OTTAWA – Unifor applauds the federal government for staying the course on COVID-19 supports and recovery in 2021 budget.

“Workers across the country are living through a frightening third wave, and have not recovered from the economic destruction of the past year, so it’s especially important that the federal government continues to support working families and good jobs in critical industries,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The only proven way to lead Canada out of the COVID-19 recession is through investments, and it’s clear that Minister Freeland understands that reality.”

In summer 2020, as the devastation of the COVID-19 recession was becoming clear, Unifor charted its vision for a fair, inclusive and resilient economic recovery through its Build Back Better plan.

The Union supports the government’s plan to continue COVID-19 supports including flexible access to EI and CEWS for the months to come. The announcement of a new federal child care program shows a commitment to correct the unequal effects of the pandemic on mothers.

Unifor encourages provinces to work cooperatively with the federal government to ensure the $3 billion in new funding for long-term care results in better care, safer work, and fair pay for workers in the sector.

Unifor also supports plans to invest in Canada’s industrial capacity through dedicated funding in the automotive, aerospace, and domestic life sciences industries.

“When the world economy ground to a halt last year, people across the country realized just how important it was to have made-in-Canada products and services. Improving our domestic capacity includes building vehicles, airplanes, street cars and buses. In addition, Canada needs critical infrastructure such as child care, education, and social services that working families rely on to succeed,” continued Dias. “It’s encouraging to see this budget aim to extend the emergency supports, but there is no reason to go back to the way things were before. We need to build back better, for good, and for everyone.”

Unifor members in the federal sector have campaigned for a $15 minimum wage for many years, and the union encourages the federal government to commit to a timeline for this commitment, which was first announced in Budget 2019.

The Union is disappointed by the budget’s silence on implementation of a national, universal pharmacare program, which is an essential addition to the country’s health care system.

Unifor supports the government’s efforts to invest today to prevent further hardship tomorrow. Federal spending in times of economic downturn helps ensure a faster, stronger recovery

Four Unifor members in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick passed away in less than a week, with at least three of the deaths work related and two due to COVID-19.

“This is just devastating. My first thoughts go to their families, who said goodbye to their loved ones in the morning, never to see them again,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

“We must do all we can to prevent work-related deaths and injuries.”

Local 81 member Gérald Lévesque, 63, a cable repair technician with Bell Canada, was killed April 1 when he was electrocuted while performing his duties in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. He lived in Sainte-Adèle and leaves his partner, Martine, and a son.

“One death at work is always one too many deaths. It should never happen, but unfortunately it happens too often,” said Quebec Director Renaud Gagné.

“The great Unifor family is in mourning today and our thoughts are with his family and colleagues on this sad day.”

Just four days later on April 5, Amarprit Sandhu, 44, a Local 4003/Council 4000 member working for CNTL, was involved in a motor vehicle accident and pronounced dead on the scene.

The incident occurred at a customer’s facility as Sandhu was preparing to return to CN’s Intermodal Terminal, only two minutes away. He leaves a wife and three daughters.

“This is truly such a tragic loss. All of us in the Brampton CNTL units have heavy hearts and his absence will be felt dearly,” said Satinder Singh, Local Chair for Local 4003.

That same day, Local 40 member Antonio Genova, 56, died from COVID-19. He worked as a service technician at Yorkdale Ford Lincoln.

A COVID-19 outbreak was declared March 16 by Toronto Public Health at the Toronto auto dealership with at least eight people infected, including Genova. He leaves a wife, Cristina Letargo, and three children.

“Our thoughts today are with Antonio’s family and his co-workers, who are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. Antonio’s death and the COVID-19 outbreak declared in his workplace underline the need to take this pandemic seriously,” said Local 40 President David Amow.

In New Brunswick, Unifor Local 94 member Luc Belanger passed away in hospital on April 6 while on a respirator, receiving treatment after contracting COVID-19.

Belanger, 38, worked at Boise All Joist in St-Jacques, New Brunswick, where about 20 workers are in isolation as a precautionary measure. Belanger leaves a wife and daughter.

“Losing someone so young is very difficult for all of us, and especially his family. We need to work collectively to get out communities through this devastating pandemic,” said Mario Theriault, the Unifor National Representative for the local.

Unifor will honour these members and all workers who have died on the job this year on April 28 on the National Day of Mourning.