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Restarting Ontario’s Economy

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Dear members,

As the Government of Ontario moves towards reopening certain sectors of the economy, I would like to advise you of Unifor’s recent efforts to protect your rights, your health and safety, and ensure that your needs are met during this next phase of the government’s COVID-19 response.

Specifically, your union has urged the provincial government to:

  • provide clear guidance on worker rights and employer responsibilities in all workplaces operating during the pandemic,
  • to ensure critical services, notably transit and childcare, are accessible to all workers who need them at every step of the restart program, and
  • that workplace restarts only happen in lockstep with sufficient PPE for all workers.


The comprehensive details of our union’s concerns are outlined in a letter sent today to Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips.

Additional resources can be found on Unifor’s COVID-19 site at unifor.org/COVID19, including our Returning to Work from COVID-19 Closure fact sheet and our comprehensive analysis on Communicating Worker Rights and Employer Responsibilities.

Reopening Ontario’s economy cannot mean business as usual. Keeping workers and the public safe is a monumental task for governments and employers, and one that is of grave importance.

There are still many challenges to overcome with the COVID-19 pandemic. I urge all members to stay safe and continue to follow the guidance of public health officials.

Should you have any questions or concerns about workplace health and safety issues as well as access to critical services and PPE, please get in touch with the appropriate member of our staff and leadership team.

Sincerely,

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Unifor 1996-O 2020 Scholarships – Deadline Approaching, Submission due June 15 2020

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The deadline is fast approaching to get your application submitted.

We in Local 1996-O are concerned about the lives of our members’ families and their education.  Due to high tuition fees we recognize that post-secondary education is out of reach for many working-class. To assist, we’ve established 2 scholarships worth $1,000.00 each. One in memory of the late Brother, Milos Petrasinovic and Brother, Alwa Marcelle.

The scholarships are awarded to sons/daughters of Unifor 1996-O members in good standing.  Students must be entering their first year of full-time post-secondary education (university, community college, technological institute, trade school, etc.) in a public Canadian institution. 

These are entrance Scholarships only and are not renewable for students entering subsequent years of study.

Deadline for submitting an application is June 15 2020

The selection of candidates will be chosen no later than July 10, 2020 and will be final.

Click the link to download the 2020 application

2020-Unifor-Local-1996-O-Scholarship

 

In Solidarity,

 

1996-O Executive,

Lee, Sanjay, Brian, Chris

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Unifor celebrates the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia: In 2020, Shout Your Pride

 

May 17, 2020

Unifor marks the 2020 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT) with love and solidarity for people of all sexual and gender minorities.

Despite the challenging and unprecedented times we are living through, Unifor remains resolved to continue the fight against homophobia and transphobia.

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

The LGBTQ community in Canada is disproportionately affected by the economic consequences of the pandemic because of historic and structural oppression that cause more queer and trans people to live in homelessness and work in low-wage and precarious jobs.

Trans people experience significant barriers in access to health care in general and have less access to primary care physicians in particular, a problem amplified by this pandemic.

These barriers can and must be broken down.

In difficult times, we must protect each other. We cannot allow the struggles of our sisters, brothers, and all workers to be neglected. Instead, stories of workers from equity seeking groups should be celebrated and shared!

IDAHOT and Pride will look different this year. Parades, picnics, and community gatherings of all kinds are being cancelled, postponed and pushed down the line. Local Pride Committee events and meetings have been cancelled but that will not stop us from connecting with each other and having our voices heard.  For now, we must find new ways of celebrating and building community from a distance.

Unifor encourages LGBTQ members to Shout Your Pride in 2020.

This year for IDAHOT, Unifor encourages local unions, committees and members to create original digital posts, memes, and videos to counter homophobia and transphobia and to share positive stories from queer and trans members.

 

Download the shareable.

 

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #UniforPride

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Bell Canada pauses 5G launch plan

Bell Canada put a commercial 5G launch on hold due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, but stood by capex allocated for the next-generation network despite declines in earnings during Q1.

During an earnings call, CEO Mirko Bibic said Bell Canada is “ready with our initial 5G network, but frankly we don’t think that it’s the right time right now to officially launch it”, with customers unlikely to be “paying attention” at this time.

He noted the Samsung Galaxy S20 was among several 5G devices lined up, and the operator would provide an update on a revised launch plan once the economy begins to reopen following lockdowns.

It withdrew its 2020 guidance due to the uncertainty caused by the outbreak, but Bibic and CFO Glen LeBlanc said plans to spend between CAD4 billion ($2.8 billion) and CAD4.1 billion on 5G upgrades and deployment of new fixed assets over the course of the year stood.

“This is not a time to pull back capital spending on critical network infrastructure. The country is depending on us,” Bibic said.

The operator named Nokia as a 5G equipment vendor in February.

Metrics
Profit fell 7.3 per cent year-on-year to CAD733 million, with revenue of CAD5.68 billion down from CAD5.73 billion.

Wireless revenue was down 2 per cent to CAD2.03 billion, with service turnover flat at CAD1.54 billion and equipment 9.1 per cent lower at CAD488 million.

It added 19,595 mobile subscribers compared with 38,282 in Q1 2019.

Read here….

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National Nursing Week

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National Nursing Week

The week of May 11-17 2020 is the annual week dedicated to showing appreciation for our nurses and the nursing profession. This years theme is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to health”. Developed by the International council of nurses (ICN), the theme is meant to illustrate how central the profession is in responding to the many world health challenges. ICN believes that Nurses work tirelessly to provide care and their contribution to the health of people globally makes them central to the delivery of health care.

National Nursing day is May 12th 2020 and is also separately acknowledged. It follows after the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Florence, like the italian city in which she was born and named after is known as the founder of modern nursing and the nurse that helped project proper medical care policies in the 19/20th century. She adopted the title “The lady with the lamp” as she cared for the british soldiers wounded during the Crimean war during the night hours. This May 12th will mark the 200th anniversary of Nightingales birth date.

“National Nursing Week is a great opportunity to recognize the leadership role of all regulated nurses in Canada.” CNA president Claire Betker

Authored By Theresa Phouipouy on behalf of the Local 1996-O Equity Committee.
In Solidarity,
1996-O Equity Committee
1996-O Executive