Canada’s telecommunications industry is rapidly changing, and workers are driving the campaign to ensure that jobs at Canada’s largest telecommunications companies are good jobs where members are respected.

More than 170 members attended the Unifor Telecommunications Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario from February 25-28, 2019.

“Telecommunications is one of the largest sectors in our union, and these workers are on the front line in the fight for decent work right across the country,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “This is a rapidly-changing sector, which means at every turn, we are pushing back against corporate greed but also adapting to technological change.”

Ahead of the conference, members from every unionized Bell Canada workplace and Bell subsidiary met to discuss strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement for bargaining committees and campaigns.

“Technological change, the effects of a 5G network and outsourcing are only some of the many factors at play in the telecommunications industry,” said Renaud Gagné, Unifor Quebec Regional Director. “With massive changes underway, this conference offers a much-needed platform for members to strategize about bargaining priorities and member engagement going forward.”

The conference featured expert research on challenges facing the industry, technological change workers are dealing with and the ways in which the industry may evolve in the years to come, from 5G to beyond.

Telco local unions have been putting increased efforts towards membership mobilization in recent years, and this has resulted in major progress at the bargaining table and has helped build strong local unions. Other highlights included presentations by Political Action and Membership Mobilization, Strategic Planning and Communications department. These sessions focused on integrated approaches to preparing for bargaining, strategies to enhance member mobilization, and the resources available to support these objectives.

Guest speakers from UNI Global Union and the University of Quebec were also in attendance, shedding light on the global effects of outsourcing, how the international labour movement is addressing worker exploitation in receiving countries.

The conference offered delegates a platform to strategize for member engagement through local unions and to devise a broader legislative approach for addressing sector-specific challenges, including stacked ranking and other performance management measures. The conference closed with a commitment for action and unity across the sector.

February 28, 2019

International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day is a critical opportunity for us to mobilize for better health and safety regulation, enforcement and to focus even more on protecting workers from these devastating, life-altering injuries and implementing ergonomic solutions.

Every year hundreds of Unifor members across the country suffer injuries or discomfort from repetitive strains resulting from their work duties. It is important to identify and eliminate the causes of these injuries. If those causes cannot be eliminated then we must work to minimize the risk factors that cause these injuries, because work should not hurt.

Historically, health and safety has not received the attention it deserves. Our union is working hard to change that. From local union surveys to sector-specific health and safety manuals, prioritizing health and safety is an area of focus for Unifor.

Member feedback about their experiences in the workplace is essential to bargain effective health and safety provisions. If you have experienced repetitive strain injury/injuries or other afflictions due to work activities, please complete this brief, anonymous survey.

Member-driven advocacy is at the heart of what we do. Hearing from you about what needs changing in the workplace equips your union with the legitimacy to demand much-needed changes from the employer.

With rapidly changing industries, health and safety regulation has not always kept up with the pace of change in certain sectors of the economy, leaving workers at risk of injury. This is unacceptable – workers should never be expected to put up with unsafe or less than optimal work conditions. As union activists and health and safety advocates, Unifor members are on the front lines of pushing for better, safer work environments.

Please complete this RSI survey

In solidarity,

National Health and Safety Department

Join the celebrations marking International Women’s Day in your community.

Toronto

March 9, 2019 – 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

25 Cecil Street, M5T 1N1

Mary Spratt IWD Breakfast

Hosted by United Steel Workers – Toronto Area Council

Toronto

March 9, 2019 – 11:00 a.m. (Rally), 1pm (March)

OISE auditorium, 252 Bloor St W, M5S 1V6

Rally and march

Hosted by the Toronto International Women’s Day Committee