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Revitalize Passenger Rail in Canada

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Our national public passenger rail system, VIA Rail, continues to suffer due to a lack in long-term government funding and investments, no legislative mandate and outdated equipment and infrastructure.

The elimination of routes and reduced frequency of service means that Canadians have fewer accessible transportation options, particularly in remote communities.

Further, the need to share tracks and give priority right of way access to freight is resulting in delays that can often stretch into days.
While countries, such as the U.S. and U.K., are making significant, historic investments in improving and enhancing their national passenger rail networks, Canada continues to slip further behind.

Canadians need a modern, affordable, reliable and safe passenger rail service. These investments can generate significant social, economic and environmental benefits.

Help get passenger rail service in Canada back on track

Click the link below

https://backontrack.unifor.org/take_action

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1996-O Members on STD/LTD – Not Attested to company vaccine mandate of Feb 2022 ?

Sisters and brothers of 1996-O.
Those effected on STD/LTD benefits and absent from the workplace and have not attested to the company mandate for full vaccination compliance as of Jan 31 2022.
It has been brought to this executive’s attention that some of you who are currently on benefits and absent from work may have received letters in regards to attestation for the company Jan 31st vaccine mandate. For those who have previously attested and in compliance in regards to the vaccine mandated by the company, this is likely not applicable to you.
BTS 1996-O members who may not have attested prior to Jan 31st 2022, and started STD/LTD prior to the attestation deadline date, should reach out to this executive for additional information. The company is imposing termination for those that have not vaccinated by May 1 regardless of remaining on benefits beyond this May deadline. Many of you may not be returning or fit for regular duties till well beyond May 2022.
Sisters and Brothers, if this is applicable to you, we want to hear from you to provide you with additional information. Please reach out to one of the Executive.
Below is sample language in the letter sent to those effected:

Since you failed to attest to being fully vaccinated before starting your leave, we wish to inform you of what will happen when you will be cleared to return to work and remain non-compliant with the Company’s vaccination policy:

  • If your return to work date is prior to May 1st. 2022: You will be put on an unpaid leave until May 1st. 2022. date  on  which  your  employment  will  be terminated  without  further  notice, indemnity or pay in lieu. Your employment will not be terminated if you submit your proof demonstrating that you are Fully vaccinated to (Vaccine Verification Email) prior to May 1st, 2022.
  • If your return to work dote is on or after May 1st, 2022: Your employment will be terminated at the end of your leave without further notice. Indemnity or pay in lieu.
In Solidarity,
President, 1996-O
Lee Zommers

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Healthcare Unions: Doug Ford’s Ad Hoc Gestures Won’t Fix The Worsening Health Human Resource Crisis

Unions representing 220,000 workers demand the repeal of Bill 124 and a real plan to fix the worsening health human resource crisis in Ontario

TORONTO, ON – Today, SEIU Healthcare, OCHU/CUPE, Unifor, and Ontario Nurses’ Association, unions representing 220,000 healthcare workers across Ontario, including 85,000 nurses, issued an open letter to Premier Ford to fix the worsening health human resource crisis in Ontario and move past the band aid pay-as-you-vote gimmicks.

Temporary fixes haven’t worked to stabilize the PSW workforce, and a one-time $5,000 payment won’t work to retain and recruit nurses who are asking long-term predictability and support.

Last month, healthcare unions wrote to Premier Ford regarding the staff shortages across many healthcare occupations and professions. Our unions have consistently urged the Premier to ensure that any retention bonus is inclusive of all front-line nurses and healthcare workers. Unfortunately, he chose to ignore the needs of the broader healthcare workforce who are feeling further demoralized because of this exclusionary retention bonus.

Ontario’s healthcare unions once again called on Premier Ford to repeal Bill 124 and take urgent action to better respect, protect, and pay healthcare workers.

QUOTES:

“Healthcare workers don’t need more of Premier Ford’s bumper sticker election gimmicks, they need a plan that works to fix the real problems that undermine our public healthcare system, including the immediate repeal of Bill 124. This International Women’s Day we repeat our demand that Premier Ford’s Conservatives at Queen’s Park repeal their anti-worker, anti-women wage restraint law and urgently address the health human resource crisis in Ontario.” – Sharleen Stewart, SEIU Healthcare

“What health care workers want is to be able to bargain wages that reflect their contribution and the significant inflation they are facing. They would like to be able to bargain psychological supports. None of this is possible because of Bill 124. Ad hoc gestures like one time retention bonuses don’t raise the base rates and aren’t pensionable. They don’t apply to everyone and leave all of other health care workers feeling unvalued. It’s time for the government to stop patronizing health care workers and let them bargain.” – Michael Hurley, President, OCHU/CUPE

“Almost every health care worker in the province continues to work under emergency orders that supersede their rights under their collective agreement, with no end in sight. They can be subjected to schedule changes, cancelled vacation and reassignment at a moments notice. Bill 124 and temporary bonuses for some, do nothing for the morale of these dedicated workers who make up a significant part of the team that provides great health care every single day.” – Katha Fortier, Assistant to the National President, Unifor

