MILTON – A Unifor team, led by Unifor National President Jerry Dias and his son Jordan, raised a record breaking 126,000 for Halton Women’s Place in the Hope in the High Heels walk in Milton, Ontario.

“Knowing that the money goes directly to support survivors of domestic abuse motivates our team to raise our fundraising goal each year,” said Dias. “Sadly we continue to see the tragic consequences of domestic violence in our society, highlighting the urgent need for the services that organizations like Halton Women’s Place provide.”

This year’s Hope in High Heels fundraiser was dedicated to the memory of Laura Grant, a 57-year-old emergency dispatcher at the Mississauga Central Ambulance Communication Centre, who was murdered by her husband last month. The fundraiser also took place days after a 27-year-old woman was brutally murdered by her ex-partner in a daylight machete attack in Scarborough, Ontario.

Diane Beaulieu, Executive Director, Halton Women’s Place, encouraged walkers to take action if they witness a woman in trouble and to stand against misogynist behaviour as she announced the launch of a new male ally program for boys.

“We have to start with our youth, if we don’t start with them things are not going to change,” said Beaulieu.

Dias also called for government action as he pointed out the harm caused by a $17 million dollar cut to women’s programs in Ontario.

“The Ford government has taken more than $120,000 away from the important work that needs to be done by Halton Women’s Place,” said Dias. “As proud as we are of our fundraising of 126,000, all that does is replace the money that was taken from the two area shelters.”

Halton Women’s Place is an organization providing shelter and crisis services for physically, emotionally, financially and sexually abused women and their dependent children and is dedicated to ending violence against women and their children.To date Dias and his team have raised more than $460,000 in Hope in High Heels events.

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.

Will you be wearing your Orange shirt on September 30!!

Monday, September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, an annual event to recognize the experience of residential school survivors. Unifor actively participates as part of our campaign for truth, justice, and reconciliation for Indigenous communities.

Individuals and communities across Canada continue to suffer the intergenerational effects of the violence from residential schools. Orange Shirt Day is an important opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools, and communities to come together and say “Every child matters”. Indigenous children must know they are loved and valued.

Visit orangeshirtday.org 

 

“WE LISTEN UP” in local 1996-O. Look for important information about how to deal with STRESS and accomplish WORK LIFE BALANCE. Look for an AFTER YOUR SHIFT BBQ coming to your Work Centre soon!

 

A special thanks to Ryan Beatty and Paul Weeks and all that have volunteered their time.

 

A few pictures from 416 West locality

 

 

In Solidarity,

Lee, Sanjay, Brian, Chris

 

Sun. Sep. 22, 2019

Game 1 • 9:30am
Team Johnston vs. Team Knox

Game 2 • 12:30pm
Team Poulin vs. Team Jenner

All games will be played at:
Westwood Arena • 90 Woodbine Downs Blvd, Toronto, ON

 

September 12, 2019 – 12:00 AM

WINDSOR—Hundreds of members of the Windsor community and people from across Ontario assembled near the Nemak plant in solidarity with workers protesting the company’s decision to break the collective agreement by announcing their intention to close the plant.

“Canadians are fed up with greedy multinational corporations that don’t honour agreements with workers and move jobs outside of Canada,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Nemak is playing with fire and has ignited an entire community against them.”

The community rally was held adjacent to the Windsor Nemak plant that builds engine blocks and bedplates for General Motors.

“We are fighting for the rights of all Canadian workers with this community rally in Windsor,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “Nemak must do the right thing and live up to its end of the agreement. It’s as simple as that.”

Unifor and Nemak renewed a collective agreement in 2016. In the agreement Nemak committed to make the Windsor plant the sole global source for certain engine block products produced for General Motors. Now the company intends to move the production to facilities in Monterrey, Mexico in contravention to the agreement.

On September 10 Justice Terrance Patterson of the Superior Court of Ontario urged all parties to resolve the dispute before the parties have to return to court on Friday September 13.

Unifor continues to engage in dialogue with Nemak corporate representatives urging them to do the right thing and live up to their contractual obligations to the workers and the community.