Unifor Local 1996-O

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Change is coming!

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Labour Day is all about family & working for a better future for all. For thousands in downtown Toronto, it’s about the march in the annual Labour Day parade.

Labour Day is an occasion to celebrate workers’ rights and celebrate the strength and solidarity of workers.

The origins of Labour Day can be traced back to April 15, 1872, when the Toronto Trades Assembly organized Canada’s first significant demonstration for worker’s rights. The aim of the demonstration was to release the 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union who were imprisoned for striking to campaign for a nine-hour working day. At this time, trade unions were still illegal and striking was seen as a criminal conspiracy to disrupt trade. In spite of this, the Toronto Trades Assembly was already a significant organization and encouraged workers to form trade unions, mediated in disputes between employers and employees and signaled the mistreatment of workers.

Canadian trade unions are proud that this holiday was inspired by their efforts to improve workers’ rights.

Labour Day is one of Ontario’s nine public holidays. This means many employees will receive the day off with holiday pay. It also means that many businesses and city offices will be closed.

But this Labour Day felt different to me. It was a day of political action. It was a day of calling for action on the Syrian Refugee crisis; calling for action on minimum wage and the expansion of CPP; calling for an end to precarious work and the deepening of income inequality; and calling for a return to an economy that serves more than the 1%. It was a call for CHANGE! No…a DEMAND FOR CHANGE!

There is no question that change is in the air, and BTS is no different. I can feel it! Change is coming!

And yet with all this, retail stores wanted to remain open on OUR Labour Day, requiring employees to work. They claim it is for our convenience, but in reality, we know it is for their profit.

Bottom line: if I forget the hot dog buns on Labour Day, shame on me 😉

 

Sam Snyders
President, Local 1996-O
416 Health and Safety Co-Chair
Unifor Chairperson Workers with Disabilities
LRC Committee and JSDC Committee
Ont. Bargaining Rep
 Telecommunications Industry Council Representative

 

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Letter from Ron Hori, newly elected Associates Bargaining Representative:

 

“The first leg of this journey is now complete. The Ontario Associates of Bell Technical Solutions have at long last joined their counterparts in Quebec and technicians in both provinces, and are members of their union – Unifor. The inequities that we have endured here have gone on for too many years.

Very special thanks go to the collaborative work from Unifor members, especially Danny McBride – Organizing Representative, Sean Howes – National Representative, and Sam Snyders – Ontario Bargaining Representative, President of Local 1996-O, and many other titles. These three gentlemen were the anchor in getting us to victory with their ideas, support, persistence and positive attitudes.

My thanks go to the BTS Associates who have elected me (and Justin Wiggins) to represent them at the bargaining table. Justin and I will be reviewing the proposals that have been sent in and those discussed at the August 9th meeting.

The next chapter is the bargaining process. With Sam Snyders as Chair, Justin and I are confident in achieving the best possible and fair collective agreement for the members.”

~ Ron Hori

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To The Iron Men of our union – Thank you!

Thanks Unifor

Dear Lee & Sam, 

 
To The Iron Men of our union – Thank you! 
 
Thank you very much for the immense help and support that you gave me, your efforts to assist me in resolving my issue and most importantly, getting me back my job.
 
Words alone cannot express the amount of gratitude I feel for you gentlemen.
The support the union provides us as employees is invaluable so please know that if there is a time when you gentlemen need help, I would be more than happy to voluntarily assist. 
 
Best Regards, 
Waseem Salem
Bell Technical Solutions

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Unifor Bites Back!

 

When an employee was wrongfully dismissed, it took the combined pressure of NDP MP Andrew Cash, Unifor Local 1996-O President Sam Snyders and some tough questions from a Toronto Star reporter to correct the injustice.

As an applicant to the Canadian Immigration & Citizenship Visa Extension Process, the Bell Technical Solutions worker had provided all required documentation and was awaiting review. While this process can take over a 100 days, a worker can continue to legally work with what is known as an implied status of eligibility, during that time.

Yet the company, BTS, terminated the worker alleging that he didn’t meet requirements to legally work in Canada, which was patently false. Although the union provided numerous routes to confirm the worker’s legal status with the Citizen and Immigration Canada, the company stated it was “not their job” to call and confirm but instead required written documentation – documentation that the CIC does not currently provide to mail-in applicants.

“When a worker follows the rules at every step of the way it is wrong and completely unfair that a government department would be unwilling to send a simple email confirming the facts,” – NDP Member of Parliament, Andrew Cash.

The Toronto Star began looking into the case after speaking with the worker, Unifor and Andrew Cash. BTS then changed their tune and promised to re-instate the worker with full back pay for the time he was unfairly dismissed.

The disappointing fact remains…it required action from Unifor, the media and a Member of Parliament to convince a national employer like Bell Canada to reverse their decision to unfairly dismiss a worker.

“For this worker justice prevailed, I worry for others who don’t have the strength of a union to help them,” – Unifor Local 1996-O President, Sam Snyders.

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