“Nurses across the province are angry at once again being thrown crumbs by this government, instead of meaningful solutions to the health staffing crisis. Premier Ford’s exclusionary bonus doesn’t begin to address the issues fuelling Ontario’s health workforce crisis and hurting patient care. If the Premier is serious about bolstering our health workforce, he needs to repeal Bill 124 immediately – no more excuses.” – Cathryn Hoy, President, Ontario Nurses’ Association

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BTS – Saturday Scheduling

Sisters and Brothers, 1996-O

The local Executive have been working with the Bargaining Committee and have investigated the below mentioned in a communication from the bargaining committee and provided the data to be corrected in relation to RFT 3 and RPT status. If you find your schedule has not been corrected please reach out to an Executive member and we will work with the committee to have the errors addressed.

 

Bargaining Committee message:

 

Sisters and Brothers,

 

As most of you know the company violated Article 16, specifically pertaining to RFT3 (16.02 e) iii)) technicians being scheduled to work more than 6 out of 8 Saturdays on the current 8 week schedule.

 

Last week, we asked Locals to send us examples from your work centres so that we could address this issue directly with the company at the bargaining table. They have informed us today that they have corrected this for effected technicians, but we ask that you check and make sure that this has been resolved in your areas.

 

While reviewing the examples from locals that were submitted, we also noticed that part timers were not scheduled their guaranteed weekend off (for the quarter), as per Article 16.04 L).

 

Thank you,
Your BTS Bargaining Committee

Clayton Nunn, National Representative

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Unifor statement on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic

Unifor statement on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic

March 11 marks the beginning of the third year since the World Health Organization formally declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Workers in all sectors and types of workplaces have been affected by this public health crisis. They have been put at risk of transmission, and many workers have fallen ill or died as a result of this disease.

COVID-19 has caused over six million deaths worldwide and more than 37,000 in Canada alone. Over the past two years, front line workers have carried the heaviest burden while having to fight for basic protections.

Canada is currently experiencing the tail-end of the Omicron wave. Many governments are moving to loosen or eliminate vaccine and public gathering restrictions. Unifor is cautiously hopeful that this marks the beginning of a safe and stable return to regular, daily activity for many. We say this while acknowledging that other regions of the world are currently experiencing severe outbreaks of COVID-19, and that the pandemic is not over.

Unifor recognizes that the voice of workers was too often diminished and ignored during multiple phases of this pandemic. Workers were often left on their own to navigate potentially unsafe workplace environments, face the high risk of transmission, face the risk of hostile behaviour and the lack of income support or paid sick leave.

Throughout the pandemic, our union strived to put the health and safety of our members – and all working people – at the heart of our pandemic response. As such, we have aimed to provide factual resources, engage members on urgent campaigns and developed a vision for working people throughout this public health crisis. There will be a need to continue this work well into the coming years.

Workers will not forget the COVID-19 pandemic. Unifor members will continue to advocate for a workers-first response to this pandemic, with others to come. This means that we will:

  • Continue to fight for vaccine equity, allowing access to life-saving vaccines in all countries, regardless of economic or social circumstances. This includes calling on all countries to support the proposed TRIPS-waiver.
  • Fight for strengthened workers’ rights to refuse unsafe work, advocate meaningfully for workplace improvements that prioritize health and safety, join a union and have a voice at the table where decisions are made.
  • Advocate for large-scale modernization of ventilation systems in all workplace settings to protect against airborne transmission of viruses, such as COVID-19 and others.
  • Call for the expansion of domestic production and local supply chains to ensure all necessary goods, safety equipment, medical equipment and medicine are made locally, while creating good, secure jobs.
  • Redouble efforts to win fair wages and safer working conditions for front-line workers, both at the bargaining table and through political action.
  • Defend public health agencies and call for greater funding, proper pandemic planning and dedicated public health staffing levels that allow for a health and safety response to pandemics or large-scale virus outbreaks in the future.
  • Advocate for expanded public systems and infrastructure, especially in health care, education, long-term and elder care in cooperation with the provinces. Canada must ensure these essential public services can withstand future crises.
  • Fight for an inclusive future where everyone is treated fairly regardless of their ability, age, sex, gender, sexual identify, race or economic circumstances.Members can support the call by tagging @JustinTrudeau and using the #ThePandemicIsNotOver hashtag.In solidarity,
  • The period of recovery from COVID-19 will be a long and difficult process. Unifor is committed to drawing the connections between the experience of working people as a whole and the need for strong social infrastructure, employment and public services that guarantee the well-being of everyone.
  • Unifor has joined The People’s Vaccine Alliance call to demand an end to Big Pharma’s monopoly grip on COVID vaccines, tests and treatments.

In solidarity,

Lana Payne, National Secretary-Treasurer
Renaud Gagné, Québec Director
Linda MacNeil, Atlantic Regional
Director Naureen Rizvi, Ontario Regional Director
Gavin McGarrigle, Western Regional Director