November 12, 2024

 

The order for binding arbitration to abruptly end a lock-out at ports in British Columbia and Quebec is a blow to workers’ rights in Canada and only emboldens the employers—the associations of global multi-national corporations that operate dozens of ports around the world.

It is important to remember that it was the employer’s decision to lockout workers at the ports.

In the case of the two-year lock-out of port workers in Quebec City, it lasted for such an egregious period because the employer used scab labour, confirming what Unifor has long argued about the prolonging effect that the use of replacement workers has on labour disputes.

This is one of the many examples highlighting the pressing need for anti-scab legislation to be properly enacted. It is frankly preposterous that federal anti-scab legislation is the law of the land and yet has been of no help for these workers today.

Unifor stands in solidarity with port workers.

This is a blatant attempt by employers in the federal sector to undermine the rights of workers. This is not new, and Unifor will continue to stand up for fair and free collective bargaining.

Unifor’s anti-scab campaign specifically addressed scenarios like the one unfolding at the ports today.

As Canada’s largest union in the private sector, Unifor bargains with some of the country’s largest employers in federally regulated sectors. Many contract negotiations are currently underway, and more will begin in the coming months. Unifor members will no doubt face the same coordinated effort by CEOs to circumvent fair collective bargaining with heavy-handed government interventions. This cannot stand.

In Canada workers have the right to strike and to negotiate a fair collective agreement at the bargaining table. Unifor will continue to defend that right, which includes the right to strike.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca

Honour those who have served and continue to serve to defend peace. Make November 11 the most unforgettable day.

 

November 6, 2024

 

Unifor members across the country have closely followed the 2024 United States election. Canada and the United States are economically interdependent. As a result, any change in U.S. policy and the U.S. economy is consequential to Canadian jobs, communities, economic sectors and trade.

On November 5, U.S. citizens voted to elect Republican candidate Donald Trump as the country’s 47th President. While full Congressional voting results are still unconfirmed, Republicans have also won a majority of seats in the Senate. President-elect Trump’s proposed economic policies, particularly on matters affecting bilateral trade, create uncertainty for millions of workers in trade-dependent workplaces in Canada. Further, Trump’s regressive social policies, including those targeting equity-deserving groups, and excessive support for deregulation and tax cuts for the rich, threaten to widen existing inequalities.

Unifor fully commits to meet head-on any and all challenges resulting from the policies of a second Trump Administration.

As the union’s National Executive Board, we know that our members may be concerned about the impacts of the election on workers in our country. We will vigorously defend the interests of workers in Canada, working collaboratively with like-minded governments, civil society organizations and U.S.-based allies, wherever and however necessary. Unifor was actively involved in the negotiations of the 2020 Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and is proactively preparing for the scheduled 2026 CUSMA review, including through our recent recommendations to the Canadian government. Unifor will also continue to advocate for and demand industrial strategies that safeguard and grow the domestic economy.

President Trump’s first term was marred by unilateral and unprovoked trade threats and tariffs on Canadian goods, including in the automotive, aerospace, steel, aluminum and forestry industries, among others. Unifor worked closely with federal and provincial governments, businesses and civil society to respond to and resolve many of these challenges. While it is unclear if and how Trump’s proposal for new import tariffs, deregulation, and cuts to clean technology incentives will manifest, it remains Unifor’s priority to protect our members and all workers across Canada. Our members can rest assured that we will monitor and analyze the economic decisions of the Trump administration, and keep you informed of their impacts here in Canada. We will ensure that the interests of Canadian workers are front and centre today and into the future.

Our union believes strongly that we can and must build working class power across borders. Throughout our history, we have long created links of solidarity with friends and allies in Canada and in the United States. The challenges presented by a new Trump Administration will require us to organize, mobilize, educate, and continuously fight for a better world for everyone.

 

November 4, 2024

 

TORONTO—Unifor’s Energy Sector Council has launched the “Keep it in the Pipe” campaign, calling for comprehensive methane reduction regulations in Canada’s oil and gas sector.

“Unchecked methane leaks pose serious risks to workers, our communities, and ultimately the climate,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Today energy workers are proposing solutions that bring government, industry, and labour to the table.”

The campaign outlines specific calls to action for the federal and provincial governments, including convening a meeting with industry and union stakeholders to establish best practices for managing methane leaks, funding technology to detect and reduce emissions, and closing regulatory loopholes in the gas supply chain. Unifor is also calling for regular leak inspections and repairs in distribution networks where significant leaks currently go unchecked.

“The ‘Keep it in the Pipe’ campaign is about accountability at every level,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “Communities deserve clean air and workers deserve safe workplaces. By fighting methane leaks and getting a handle on inspections, Canada can create good-paying, unionized jobs all the while contributing to climate goals.”

Watch the press conference:

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 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.

November 8, 2024

 

VANCOUVER—Unifor continues its momentum organizing at Walmart after the Canada Industrial Relations Board granted interim certification for approximately 95 drivers at Walmart in Surrey, B.C.

“Walmart workers are sending a powerful message: they’re ready to stand together for better conditions, fair wages, and job security,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Forming a union is the most effective way to protect your rights at work. There is real power in a union.”

The interim certification allows the workers to form a bargaining committee and work with Unifor representatives to negotiate with Walmart towards their first collective agreement. Unifor is still awaiting the final decision on the inclusion of additional workers in Sicamous, BC.

Walmart workers’ win in Surrey builds on the historic unionization of Walmart’s Mississauga warehouse—Walmart’s first in Canada—and sets a strong example for other organizing efforts in the warehouse sector.

“We read every day about the growing influence of billionaires, but working people are fighting back,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle.