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Unifor condemns attacks on Gaza

Unifor unequivocally condemns the atrocities committed on the people of Gaza by the Israeli bombardments that have escalated over the past week.

These deadly assaults have targeted residential buildings and refugee camps, a medical clinic, and international media offices. The death toll, including large numbers of children, climbs daily with thousands injured and homeless.  The utterly disproportionate and indiscriminate military actions on Gaza must be viewed as crimes against humanity.

The latest escalation stems from coordinated political acts of aggression, including the evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the Israeli security forces attack against the Al-Aqsa mosque and the disturbing wave of violence against Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank.

Unifor joins human rights organizations and people who have demonstrated in cities around the world in recent days calling for an immediate end to the military actions in Gaza. In addition, we ask that the Canadian government take the following immediate actions:

  • Denounce the violence against the Palestinian people. Without global political pressure, the occupation, denial of human rights and massive military force against Palestinians will continue.
  • Issue a full weapons ban/embargo on Israel. We should not be supplying arms that Israeli forces are using to commit these human rights atrocities against the Palestinian people.
  • Convince the U.S. to stop stalling and sign the United Nations Security Council statement condemning Israeli violence and calls for a ceasefire.
  • Work with the international community and demand that Israel immediately restore electricity, sanitation and full water access and purification to the people of Gaza. Gaza borders should also be opened to allow for the free flow of medical supplies from international organizations — including COVID-19 vaccines — and those requiring medical interventions.
  • Work with the international community to demand that Israel end all home confiscations, demolitions and construction of illegal settlements.

The military assault on Gaza is the fourth Israeli offensive since 2008. It has shown once again that there can be no lasting and just peace without an end to the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and a political solution based on the respect of universal human rights and democracy.

Human Rights Watch, in its April 2021 report A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution, concluded that Israeli authorities are committing crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.

This renewed intensification of conflict with elements of extreme right-wing racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia also underscores the crucial link between justice for Palestinians, democracy, the right to self-determination and human rights everywhere.

This context was eloquently expressed to us by our partner organization, the MAAN Workers Action Centre, working in East Jerusalem. In the words of Sister Roni Ben Efrat from correspondence to Unifor May 14 2021:

“The spark this time was a renewed attempt by Israel to evict Palestinian families from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah.”

“Israeli leaders thought they could continue dominating the lives of 5 million rightless Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, restrict their freedom of movement, and doom them to poverty…We don’t have the luxury to stop struggling for reason and justice. We struggle not because we are sure we will win, but because we have no choice.

Unifor stands with the people of Gaza.  We call on Canada to raise its voice and take all necessary diplomatic, political and economic actions to end the military offensive against Gaza, but not merely to return to the unacceptable status quo of the occupation.

We endorse the Statement by MAAN Workers Association of East Jerusalem:

“Stop the War! We call upon all who can exert influence, civilian movements, public figures and others in both Israeli and Palestinian society, to unite behind the call to end the violence and prevent further harm to innocent civilians on both sides. We call for Israelis and Palestinians to cross the borders, visible and invisible, and work together to prevent the extremists on either side from taking over. Together we can help build a just and sane society without discrimination based on religion, nationality, race or gender.”

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Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

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May 17, 2021

Unifor marks the 2021 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT) with solidarity for people of all sexual and gender minorities.

Unifor remains resolved to continue the fight against homophobia and transphobia through social change and the fight for human rights for all.

As we resurface after the pandemic and begin to build a better world, we must do away with the inequalities and oppression that lead to discrimination.

Unifor calls upon governments of all levels to recognise LGBTQ workers in recovery efforts and for the federal government to finally pass legislation to adopt a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’.

Conversation therapy is a dangerous, unfounded practice that often involves minors’ abuse and leads to lifetime trauma. The basic assumption that a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression is something to be altered or corrected, threatens LGBTQ workers’ dignity and well being. This runs against the union’s position on supporting the rights of all workers.

Unifor is opposed to conversion therapy in all forms and supports efforts to put a stop to the practice through municipal, provincial, and federal bans.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and Pride will look different this year. Many local unions are organizing online events to unite community after an isolating year.

