Ornge paramedics, members of Unifor Local 2002, won their arbitration over a wage re-opener clause that hinged on Bill 124, Premier Doug Ford’s disastrous anti-worker wage-suppressing legislation.

The paramedics’ last round of collective bargaining happened under the cloud of Bill 124 and the pandemic – when paramedics faced increased personal risk, overwhelming demand, and high stress. Ornge members voted 94% in favour of strike action if they were not made exempt from Bill 124 that capped their wage increases to 1%.

In September 2021, an arbitrator issued a consent award which included a wage re-opener clause to pay an additional 1% annual increase in 2020, 2021 and 2022 should Bill 124 be “repealed, amended, or rendered inoperative” within 5 years from the signing of the contract.

Unifor and other Ontario unions issued a constitutional charter challenge to Bill 124, and in late 2022 the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that Ford’s legislation unduly infringed on workers’ rights – making the bill inoperative. Following this ruling, Ornge members returned to the arbitrator seeking retroactive payments from the employer.

The employer argued the bill was under appeal and therefore they should wait before issuing payment, in case the Ontario government was successful in its appeal. However, in his decision, the arbitrator sided with the workers saying, “Any objective balancing of interests favours the employees who should not have to await the eventual judgement of the courts.”

“These are the victories that fuel us and prove that we must never give up,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “It was shameful that Ontario’s public sector workers were kept from respectable and reasonable wage increases because of unconstitutional legislation. My heartfelt congratulations to the bargaining committee and each and every paramedic at Ornge for fighting back.”

The arbitrator directed the employer to pay the amounts owing to all current and former employees within 30 days of the January 30, 2023 decision.

“Unifor is pleased with the outcome of this award and will be looking for recompense for our Ornge members,” said Tammy Moore, Unifor Local 2002 President. “Ornge prides itself on saving lives, restoring health, creating capacity and preserving dignity; it’s time Unifor members at Ornge be part of the Employer’s mission.”

Read the full decision here.

They huddled in sleeping bags in the back of their cars and set up tents in parking lots in locations across Canada in a show of solidarity to tackle homelessness.

Unifor locals, members and staff participated in Raising the Roof’s “One Night” event on Feb. 7, 2023 to raise awareness and money for the organization’s homelessness prevention programs. The union’s fundraising efforts reached over $70,000.

“A growing number of people still face the ongoing challenge of being unhoused, and bearing the brunt of multiple social and economic crises that result in poverty and no roof above one’s head,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“As our union, it’s our responsibility to recognize the many intertwining challenges and systems that cause homelessness and poverty, and to ensure our commitment to addressing them in Canada lives on beyond this event.”

At the 2022 Unifor Convention, delegates adopted an action plan which included a commitment to foster relationships with anti-poverty organizations, and develop its advocacy program on affordable housing.

The event – which took place in Winnipeg, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Toronto – fell on the 26th-annual Toque Tuesday, with Raising the Roof providing volunteers a small taste of what hundreds of Canadians experience each night by having them sleep rough for just one night.

At the Humbertown Shopping Centre parking lot in Etobicoke, Ont., John McVey, a Political Mobilization Committee activist from Unifor Local 222, was preparing himself for a long night.

“Friday night when it was really cold snap – I can’t even remember, it was -31C kind of temperature, that’s all I think about,” said John McVey. “There are people out there on benches, wrapped into whatever they can and we’ve got to find solutions to these problems.”

McVey said he became involved in the cause because homelessness is on the rise, especially in his city, Oshawa.

“The temperature was fortunate for us. But the experience still wasn’t comfortable so it leaves you realizing how fortunate we are,” he said.

In Canada, more than 235,000 people experience homelessness in any given year, according to StatsCan and 25,000 to 35,000 people may be experiencing homelessness on any given night.

Unifor Local 26 President Donovan Nezbeth said “One Night” was an opportunity to raise awareness of the homelessness crisis in cities across Canada.

“The fact that we could raise funds by actively taking part in a demonstration of sleeping in our cars made it even more attractive to me,” he said. “Active participation to help others is very rewarding for both the giver and receiver.”

ST. JOHN’S-Unifor is calling on the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and the President and Vice-Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador (MUN) to act to resolve the issues of striking Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association (MUNFA) members.

“MUNFA members concerns have been ignored for too long, including the growth of precarious employment and erosion of stable jobs at the university,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Our union stands in solidarity with striking faculty workers who deserve to have their demands taken seriously at the bargaining table, including a simple yet vital change to the governance of MUN.”

In a letter addressed to Premier Furey and Memorial University President and Vice-Chancellor Vianne Timmons, Payne and Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray highlighted the increasingly corporatized nature of the university environment, primarily through the over-use of contract faculty.

