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Statement on the International Day of Older Persons

September 30, 2020

On October 1st we celebrate the International Day of Older Persons.

First observed in 1991, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated this special day to draw attention to the important contribution of seniors and to changing demographics: the greying of the population, or the “age of aging.”

This year marks the 30th year of the International Day of Older Persons, and recognizing the many challenges faced by older persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. This coincides with 2020 being recognized as “The Year of the Nurse,” the pandemic has shown the critical role that health care professionals play in our society. It has also further brought to light the vulnerabilities of older persons and the blatant abuses that occur when the health and care of our elders are put in the hands of for-profit organizations.

The 2020 theme aims to:

  • Inform participants about the strategic objectives for the Decade of Healthy Ageing.
  • Raise awareness of the special health needs of older persons and of their contributions to their own health and to the functioning of the societies in which they live.
  • Increase awareness and appreciation of the role of the health care workforce in maintaining and improving the health of older persons, with special attention to the nursing profession
  • Present proposals for reducing the health disparities between older persons in the developed and developing countries, so as to “Leave no one behind”.
  • Increase understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on older persons and its impact on health care policy, planning, and attitudes.

Older Persons & Covid-19

Since the onset of the pandemic, the United Nations has given priority to the needs of older persons in its collective preparedness and response action at global, regional and country level.

“Older persons are a valuable aspect of our society and their contributions are needed to strengthen communities and to have a functioning society,” says Les MacDonald Chair Unifor Retired Workers Council and Unifor National Executive Board member. “It is important to recognize that development will only be achieved if it is inclusive of all ages.”  Governments at all levels must ensure that older persons receive the care, the opportunities and support to experience Healthy Ageing.

Unifor retirees continue to fight for improved standards of living, whether it be through employer provided pensions, government pensions, fighting for better and more inclusive healthcare, dental care and a national pharma care program.

Between 2015 and 2030, the number of older persons worldwide is set to increase from 901 million to 1.4 billion, the number of people aged 60 and older will exceed that of young people aged 15 -24.

To achieve equality attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by many older people is required.

Empowering older persons by active participation in social, economic and political live is one way to ensure their inclusiveness and to reduce inequalities.

Seniors and retired workers will hold virtual events across the country in recognition of International Day of Older Persons, if you are not hosting an event, look for one in a community near you and help recognize the contributions of Older Persons.

Torstar reverses job cuts following collaborative consultation with Unifor

October 1, 2020

HAMILTON– Torstar has reversed the elimination of 24 jobs at the Hamilton Spectator classified call centre, following collaborative consultation with Unifor.

“We’re pleased that our union was able to work together with Torstar to find an alternative solution to moving these jobs to the United States so that Canadians can remain employed,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

Earlier this month, the company announced that the eight full-time and 16 part-time positions would move to Buffalo, New York with the workers scheduled to lose their jobs on October 19, 2020. These workers are all members of Unifor Local 87-M.

Following discussion with Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Torstar’s new owners, Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett, stepped up to cancel the job move initiated by previous ownership, opting to invest in Canadian workers instead.

“When we took ownership a few weeks ago we made it clear that our goal is to grow the business and our workers are a key part of that effort,” said Paul Rivett. “We remain committed to working in partnership with Unifor and other stakeholders to achieve that objective.”

Torstar owns the Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Star, Waterloo Region Record, St. Catharines Standard, Niagara Falls Review, Welland Tribune and Peterborough Examiner daily newspapers, and a large number of weekly community newspapers.

“In recent years, it has been more difficult for young journalists to break into Canadian print journalism. The industry has taken a severe financial hit. Foreign internet giants such as Facebook suck up ad revenue without contributing jobs or taxes. The situation is now compounded by revenue drops thanks to COVID-19,” said Dias. “Initiatives such as the resumption of the Toronto Star’s paid internship program will help to expand diversity while providing young journalists with valuable experience as they get their foot in the door.”

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

Union leaders call on the government for urgent financial support for the aviation sector

Damage to the aviation sector could become permanent without urgent and meaningful intervention

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2020 – Today, Canadian union leaders representing more than 310,000 Canadian workers are calling on the Trudeau government to take urgent, concrete steps to prevent permanent, long-lasting damage to the aviation sector by providing direct support.