 

 

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Anti-scab legislation now!

Take action…sign the petition here…

Unifor is calling on all elected officials at the provincial, territorial and federal level to enact anti-scab legislation, in accordance with a set of basic principles based, in part, in existing legislation in Quebec, BC, and international jurisdictions.

  • Prohibit employers from using replacement workers for the duration of any legal strike or lockout
  • Include significant financial penalties for employers who defy the legislation
  • Allow limited use of temporary workers, only to undertake essential maintenance work to protect the integrity and safety of the workplace

Click the link above to sign….

 

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Ford government must act to reduce unacceptable surgical and test backlog

May 10, 2021

The Ontario government must act immediately to reduce the unacceptable surgical and diagnostic test backlog says Unifor.

“The Ford government failed to quickly enact measures to protect Ontarians from the spread of COVID-19, such as paid sick days and priority vaccination access for essential workers,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Now the cancellation of elective surgeries and redirection of hospital resources to deal with third wave patients will cause further suffering and claim additional lives due to skyrocketing surgical and test backlogs.”

The postponement of elective surgeries and non-emergency diagnostic procedures during the pandemic has created a massive backlog that will take 3.5 years and 3 years respectively to clear, according to a new report by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO).

“Allowing people to continue to suffer while awaiting surgery and negating the benefits of early diagnosis by delaying vital medical tests is unconscionable,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi. “This report reflects not only the historical gap in health care funding in Ontario, but confirms that the government’s spending plan will make the backlog issue even worse, with the 2021 budget falling $700 million short of the $1.3 billion required.”

The FAO projects an elective surgery backlog of 419,200 procedures and diagnostic backlog of 2.5 million procedures by end of September 2021.

The province’s spending plan in budget 2021 calls for an average annual 0.5% decline in real per capita spending from 2019-20 to 2029-30, despite the FAO projecting that almost double that amount will be needed based on current program design and commitments. By 2030, the FAO estimates a cumulative funding shortfall of $61.9 billion.

“While there is no denying the strain that COVID-19 has put on healthcare the government cannot blame the pandemic alone for the projected surgical and testing delays,” said Dias. “This is the result of a chronically underfunded system and the only way to fix it is by investing now, not next budget, not during the next election campaign, but tomorrow.”

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LOCAL 1996-O CHIEF STEWARD STRUCTURED CABLE ELECTION 2021 (May 7 2021- May 31 2021) – reminder

Sisters and Brothers,

Reminder,  1996-O Structured Cable Chief Steward Election, the deadline to return your ballots by way of Canada Post is no later than May 19th 2021 2400 hrs.

 

(May 7th 2021)

Nominations have closed for the 2021 1996-O Chief Steward Elections.

There will be an Election for Chief Steward in Structured Cable 1996-O,

The dates of the election are the following:

  • Mail out of ballots will commence from May 7th 2021.
  • Return ballot envelopes must be deposited by way of Canada Post no later than May 19th 2021 2400hrs.
    (Note any return ballot envelopes postmarked after May 20th 2021 will not be accepted or counted.)
    Spoiled ballots are those that do not clearly indicate the person voted for/and or otherwise marked in any way, including if the return envelope has been written/marked on, or tampered with. (There is a detailed explanation insert with the mailed out ballot.)
  • Seniority list from April of 2021 will be used as a voters list
  • Member Address List: The Current home address list of 1996-O Structured Cable members attained from BTS/Unifor1996-O in May 2021
  • May 11th 2021 @ 1000hrs is the deadline to inform the committee of an address discrepancy on file with the employer/Union. The committee must be informed via email Elections1996@gmail.com for the correction, there will be no exceptions.
  • Please note eligibility to vote is for Structured cable members of 1996-O
  • The Election will take place on May 31st 2021.

1996-O, Structured Cable Chief Steward 2021 Election candidates as follows:

  • Lloyd Bishop
  • Colum Lynn

 

In Solidarity,

Local 1996-O