Unifor Local 1996-O

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Unifor members in Thunder Bay to help make 18,000 ventilators

Unifor members at Local 1075 are getting ready to manufacture parts for urgently needed ventilators at the Bombardier plant that usually manufactures bilevel GO Trains, streetcars and subway trains.

“Our highly skilled workforce is more than capable to step up and make this life saving equipment needed to battle COVID-19,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

As many as 50 members are being recalled from layoff announced last month because of the pandemic.

They will begin producing parts starting next week for a ventilator company.

“To have 455 members back at work, doing such important work to help health care workers save lives is a proud moment for our local,” said Dominic Pasqualino, President of Unifor Local 1075.

Bombardier’s contract with Brampton’s O-Two Medical Technologies means Unifor members will do sanding, painting and assembly work on the e700 portable ventilators for the Ontario government. The ventilators are key in the treatment of COVID-19 as they deliver oxygen to patients when their lungs no longer can.

“The initial contract says we will produce 18,000 of these ventilators required for our hospitals and long term care homes,” said Pasqualino. “And we would welcome more of this work if needed.”

Unifor members will also assemble display screens and install battery boxes before shipping the ventilators to O-Two for final assembly and testing.

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Bell accelerating rural Internet rollout in response to COVID-19

  • Rolling out broadband Wireless Home Internet service to approximately 137,000 more homes than anticipated by the end of April
  • Keeping Canada connected: Bell team stays ahead of increasing usage by consumers, businesses, governments and first responders with investment in connections and capacity across our networks

MONTRÉAL, April 23, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ – Bell today announced that it has accelerated the rollout of its new Wireless Home Internet (WHI) service in rural Canada as part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis, and is on track to reach 137,000 more homes than originally planned by the end of this month.

“Bell’s Wireless Home Internet program is dedicated to bringing full broadband Internet speeds to rural communities and other traditionally underserved locations. And with WHI usage growing 40% over the last month, the COVID-19 crisis has clearly underscored the value of the service to customers in smaller communities,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada. “With the scale of our operations and the depth of our team, Bell is a company uniquely positioned to lead the way in delivering high-speed Internet access to rural Canada. Our accelerated rollout to 137,000 additional rural households in 180 individual communities this month is both an immediate response to COVID-19 and part of our work to connect even more rural Canadians for generations to come.”

Read the article here…

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BCE Q1 2020 results to be announced May 7

MONTRÉAL, April 17, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ – BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) will hold its first-quarter 2020 results conference call with the financial community on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 8:00 am eastern.

Participants will include Mirko Bibic, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Glen LeBlanc, Chief Financial Officer. Media are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis.

To participate, please dial toll-free 1-800-806-5484 or 416-340-2217 and enter passcode 4789815#. A replay will be available until midnight on June 5, 2020 by dialing 1-800-408-3053 or 905-694-9451 and entering passcode 3452793#.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on BCE’s website at BCE Q1-2020 conference call.

About BCE
BCE is Canada’s largest communications company, providing advanced Bell broadband wireless, TV, Internet and business communications services alongside Canada’s premier content creation and media assets from Bell Media. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

The Bell Let’s Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

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COVID-19 Resources

1996-O Executive Message

Please visit the resources below:

 

COVID-19 Web Page

Visit www.unifor.org/covid19 for the most up to date union information, resources, and news on the coronavirus. At this point in the crisis, new information is posted daily, including a growing list of sector-specific backgrounders.

COVID-19 Checklist for income replacement

This checklist sets out the possible measures that may be available for income replacement events including; sickness cue to COVID-19, isolation or quarantine, family care obligations, and layoff or business closures.

Download the checklist (PDF)

Sources: WHO, Ontario Government etc

https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/210

https://www.who.int/

coronavirus Fact sheet

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

Search your H/S Co-Chair here…

 

handout - outside handout - inside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Solidarity,

Lee, Sanjay, Brian, Chris

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Health care workers triumph in fight for equal access to personal protective equipment

TORONTO —Unifor, working with a coalition of Ontario health care unions has succeeded in forcing the Ontario government to ensure health care workers within two meters of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient will have access to the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“We are only going to flatten the curve and beat the COVID-19 pandemic if health care workers are provided adequate safety tools needed to safely do their jobs,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “We are relieved the Ford government listened to health care workers but this type of injustice should have never occurred in the first place. I am urging Premiers across the country to immediately implement similar measures.”

Today, the Ontario government revised “Directive #5 for Hospitals within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act” to include all health care workers working at a hospital or long-term care facility to be able to perform a point of care assessment and, where there is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, determine the appropriate PPE to utilize.

“Today’s victory brings a huge sigh of relief to health care workers in Ontario,” said Katha Fortier, Assistant to the National President responsible for health care. “Knowing they will be provided appropriate health and safety control measures such as N95 respirators and appropriate isolation gowns means health care workers can focus on providing the best quality of care to Ontarians.”

The revised directive will require hospitals and long-term care homes to continually asses their PPE inventory, provide training on correct usage and develop contingency plans in consultation with unions to ensure the safety of health care workers.

The revised directive also stipulates that retirement homes must take all reasonable steps to follow the required precautions outlined in the order.

“We will be closely monitoring retirement home employers to ensure similar protocols are taken to ensure the safety of workers and their elderly residents,” said Dias.

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