Jerry Dias, National President of Unifor, Robert Giguere, Chief Executive Officer of the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) and Tim Perry, Canadian President of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) are asking the Canadian and provincial governments to take immediate steps to provide direct, financial support to the sector and approve rapid testing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis in Canada’s aviation industry. It has led airlines to adopt drastic survival measures to deal with a drop in demand and international and inter- provincial restrictions – and recovery may be years away. Many businesses supporting the sector have faced closure. Airlines and airports have laid off or furloughed highly skilled and extensively trained workers; at two airlines alone (Air Canada and WestJet), some 30,000 skilled employees have lost their jobs. It is a devastating blow for a sector that previously employed roughly 240,000 workers and contributed nearly $37 billion in Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Though the government hinted at support in its recent Throne Speech, Canada stands alone among leading developed countries – including Germany, Singapore, France, the United Kingdom and the U.S. – in announcing no concrete direct measures for the travel and tourism sector.

“Canada needs to step up and support its industry like most other countries,” stated Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “There really is no more time to waste. We need urgent funds for the aviation sector or there won’t be Canadian airlines, and that will cost us all much more,” Dias continued.

The aviation sector is critical not just for its workers but for the Canadian economy and all Canadians – during the pandemic and beyond. The sector is an essential engine of national and international trade, ensuring that Canadian goods, services and expertise continue to get to market, and in turn ensuring Canadians have access to the goods, services and expertise required. Aviation workers contribute essential services that support the entire Canadian economy, including business, tourism, and cargo.

“The aviation sector is part of Canada’s national strategic infrastructure. Airlines and airports are essential not just to the Canadian economy – but to the Canadian communities that rely on them,” added Tim Perry, President of ALPA Canada.

“We need to ensure a strong Canadian airline industry to drive our economy – not just today but for the long-haul,” stated Robert Giguere, President of ACPA. “We don’t want to see Canada’s pandemic recovery stifled by inaction now, forcing us to rebuild this critical sector and harming Canada’s competitiveness and future growth.”

The union leaders noted that, seven months into the management of the pandemic, Canada’s government has failed to deliver the required level of industry support, leaving workers, employers and travellers with continued uncertainty.

Union leaders are calling on the government to provide immediate financial aid to protect this strategic and critical infrastructure for all Canadians. Specifically, they called for $7 billion of direct financial support which would include:

  • A combination of loan guarantees, as well as direct financial aid tied to the resumption and/or maintenance of air services, commensurate to the impact on the industry and consistent with the support extended by other countries.
  • Funding dedicated to developing an evolving quarantine and testing plan that aligns with science and ensures safety.

Funding for the resumption and/or maintenance of air services (sometimes referred to as “air bridges”) would address current shortcomings, both domestically and internationally, by preserving routes that will continue to connect communities, countries and commerce to the benefit of all Canadians.

In addition, while the extended CEWS program – an employer-directed program – has provided some measure of job protection for employees, we have seen thousands of layoffs in this sector and a disproportionately large number of furloughed aviation workers, notwithstanding the CEWS. The harsh reality is that airlines are extremely capital-intensive operations with a high cash-burn rate and the requirement to preserve liquidity to maintain equipment, routes and staff. This reality is not considered under the CEWS.

In addition to the call for immediate and direct financial relief, unions are also calling on the government to support the science-based approval and deployment of rapid tests for COVID-19 to facilitate the eventual safe return to travel. This will be key to ensuring employee and public safety going forward.

Aviation and the travel, hospitality and tourism industries are the connective tissue that keep our country together. Regaining air and travel connectivity is essential to the re-launch of our economy, and without immediate support, the job losses and route cancellations stemming from the pandemic risk becoming permanent.

Have your Say in the Telco Member Survey

WFH-Survey

Unifor launched a cross-Canada Telecommunications Member Survey on Working from Home. All members are invited to participate in this survey, to help paint a clear picture of the effects of changing work environments in the telecommunications sector.

Please fill out the survey today, on a personal phone or computer – not your company computer – and not during work hours.

 

Unifor wants to know about members’ experiences working from home, including the impact of that work on job performance, personal lives, mental and physical health, and more.

Your union will use this confidential information to help develop stronger bargaining demands, improve our working conditions, and demand better rules and legislation from governments.

 

The Working from Home survey will be open until Sunday, October 4, at midnight, and is available in both English and French.

 

English: www.unifor.org/wfhsurvey

French: www.unifor.org/tadsondage