists in North Bay, Ont., Halifax, Edmonton and Calgary.

Also affected are traffic coordinators, schedulers, and promotional coordinators from Locals 723-M and 79-M in Toronto. Unifor is working to ensure the collective agreements are being adhered to, as well as reviewing the legality of the terminations involving the five National News members.

“Expanding journalist tax credits to include broadcasters could have prevented these job losses,” Payne said.

“Instead, these cuts are deepening Canada’s news deserts—including in major urban centres. News in this country is at crisis levels, and urgent action is needed.”

In 2024, Unifor launched its Shame on Bell campaign after BCE eliminated 4,800 jobs, including 800 Unifor members across telecommunications and media.

In June of that same year, Bell Media announced further restructuring, issuing layoff notices to nearly 50 additional Unifor media workers.

 

Lana Payne joined labour leaders from across the private and public sectors to send a united message: Canada needs a worker-centred economic strategy that puts workers first, safeguards jobs, rebuilds homegrown industry, strengthens public services, and protects economic sovereignty.