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Unifor contributes to B.C. tourism recovery

Appointees to the B.C. Tourism Task Force delivered their final report to the provincial government on December 9. Titled The Future of Travel: Positioning B.C. to Accelerate Recovery and Growth it outlines urgent recommendations to help B.C.’s tourism industry recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and encourage long-term growth in the sector.

Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle was among a select group of 11 panelists tasked with composing a balanced blueprint for government support for an industry that generates $20 billion in revenues and employs more than 160,000 British Columbians.

Over the past three months, the task force studied best practices from other jurisdictions and considered the effectiveness and gaps in the various provincial and federal relief programs. The task force also heard testimony from experts in the industry.

“It’s hard to undersell the impact the pandemic has had on workers connected to the tourism and hospitality sector,” said McGarrigle. “All levels of government must act swiftly to reduce the impact on workers and ensure that the industry can thrive when the economy exits the slump caused by the pandemic.”

The task force’s report was received by tourism minister Melanie Mark. The provincial government has allocated $50 million to the Economic Recovery Plan, although the task force estimates it will take double that to properly protect workers and stimulate tourism after COVID-19.

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Unifor members at MDA to build next generation Canadarm

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) awarded MDA Corporation a $22.8 million contract to develop a third-generation robotic arm, dubbed Canadarm3, destined for NASA’s newest space station, the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (LOP-G).

“Canada’s aerospace workers have been a continuous source of inspiration since the first satellite was launched in 1962. They have the right stuff,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This funding will allow our members to continue to work on the leading edge of technological innovation and advanced manufacturing, furthering Canada’s contribution to international space exploration and research. This is a proud moment for us all.”

Workers at MDA, formerly Spar Aerospace, developed and manufactured the first and second generations of Canada’s space-bound robotic arms. The first generation of Canadarm was delivered in 1981 for use in NASA’s retired space shuttle program. Five arms were built in total for the shuttle program. One was lost in the Challenger disaster. The larger, second generation Canadarm2 was delivered in 1991 and continues to operate on the International Space Station. The CSA’s support for the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway program and the Canadarm3 contract has been the culmination of years of strategic planning, lobbying and advocacy work. Unifor and other labour organizations, industry, and coalition partners have long supported funding and procurement for long-term space manufacturing policy reform formalized in the Don’t Let Go Canada campaign launched in 2018.

“It wasn’t long ago that the industry hit with tough times and contracts and government procurement dried up threatening to end made-in-Canada space technology,” said Maryellen McIlmoyle, Unifor Local 673 President. “We are thrilled to see that Canadian aerospace workers’ role in manufacturing advanced robotics is secure for years to come.”

 

Throughout the 2000s, Canada’s space sector saw serious decline, raising concerns about the federal government and the CSA’s commitment to the development and manufacture of new technologies for use in space. Without a national long-term space policy and insufficient government procurement, Canada fell from 4th in space funding as a share of GDP among G7 countries 1992 to last by 2016. Further concerns about the health of the industry were raised by the proposed sale of MDA’s space division to a U.S. company in 2008. This move was vehemently opposed by Unifor’s predecessor organization, the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). The proposed sale was ultimately blocked by the federal government, but Canada continued to lack a robust plan for the space industry.

By the 2010’s, MDA struggled financially and was briefly rebranded as Maxar Technologies in 2017, and its headquarters were moved to the US. Canadian ownership of MDA was restored in 2018. Although Canada continues to lack a formal long-term space policy, the Canadarm3 contract secures MDA workers with a high-profile project that provides valuable and important work.

“This contract will pay dividends across several sectors of the economy. There is no doubt in my mind that the work our members do at MDA will inspire the next generation of aerospace workers,” said Scott McIlmoyle, Unifor Local 112 President. “This contract is proof positive that our members’ skills, dedication, and capabilities are vital to Canada maintaining its role as a spacefaring nation.”

Funding for the next generation comes as part of Canada’s $1.9 billion investment in the domestic space industry over the next 24 years, which amounts to approximately $80 million annually.

Canadarm3 is projected to launch in 2026 and will deploy the most advanced robotics and artificial intelligence-based control and mission planning software for use in space. The new lunar space station is expected to be the next frontier of international technological research and development, and what is learned from astronauts on the lunar station, with Canadarm3, will be applied to plans for crewed missions to Mars.

