Sisters and Brothers,

It has been an incredible year of learning and advocating in my position with the Health and Safety and Environmental Committee of the Ontario Regional Council. I am seeking re-election to this position. It would be a honour to continue in the role and so I seek your support. In Solidarity!

Brian we know you will continue to do a great job advocating for our Sisters and Brothers.

 

 

October 20, 2019

TORONTO –The election of a Liberal minority government, with the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois holding the balance of power gives workers a strong voice in Parliament.

“This election was always about workers and big questions. How can we create good paying jobs, provide vital services including healthcare, and confront climate change as a country? Canadian voters delivered an answer on how today- we’ll do it together,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

Unifor actively opposed the Conservative election agenda with a successful campaign to Stop Scheer.

“Workers remember that Andrew Scheer was a part of a Harper government that catered to big business at our expense,” said Dias. “We see Conservative policies in action in Alberta and Ontario where wages and vital services have been cut. That’s why we took action to prevent Andrew Scheer from inflicting similar harm from the federal level.”

The union calls on the next government to implement national, universal pharmacare and childcare programs, investing in bold, new public services that will benefit all workers.

“Progressive, minority governments have brought about some of our country’s greatest social and legislative changes. It is my hope that the MPs elected today are ready to work together to find the solutions that workers in Canada need,” added Renaud Gagné, Unifor Quebec Director.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

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