“What message is MUN sending to students when its administration relies on people who work four or eight-month contracts?” said Murray. “It’s time the MUN Act was amended to make room for faculty voices, to improve their job security and offer fair compensation.”

Unifor has sent messages of support to MUNFA members and supports their calls for transparency, inclusion, and fair wages.

Read the letter here.

TORONTO – Unifor’s Social Justice Fund is making a $75,000 donation to the Humanitarian Coalition for the Türkiye and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund.

“The scale of the damage and suffering caused by these earthquakes is overwhelming, and the response must match the scale of the crisis,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The Humanitarian Coalition is bringing together international partners to support search and rescue and family reunification, as well as deliver vital aid including physical and mental health supports.”

A series of catastrophic earthquakes on Feb. 6, 2023 struck areas in Türkiye and Syria, causing widespread damage and building collapse. The estimated death toll of this crisis surpassed 11,000 people on Feb. 8, 2023 with recovery efforts continuing.

“The members of the Humanitarian Coalition deeply appreciate this generous contribution by the members of Unifor in solidarity with the people of Türkiye and Syria. Our life-saving work cannot happen without the essential support of compassionate Canadians” said Humanitarian Coalition Executive Director Richard Morgan.

“Unifor’s Social Justice Fund allows members in Canada to show international solidarity during times of unthinkable crisis, like this one. We wish for survivors to have the support they need to rebuild the safest, healthiest communities possible following this disaster,” said Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer Len Poirier.

The Humanitarian Coalition members including, Action Against Hunger, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the World, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan International Canada, Save the Children, and World Vision Canada. All partners are currently operating in Syria and 11 of 12 members are active in Turkey.

Unifor encourages members and local unions to make donations to The Humanitarian Coalition at the union’s dedicated donation link.

Members are also encouraged to make donations to the Canadian Red Cross Earthquake in Türkiye & Syria Appeal. Every donation made by individuals will be matched by the federal government between February 6 and 22, 2023, up to a maximum of $10 million.

The Unifor Social Justice Fund is a registered charity which promotes and supports the role of trade unions and workers groups in their efforts to strengthen democracy, promote equitable development, and contribute to poverty reduction, social justice and education reform.

Workers rallied on Parliament Hill while Premiers and Prime Minister Trudeau negotiated a new health care funding deal for provinces and territories.

Ahead of the February 7th action, Unifor launched a petition to send a message to provincial and federal decision-makers to protect the future of public health care in the deal.

The event brought together union workers and health care advocates from across the country to demand that people are put ahead of profits.

Unifor members from health care and many other sectors united in support of the call for better, public health care.

“We represent workers from every major sector in Canada, all here for one reason today. We’re here to support health care workers and public health care,” Len Poirier, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer, highlighted Unifor’s vast, multi-sector health care activism before thanking participants for attending.

Jenn Murray, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director, asked attendees to think about the effects of the crisis on health care workers, who struggle to provide care while governments underfund hospitals. Murray cited examples of paramedic services forced to wait hours before transferring care and patients passing away before receiving care. “Imagine going to work every single day, not knowing what new crisis you’re going to face?”

Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi reflected on the tragic failures of Ontario’s long-term care system and called out the province’s already privatized  mental health and addictions care. “This is what they’re moving towards for all health care, are we going to let them do it? No! Workers are the solution to this crisis, with the opposition we form in every province across this country.”

Other provinces are following Ontario’s model of health care cuts, underspending and privatization. Olivier Carrière, Assistant to the Quebec Director, said that  $2 billion in private profits in health care has already been made in Quebec alone. “That money needs to stay in the system, not to go into private pockets!”

“It sickens me to know that in the West we have one Premier who’s fighting for public health care, and three other Premiers who are doing everything that can to dismantle it!,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director as he pledged to fight for health care at the ballot box in Alberta and Manitoba this year.

This event was organized by the Canadian Health Coalition and endorsed by Unifor, The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), Council of Canadians, BC Health Coalition, Friends of Medicare, Inter Pares, Ottawa Health Coalition, Manitoba Health Coalition, Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The demands shared at the rally, and through the multi-union petition include calls for the federal government to:

• Implement a comprehensive strategy to retain and recruit healthcare workers and end the staffing crisis.
• Ensure funding is appropriately allocated and committed to fulfill the promises of creating national Pharmacare and dental programs.
• Phase out for-profit long-term care homes and transition toward community-based, publicly owned or non-profit homes.

Sign the petition to have your voice heard during these critical negotiations and get updates on the campaign.