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Bell Canada reverses contracting out of Wireless Home Internet installations

story_3_bellDecember 15, 2020 – 12:00 AM

December 15, 2020

OTTAWA – Following a years-long campaign, Bell workers secure the reversal of Wireless Home Internet (WHI) contracting-out in Ontario and Quebec.

“Bell’s Wireless Home Internet is the foundation of the next generation of Canada’s telecommunications network, and Unifor members are ready to build that infrastructure,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

On Monday December 14, Unifor received confirmation from Bell Canada that the company has begun the process of repatriating all installation work performed by outside contractors working on WHI  projects in ON and QC.

This long-anticipated move will ensure that WHI installations will continue in-house by unionized workers in the two provinces. The union will continue to campaign for an end to contracting out in the Atlantic provinces.

“This reversal of this contracting-out proves the importance of all aspects of the union’s representation, from the bargaining table, to mobilization and even community outreach,” said Renaud Gagné, Unifor Québec Director. “Unifor members across the country added their voices and their time to demand that Bell bring the work back, and today the workers were heard.”

Unifor credits the strength and solidarity of Canada’s telecommunications workers with this win.

Employees of Bell Canada and Bell subsidiaries have long campaigned against contracting out and other forms of job erosion.

In 2018, Bell announced the rollout of its new Wireless Home Internet (WHI) service to bring high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses in rural areas, but quickly contracted out all installations. Bell’s WHI rollout plan in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic Canada includes 1 million locations.

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.

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Unifor urges all parties to support NDP’s new anti-scab bill

December 3, 2020

OTTAWA—Unifor is urging all members of parliament to support Canada’s workers and swiftly pass a private member’s bill introduced today by Scott Duvall, NDP MP for Hamilton Mountain, to ban employers in federally regulated sectors from hiring scabs during a legal strike or lockout.

“Any federal politician who claims to stand up for working people and their families, needs to back this private member’s bill,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Ending the use of scabs in federally regulated workplaces will go a long way to balancing the scales that are unfairly tipped in the employer’s favour.”

Unifor has long argued that scab labour only serves to prolong labour disputes, undermines the right of unionized workers to take strike action and removes any incentive for employers to negotiate fairly to end any strike or lockout.

“It’s just not good enough to talk about standing up for workers. Politicians from all parties need to get behind this bill now because the whole idea behind collective bargaining is to level the playing field between workers and employers and this legislation helps do that,” said Dias.

The Supreme Court of Canada has declared the right to strike a fundamental right protected by the Constitution – but the union believes that right is lost when an employer can hire replacement workers to steal another workers job.

Unifor is also calling on all provincial governments to enact similar legislation to ban scabs, just as British Columbia and Quebec have done.

Unifor also supports a second bill introduced by the NDP to protect retired workers by fixing federal bankruptcy laws so pension and health benefits are given the same consideration as banks, investors or parent companies during bankruptcy proceedings. It also includes much needed provisions to restrict companies from issuing dividends or share buy-backs when a pension plan is in a deficit.

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

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Health care workers to hold rally to demand a fair collective agreement

December 8, 2020

WINDSOR – Health care workers represented by Unifor Local 2458 will escalate actions by holding a rally outside of Fairfield Park long term care home to demand a fair and equitable collective.

“The employers’ approach of viewing our members as zeroes instead of heroes is insulting and disrespectful,” said Tullio DiPonti, President of Unifor Local 2458. “To think at a time where these health care heroes are risking their lives to care for others, their employer turns around and puts forward a laundry list of concessions and says this is what you’re worth. This employer should be ashamed. Let’s get back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair collective agreement, free of concessions.

Last week a rally was held outside of Broulliette Manor, urging the employer to return to the bargaining table and withdraw its long list of concessions.

“I have negotiated many contracts in my day, but I have never seen an employer so blatantly disrespectful,” said Chris Taylor, Unifor National Staff Representative. “The pandemic has forced long term care workers across the country to do more with less and here we have an employer that’s asking these COVID heroes to take on all the new protocols and get nothing in return.  Our members will not be made to feel worthless and we will continue to ramp up our actions until they receive the respect and dignity that they deserve.”

Contract negotiations opened with Fairfield Park and Broulliette Manor on October 27, 2020. The union proposed modest changes to the collective agreement that were immediately rejected by the employer’s legal representatives. The employer’s representatives presented the union with more than six pages of concessions that include cuts in wages, health care benefits, time off, forcing of more hours of work.

The union is steadfast in its resolve to bargain an agreement that fits the needs of the members working at both Fairfield Park and Broulliette Manor.

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.