Hello Sisters and Brothers/ Bonjour consœurs et confrères,

Last week negotiations on a free trade deal with China failed, reportedly over Canada’s insistence that the agreement include sections on labour standards, environmental regulations and gender rights. This is welcome news as it just doesn’t make sense to enter into a trade deal with partners that fail to share our values or our goals regarding trade.  / La semaine dernière, les négociations sur un accord de libre-échange avec la Chine ont échoué, apparemment à cause de l’insistance du Canada voulant que l’accord inclut des sections sur les normes du travail, des règlements environnementaux et des droits en matière de genre. Cette nouvelle doit être bien accueillie, car il ne fait aucun sens de conclure un accord commercial avec des partenaires qui ne partagent pas nos valeurs ou nos objectifs en matière de commerce.

Yesterday Jerry appeared on CTV’s Question Period and on Global’s The West Block to share Unifor’s position on trade with China, as well as the TPP and ongoing negotiations for a new NAFTA agreement. / Hier, Jerry Dias a participé à  l’émission Question Period de CTV et à l’émission The West Block de Global pour exprimer la position d’Unifor sur le commerce avec la Chine, sur le PTP également et sur les négociations en cours pour renouveler l’ALENA

To watch click on the links below/ Vous pouvez regarder ces émissions en cliquant sur les liens suivants : anglais seulement.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1281605

https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1113096771768/

In solidarity/En toute solidarité,

Scott Doherty

Executive Assistant to the National President

December 10, 2017

On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 70 years later, the underlying values and principles remain not only universally relevant, but absolutely crucial to the ongoing struggle for social and economic justice and human dignity. Human rights are the rights that give meaning to the universal truth that every human being is of equal worth.

Despite this, challenges to the fundamental status of these rights persist across the globe, in nation-states, in times of war and in times of peace, in institutions and cities and rural areas, and in workplaces. International Human Rights Day is a reminder that inequity, intolerance, discrimination, exclusion, and hatred threaten us all. It is a reminder of our shared humanity and of the necessity of standing up not just for ourselves, but for those most in need. Wherever they are challenged, it is our responsibility to offer a collective response.

Unifor is committed to asserting, promoting and defending human rights. The union’s social justice fund engages in this important work in Canada and across the globe. By providing humanitarian relief in times of crisis and by supporting organizations that are working to end discriminatory treatment, including that of Indigenous children, Unifor offers its solidarity to human rights defenders……………

Unifor Statement on Human Rights Day (2)