A Message from Jerry Dias and Lana Payne

Sisters and Brothers,

We are writing to share that once again our union has proven that when united we are unstoppable. D-J Composites has agreed to our proposal for binding arbitration after our 8-day solidarity action at the Gander aerospace facility.

Two weeks ago, we put out the call for volunteers and hundreds of you dropped everything to stand with 30 members who have been on a picket line for 654 shameful days. Members from every province in Canada stood with us against a union-busting American employer.

Together we stopped the scabs and have ensured there will be an end to this incredibly long dispute and our members will soon be returning to work.

After eight days and an intervention from N.L. Premier Dwight Ball, D-J Composites accepted the fact that binding arbitration is the only solution to end this dispute.

D-J Composites is now a scab free workplace.

We are incredibly proud of our union and those of you who stood on this picket line, 24 – 7 in Gander. A reporter who came to the picket line asked why Unifor would put so much time and resources into a lockout of just 30 members? Our answer is we always defend our members, whether we represent 30 or 3000 in a workplace. When you attack one of us, you attack all of us.

Thank you to all who went to Gander and thank you to those who fiercely supported our efforts on social media.

We particularly want to thank the members of Local 597 for their courage and unwavering resolve over the past 21 months. They could have easily walked away. Instead, they stared down their American employer and refused to allow our union to be broken for 92 long weeks. We have Unit Chair Iggy Oram to thank for leading the members through these difficult times.

Our 30 members have shown the labour movement what solidarity really means. We also want to thank the incredible work by our staff, in particular Scott Doherty and Shane Wark, who lead bargaining with one of the worst employers Unifor has ever encountered.

In recent months we have set a new standard for how we deal with scabs who dare cross our picket lines, months in Goderich, Thunder Bay and now Gander. Together with our solidarity, Unifor has sent a powerful message to all employers that scabs will not be tolerated at any of our workplaces. We have started a national conversation about this and the need for anti-scab legislation across Canada.

Trust us when we tell you our union is just getting started on this front.

In Solidarity,

 

Jerry Dias and Lana Payne

 

Watch the video – 10 Days in Gander

Unifor Statement on the Day of Remembrance and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

 

October 4, 2018

 

On October 4, Unifor asks it members and allies to stand in solidarity with Indigenous families and communities to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls whose lives have been cut short by violence. Countless families and communities have been devastated by this national tragedy.

 

The pain of loss and of justice denied echoes through our history, our present and will echo into our future if we fail to act. Unifor is committed to working towards reconciliation with Indigenous people and creating a more equitable, inclusive union that celebrates and support First Nations, Inuit and Métis members.

 

Vigils are being held across the country this year, and concerned citizens and Indigenous community members will gather together to draw attention to this crisis and demand action from all levels of government to stop the violence.

 

In Winnipeg, members will participate in events, including a vigil, in a show of solidarity and support on Manitoba’s official day to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

 

Members are encouraged to attend vigils that are organized from coast to coast to coast. The Native Women’s Association of Canada compiled this list of vigils to remember our stolen sisters.

 

 

October 3, 2018

GANDER – D-J Composites has consented to binding arbitration to resolve a 21-month lockout of Unifor Local 597 members.

“On Monday we asked Premier Dwight Ball to intervene and stand up for 30 workers who have been on a picket line far too long and we are pleased that with his assistance, we are going to binding arbitration,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.

Binding arbitration will eventually lead to a collective agreement, which will end the lockout.

“These thirty workers could have walked away, but instead they stayed and they fought for their right to have a union at work. Their courage and resolve has inspired our entire union, indeed the entire labour movement,” said Lana Payne, Atlantic Regional Director. “Be assured we will continue our fight for stronger labour laws that protects workers in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“On behalf of all 30 of us we’d like to thank our National union and all the members who came here from across Canada to support us and raise awareness that 92 weeks is too long to be on any picket line,” said Ignatius Oram, Local 597 unit chair.