November 5, 2019 – 12:00 PM

Unifor, Canada’s largest union in the private sector, will be platinum sponsors of the Special Olympic 2020 Canada Winter Games, in support of the incredible contribution the athletes bring to their communities and their sports.

“Unifor is honoured to support the Special Olympic 2020 Canada Winter Games,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Our union believes in championing inclusivity, removing barriers to participation, and in the transformative power of sport to bring people together. Our sponsorship will help celebrate the achievements of Special Olympians and the work being done by Special Olympics Canada.”

The National Games are held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter. This year, the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games will be held in Thunder Bay from February 25 to 29, 2020. The games will welcome more than 1,200 athletes, coaches and mission staff from across Canada.

“It is exciting to be involved with the Special Olympic Canada Winter Games,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “Unifor supports the values that guide Special Olympics Canada and that bring each athlete to these games and to the world stage: empowerment, excellence, respect, diversity and inclusion.”

Unifor is encouraging locals and members to support the Draft an Athlete program. The program allows supporters of the movement to fund a Special Olympics athlete’s journey to a regional, provincial, national or world competition.

The cost of sending athletes to competitions is high. Through the Draft an Athlete program, more athletes are able to attend a competition through direct support.

Athletes qualify for National Games based on their results from Provincial Games. These National Games are the qualifying event for athletes to become members of Team Canada attending the Special Olympics World Winter Games.

The Games will include competition in eight official Special Olympics sports: alpine skiing, five-pin bowling, cross country skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, speed skating and snowshoeing.

November 5, 2019 – 12:30 PM

 

November 5, 2019 – 3:00 PM

 

Members at Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 began job action on November 1 after the employer balked at improvements to working conditions, benefits, and wages.

“There has not been a serious offer from the company since we served strike notice,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “In other words, the company feels very comfortable with system-wide job action.”

Unifor represents 3,800 transit operators and nearly 1,000 skilled trades and maintenance staff at Coast Mountain Bus Company, the firm contracted by the regional transit authority, Translink. The first phase of job action included a uniform ban for operators and an overtime ban for maintenance workers.

Contract talks have been underway for months, but no attempt has been made by the employer to address the most core concerns of Unifor members. Unifor says that the system is under stress, and Unifor members are bearing the brunt of it with assaults on the rise and schedules planned too tight for bathroom breaks.

“Metro Vancouver is undergoing a historic transit expansion, but it can’t leave workers behind,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “It’s not a world-class transit system if operators are treated like second-class citizens.”

McGarrigle says that, without progress on core issues, nearly 5,000 members will escalate job action in the coming weeks.

There are no further talks scheduled

Dear members,

We need your help to save 230 Unifor members’ jobs and thousands more forestry jobs across Nova Scotia – and it will only take a few minutes.

Unifor Local 440 members at Northern Pulp are in a battle to get approval for a brand new, state-of-the-art effluent treatment facility to replace the current system in Boat Harbour, adjacent to Pictou Landing First Nation. But – the company needs the approval of Nova Scotia Environment before construction can begin.

That’s where you can help. If enough people submit supportive comments to Nova Scotia Environment, then we can push the government to save these members’ jobs.

Here are 5 tips to use in your comments:

• Use your expertise as a forestry worker (if applicable)

• Keep it simple, straight-forward and fact-based

• Focus on the mandate of Nova Scotia Environment

• Emphasize the third-party science contained in the Focus Report

• Encourage others to do the same

 

Are you ready? Email ea@novascotia.ca or click here to submit your comment today. Choose “Replacement Effluent Treatment Facility Project” from the site’s drop-down.

A complicated history with previous owners of the mill has left the community divided and a vocal group is advocating to shut the mill down. Meanwhile Paper Excellence, the new owners since 2011, have invested millions of dollars to upgrade the mill and are ready and eager to spend $130 million more to install this new treatment plant.

A 2,600-page scientific report has been submitted for government review and clearly states this new facility would be well within Nova Scotian and Canadian guidelines.

Our union firmly believes this new facility is the right project to support thousands of good jobs across the province, protect the environment, and respect First Nations. This is what we’ve advocated for all along.

If you want more information before submitting a comment, refer to the NEW Member Guide to Submitting Comments. For some inspiration, I’ve attached a sample submission from a Unifor forestry member. You can read Unifor’s submission here.

There are 88 other pulp and paper mills across Canada that coexist and support their communities. We know Northern Pulp can, too.

Comments close on November 8. That’s just one week away!

Thank you for your solidarity,

Jerry Dias
Unifor National President

 

Unifor is excited to partner with the Toronto Rock Lacrosse Club for its season opener and offer members, family and friends an exclusive fun-filled night on Saturday, December 7, 2019.

The game starts at 7 p.m, but doors will open early at the Scotia Bank arena for an exclusive Unifor tailgate party that includes many family-friendly activities.

Tickets for the game are $37 each.

Included with the tickets for each attendee:

• $10 food and drink voucher
• Early premium access to the Scotia Lounge
• Dedicated seating for Unifor members and family.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking on this link.

Tickets are selling out as fast, please make sure to purchase your tickets early before they are all gone.

If you have any questions, please contact John Aman at 416-495-6650 or john.aman@unifor.org

In solidarity,

Naureen Rizvi
Ontario Regional Director