April 6, 2018 by 1996-O Executive

Bell Launches All-Fibre Optic Network in Toronto

Bell has announced its $1.5 billion fibre project is now live in Toronto, Ontario, after first being announced back in 2015. The company says their fibre to the premises (FTTP) service can bring speeds of “up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) with symmetrical upload and downloads.”

The company says next year speeds will increase to at least 5 Gbps and in the future, to 40 Gbps and beyond.

“The Bell team is proud to light up North America’s largest fibre network right here in Toronto. Bell’s all-fibre network will deliver the best Internet, TV and business connectivity services to Torontonians while enabling Canada’s largest city to innovate and compete at a global level with next-generation connectivity,” said George Cope, President and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, in a press release.

The fibre project in Toronto started three years ago, with Bell working together with the City and Toronto Hydro to roll out equipment and fibre, which consists of over 10,000 kilometres, installed on roughly 90,000 Bell and Toronto Hydro poles. Underground installations are accessible via over 10,000 manhole access points.

Bell is celebrating the launch of the Toronto fibre network by putting on a blue light spectacle at the #LightUpthe6ix event at Yonge-Dundas Square, which begins at 9PM, hosted by CTV Your Morning co-hosts Ben Mulroney and Anne-Marie Mediwake, while performances by Arkells and City and Colour will also be part of the show.

http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carriers/bell/bell-fibre-optic-toronto/

April 6, 2018 by 1996-O Executive

Unifor 1996-O Scholarships – Deadline Approaching, Submission due May 31 2018

The deadline is fast approaching to get your application submitted.

We in Local 1996-O are concerned about the lives of our members’ families and their education. Due to high tuition fees we recognize that post-secondary education is out of reach for many working-class. To assist, we’ve established 2 scholarships worth $1,000.00 each. One in memory of the late Brother, Milos Petrasinovic and Brother, Alwa Marcelle.

The scholarships are awarded to sons/daughters of Unifor 1996-O members in good standing. Students must be entering their first year of full-time post-secondary education (university, community college, technological institute, trade school, etc.) in a public Canadian institution.

These are entrance Scholarships only and are not renewable for students entering subsequent years of study.

Deadline for submitting an application is May 31 2018

The selection of candidates will be chosen no later than June 29, 2018 and will be final.

Click here to download the 2018 application.

April 6, 2018 by 1996-O Executive

Unifor mobilizes to make Ontario election count

Organizing for the Ontario provincial election campaign starts today with Unifor’s 2018 member-to-member Make it Count Ontario election campaign.

Workers in the province have built a solid foundation of political action, uniting in coalitions that have pressured the government to finally introduce a $15 per hour minimum wage and free preschool child care, and to address the chronic under funding of hospitals. All of this progress is at risk of being rolled back if Doug Ford’s conservatives take power.

“There is too much at stake in this election not to take action,” said Jerry Dias, National President. “We must stop the conservatives and show the next government that Unifor members will be heard.”

One way to be heard, said Dias and Ontario Regional Director, Naureen Rizvi is to sign the pledge to vote on the new election website uniforvotes.ca. If you’re a Unifor member from Ontario and you want to keep pushing for social justice in this province for workers and families it’s time to get active, said Rizvi

Amendments to Labour Relations Act

March 29, 2018
To All Local Unions
Sisters and Brothers,
I wanted to raise an important development and victory as it relates to our ongoing issues with the labour movement (CLC).
As you all by now know, Unifor has taken issue with two local unions being put in to trusteeship by their U.S based unions for the purposes of quelling the dissent of workers. Unifor has taken the position that trusteeship of a local union does have its place in our structure, but it should not be used to silence the democratic rights of workers wanting to change unions.
Yesterday, in the Ontario budget, a change in the Labour Relations Act was introduced by the Liberal government that address the changes Unifor has being calling for.

Read more below…

Letter to Local Unions re Amendments to LRA