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Black History Month

Black History Month in Canada

Black History Month is observed across Canada every February. Black History Month in Canada provides an opportunity to share and learn about the experiences, contributions and achievements of peoples of African ancestry (see Black Canadians). It was initiated in Canada by the Ontario Black History Society and introduced to Parliament in December 1995 by Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected as a member of Parliament. Black History Month was officially observed across Canada for the first time in February 1996 (see also Black History in Canada).

Black History 2022

In Solidarity,

Equity Committee 1996-O,

1996-O Executive

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Unifor statement on Ukraine invasion

Unifor statement on Ukraine invasion

Working people bear the brunt of any war.

They are the ones sent into battle. Their neighborhoods in war zones are left in ruins. Families are devastated, even far from the frontlines, as sons, fathers, daughters and mothers are sent into battle, never to return. Or returning broken.

With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, working people will pay that price once again.

Unifor condemns this invasion, and we express our deep concern that further escalation of military conflicts will bring the world to the brink of war with enormous humanitarian consequences.

There is no such thing as a foreign war. Many Canadians have their roots in Ukraine, and still have families there. When a major power such as Russia invades another country, the resulting instability threatens us all.

Unifor stands with our trade union organizations in Europe to call for urgent dialogue and political solutions to ensure a stable outcome for Ukraine and guarantee security in Europe.

Unifor joins with IndustriALL and the European Trade Union Federation in calling for trade union solidarity across borders, and endorses their statements that only peace and security can ensure both the sustainable economic recovery workers need and the social justice programs working people and their families rely on.

We must spare a moment, too, for the journalists covering this and other wars. War correspondents put their lives on the line to keep us informed.

In solidarity,

Lana Payne, National Secretary-Treasurer
Renaud Gagné, Québec Director

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Unifor condemns Premier Ford’s misuse of injured workers’ WSIB funds

TORONTO –Premier Ford’s plan to use injured worker’s WSIB funds to cut cheques for business owners in the province is a misappropriation of funds.

“It’s disgraceful to give payouts to employers when so many injured workers and occupational disease victims and families are still denied claims or have seen benefits slashed,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “This payout is a misuse of money that workers desperately need, and looks like an attempt to gain support just a few months before the provincial election.”

The provinces’ assessment of a future surplus is based on an actuarial fiction that assumes low benefits will be paid in future.

Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton announced the Ford government’s plan to return $1.5 billion in contributions to the fund that backs benefits for workers who are injured on the job. This is the first rebate announced after October 2021 legislative changes to how and when the WSIB may issue rebates.

“This is an offensive misuse of benefits that workers and their families are entitled to receive. These funds should have never been used to buoy businesses balance sheets, ,” continued Rizvi.

These rebates are close to the total annual income of the WSIB, which collects approximately $3.1 billion per year in premiums paid by employers and $1.7 billion in investment income.

Unifor will also monitor the recipients of the payouts. While government has stated businesses with a clean recent safety record will be eligible for the refund, this practice could reward employers without good frontline health and safety practices, where claims have been supressed in the workplace.