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Bell Craft Bargaining Update #11

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Campaign Update

Information Bulletin #11

3/16/2021 -Sisters and Brothers,

Your Bargaining Committee will begin conciliation with the Company next week via Zoom. Over the past two weeks, we have shared eight historical analysis documents about our past struggles. The series highlighted just how critical it is to fight for our future and laid clear that 21 years of concessions is enough.

Furthermore, the Company has filed to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, under section 87.4 of the Canada Labour Code, over our dispute regarding Maintenance of Activities in the event of a lockout or strike. This was an expected action, however it does not change the fact that the Company’s extreme concessionary demands could lead to a work stoppage, if there is not a significant change to their proposals and recognition of our priorities.

When there is a situational change we will communicate it to the membership whenever possible. Your continued support and solidarity remains critical as we move through the stages of the bargaining process.

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

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A win for equal pay more than 10 years in the making

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of workers in a precedent-setting case about the method employers must use to maintain proxy pay equity for their predominantly female workforce.

The dispute arises from a group of nursing homes, referred to as the “Participating Nursing Homes.” The case was brought by the Ontario Nurses Association and the Service Employees International Union, who each argued that the homes have failed to maintain pay equity after it was initially achieved in 2005. Unifor, together with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, supported the Equal Pay Coalition’s intervention in the case in support of the unions.

“We often say that union membership is the strongest way to ensure pay equity. Nursing home workers’ victory in this case show that even when it takes a little more work, your union is still your best advocate in this fight for fairness,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

The crux of the dispute was how to maintain pay equity for workforces that were 95% women, like nursing homes.

This case was first heard by the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal, which ruled against the unions in 2016. That decision was overturned by the Ontario Divisional Court on appeal. Now the Court of Appeal upheld the Divisional Court’s decision, ruling in favour of workers and their unions.

“Nursing home workers are not only majority women, but they are often immigrant women, and racialized workers. This win is a vital ruling in order to continue our fight for pay equity across these intersections,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director.

Equal Pay Day in Ontario is April 7, 2021. That day will mark how far into the year the average women must work in order to earn what the average man earned in the previous year.

The nursing homes that argued against maintaining equal pay were advocating for letting women workers fall further behind in their pay. Initially, the homes denied that they had any obligation to maintain pay equity at all.

This decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal sets a precedent that will push even more women-dominated workplaces towards equity, by mandating that substantive pay equity is maintained through comparison to male work and wages.

Workers in Ontario’s nursing homes have long raised the alarm about low pay and dangerous working conditions.

“Ontario’s nursing homes should be a safe place to live and work, but this past year has revealed that the opposite is true,” continued Dias. “This decade-long refusal to maintain pay equity is a piece of that larger problem, and this win is part of the solution.”

Unifor is returning to the bargaining table with nursing homes across Ontario beginning in the fall of 2021 and into 2022 as various collective agreements reach expiry.

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Steward Nominations 1996-O – Deadline approaching – Mar 20, 2021 10:00AM

The 7 day Steward Nomination period is now open as of March 12 2021, nominations must be received by Fax (416-538-1997) no later than March 20 2021 at 10:00am EST.

 

Please follow the instructions on the nomination form itself to correctly indicate your current division and location as well as information and times etc….see sample nomination attached below

  • Due to Covid-19 restrictions if you are unable to obtain signatures from nominators, indicate in the signature field the nominator’s contact phone number which will be confirmed

 

Sample Nomination Form (This is a sample only)

Sample – Nomination Form Stewards 2021

 

Download 2021 Steward Nomination Form here

Nomination Form Stewards 2021

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March 21st International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21st – marred in history when police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.

Unifor recognizes we must not repeat history and it has been very evident this year, we must be a part of the change needed to redefine public safety and divest from institutions that perpetuate racism and are still taking the lives of Black, Indigenous and people of colour.

This year, Unifor’s message is “Together for Racial Justice.” We understand that we must use our collective power to make change. It is about engaging the communities, trade unions, employers, workplaces and organizations to work together for meaningful lasting change.

#Together4RacialJustice aims to make real meaningful change in cultures that exist in workplaces and a society that devalue any person solely based on the colour of their skin. We often hear the word tolerance. Tolerance has absolutely nothing to do with racial justice, but everything to do with one’s attitude. It is not making the real changes need to end racism, more like ignoring the real issues and claiming to be not racist vs acting in a way that is anti-racist. It is vital that trade unions do not ignore the place in history we are in.

As the Covid-19 virus began to spread in early 2020, a parallel pandemic was unleashed – of hatred, violence and fear against Black, Indigenous and people of colour. Those who identify or were perceived to identify as Chinese were targeted by hate and wrongly blamed for the pandemic. Stark inequities, rooted in racism, quickly became clear. Black, Indigenous and people of colour and women are significantly at higher risk of infection and death.

Unifor is proud to join other unions across North America in a cross-border, multilingual webinar on the fight for racial justice as we near the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

On March 20, activists will come together to redefine public safety, to advance the interest of Black, Indigenous and people of colour in our society, workplaces and union. We will continue to work together to eliminate racism.

Unifor is encouraging members and activists to register and participate in the Together for Racial Justice Webinar on Zoom at 3 p.m. eastern time on March 20, 2021. This will allow us to have moments of reflection and recommit to being Anti-racist using Unifor’s six steps to support racial justice.

Unifor will continue in our quest for equity, equality and anti-discrimination and we call on each and every one of us to stand up against all forms of racism. On social media we will show our recommitment to ending all forms of racial discrimination by using the Unifor frame “Together for Racial Justice.”

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Support Canadian aviation workers

Dear members,

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the COVID travel ban. While Unifor supports the measures undertaken to flatten the curve and keep Canadians safe, the travel ban has had a devastating affect on the aviation industry and its workers.

Instead of following the lead of governments around the world with strategic investments supporting the industry, the Trudeau government has been silent. Federal inaction jeopardizes the entire industry and threatens good jobs for tens of thousands of aviation workers.

It is impossible to imagine a safe economic recovery from COVID-19 without a thriving aviation industry. Unifor published a detailed policy paper outlining science-based proposals to get the industry back on its feet and aviation workers safely back to work.

Here’s what you can do to support Canada’s aviation workers:

  1. Tune into a news conference tomorrow at 11 a.m. Eastern on Unifor Canada’s Facebook page
  2. Send a message to the federal government demanding action to bolster our aviation industry.
  3. Show support by adding a frame to your Facebook profile picture here.
  4. Share this image on your website and social media.

In solidarity,

Jerry Dias
National President