Unifor has commissioned EKOS Research Associates to conduct a survey of members about your needs and challenges when it comes to retirement security, and how Unifor can best meet those needs.
Please click on the link below to begin the survey. Your input will be critical in helping us elaborate a strategy for Unifor to meet member needs and strengthen our community in the decades to come.
I read the tweet, and did a double take.
Here was Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, Canada’s anti-progressive, media-bashing “Trump in the North,” railing against Unifor — Canada’s largest media union — for being invited to identify an expert to sit on a technical panel to define what constitutes quality journalism.
The contempt in his tweet would have you think that Unifor, itself, was somehow responsible for administering a program that is a lifeline to struggling news organizations, many of which can barely keep the newsroom lights on.
News flash: We’re not. And Scheer knows that. But, hey, why not play fast and loose with the facts when it fuels Conservative Party fundraising, and fosters endless strings of conspiracy theories? A well executed playbook from the Republicans down south.
Part of me understands Scheer is simply playing the new game of politics. I get it.
But I get angry at what this blatant, intentional mischaracterization means for October’s federal election campaign. I’m always up for a fair fight. Go ahead and criticize the government’s plan to protect Canada’s independent press. Let’s weigh the merits of this plan against another and have a healthy debate.
But trashing a plan with misstatements and half-truths, and no plan of your own, is a different kind of fight — one Canadians must not be willing to play.
Scheer’s tweet circulated a satirical photo of elected Unifor officials taken in 2018, spoofing a controversial Maclean’s cover featuring Scheer, Doug Ford and a gaggle of Conservative Party cousins, billing them as “The Resistance.”
Scheer incorrectly stated Unifor officials have been “appointed to help decide” how new federal funds to support struggling news organizations will be distributed.
False.
The truth is this is an independent panel of technical experts, including journalists, to define the terms of quality and professional journalism — a task best left to professionals, not politicians. Figuring out what constitutes proper journalism is a necessary precondition to any financial support — lest we cut cheques to every basement-dwelling news blogger.
Unifor, with a balance of seven other organizations, including journalist associations, worker organizations and media publishers (yes, the same ones who disproportionately endorse Conservative parties come election time), will recommend who can assist in these preliminary, technical discussions.
The panel has until the end of July to offer its directional guidance, and then will disband.
A completely separate panel will then be responsible for allocating funds. Unifor will have absolutely no role on that panel, nor should we.
There’s a lot at stake. More than 250 news outlets have either closed or merged in the last decade. Newspaper revenue dropped 64%.
Here’s what Scheer needs to understand: Losing news gathering capacity sucks the oxygen from our democracy and allows fake news to propagate.
Does Scheer really believe his own rhetoric? Does he really want to see the demise of our Fourth Estate? Scheer puts the very principles of truth and democracy at risk with this own brand of fake news.
He should be ashamed of himself.
Dear members,
As you may know, the House of Commons passed Bill C-262, introduced by Quebec MP Romeo Saganash, on May 30, 2018. The bill ensures that Canadian laws are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).
However, Senators from the Conservative Party are threatening to stall and filibuster, which would essentially kill the bill and everything the UNDRIP can contribute to reconciliation.
The Assembly of First Nations is calling on its allies to take urgent action.
Click here to send a message to members of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples.
Don’t let un-elected conservative Senators stand in the way of reconciliation!
For more information on Bill 262, visit www.afn.ca/legislative-
In solidarity,
Jerry Dias
National President
Sisters and Brothers,
Nominations have closed for the 2019 Executive Elections and an Election for all Executive positions has been declared.
Note* 416 West technicians (Horner/Arrow) must vote at their assigned work centre only.
Horner June 10
Arrow June 10
Royal Windsor June 11
Brampton June 11
Core June 12
Markham June 12
Argentia June 13
Orangeville June 13
Birchmount June 14
In Solidarity,
Local 1996-O
May 27, 2019
To: All Bell-related Locals across Canada
Sisters and Brothers,
Today, Unifor has filed an Unfair Labour Practice complaint against Bell Canada for their failure
to disclose the scope of the Wireless to the Home project during Bell Craft bargaining in 2017, and
again during BTS bargaining in 2018 where the tripartite agreement covering residential
installation work was also renegotiated.
Additionally, in the complaint, we have also raised how the entire project was contracted out as
pay back for the union exercising our legal right to represent our members in a way that Bell
Canada was not appreciative of (this according to Declan Brady, Senior Vice President of
Operations, Bell).
In the coming weeks and months members can expect a series of escalating actions aimed at
repatriating this work for members of Unifor.
Please continue to support your bargaining committees, local representatives and your national
union as we fight for this work and the end to erosion in all of our bargaining units.
Please visit our website at Bellrealtalk.ca for the latest updates.
In solidarity,
Chris MacDonald John Caluori
Assistant to the National President Assistant to the Quebec Director