Source, Unifor National

April 9, 2024

 

BRAMPTON—Fifty workers at MDA’s new global headquarters and space robotics centre launched strike action on April 8 following the company’s refusal to negotiate.

“Fair wages shouldn’t be light years away for workers at an incredibly profitable company such as MDA,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The facility houses some of the most skilled workers in the industry and they deserve a fair contract that reflects their contribution to MDA’s bottom line.”

Unifor represents 50 workers at the facility in a variety of production, skilled trades, office and clerical roles at MDA’s newly built global space headquarters in Brampton, Ontario. They support the company’s space robotics and satellite component manufacturing operations. MDA workers build components and help develop technologies for such iconic space projects as the Canadarm for the Space Shuttle program and the International Space Station. MDA is the future home of the third generation Canadarm for use in the Gateway lunar space station.

“All of us at MDA have been part of some of the most important and cherished scientific and technological projects in the last half century which is what makes this strike so painful for us,” said Sebastian Selvagio, Unifor Local 673 plant chairperson at MDA. “In the middle of an affordability crisis, we’re prepared to fight for the fair wages, reasonable cost of living protection, and decent pensions we have rightly earned.”

With the construction of its new Brampton facility, the company sought significant changes to the existing agreement which expired October 1, 2023.  Only a few of the 28 days in negotiations between both parties were spent addressing core economic issues, prompting the union to set a strike deadline for Monday April 8 at 7 a.m. The union requested that both parties negotiate up until the negotiating deadline, however, the company refused to participate.

“MDA’s profits are soaring and CEO Mike Greenly could give himself a 20% pay increase because our members do incredible work every single day,” said Bryan Dunn, Unifor Local 112 plant chairperson at MDA. “It is disrespectful for MDA to refuse to negotiate when we’ve shown nothing but dedication to this company. The company could easily afford the proposals we’ve tabled during bargaining.”

According to MDA’s 2023 financial statements, the company earned more than $807 million in revenue, a significant portion of which is funded by large government contracts, including a federal funding of $2 billion for the Canadarm3 project. MDA also regularly receives generous provincial and federal subsidies, including approximately $25 million from the Ontario government to fund its newly constructed global space headquarters and $132.7 million in available federal investment tax credits.

The union is dedicated to negotiating a fair settlement to the ongoing labour dispute, however, the company has given no indication that it will return to the bargaining table.

Source: Unifor National

 

HALIFAX— Unifor members at CN Autoport have ratified a three-year collective agreement, ending a 37-day strike at the transshipment facility in Eastern Passage, N.S.

“This was a very difficult strike for our members and a very tough round of bargaining given that CN decided to undermine our fundamental right to strike and to bargain fairly and freely by using scabs as of day one of the dispute. It was and is disgraceful behaviour, designed to intimidate and break the spirit of our Local 100 members,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “I am very proud of our members. Their spirit was not broken. They have shown courage and dignity in standing up to the bully tactics of CN Autoport. They have shown that solidarity makes a difference. And CN can be guaranteed that Unifor will not rest until we achieve anti-scab legislation in every province across Canada.”

The agreement sees wage increases in each year of the agreement and lump sum bonuses in years one and two, as well as an additional paid personal day, improvements to vacation, pensions, and the cost of benefits.

Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray vows to continue to work with Unifor members at Autoport and across Nova Scotia to get provincial anti-scab legislation on the books to support workers’ right to fair and free collective bargaining.

“We will continue this campaign in the names of our members at Local 100 and we won’t stop until we win,” said Murray.

Unifor continues to advocate for the immediate passage of Bill C-58 federal anti-scab legislation.

Unifor Local 100 represents 239 employees at the Autoport vehicle processing and transshipment hub in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. A wholly owned subsidiary of CN Rail, Autoport is one of the busiest facilities of its kind in North America, processing and transshipping close to 185,000 vehicles annually.

“This agreement marks a solid step forward for Autoport workers,” said Cory Will, President of Unifor Local 100. “We can take pride in knowing we have fought back and got a better agreement for our members.”

Source: Unifor National

Unifor applauds the federal government’s announcement that the upcoming budget will include a $1 billion investment to help provide healthy meals for children and assist families during the affordability crisis.

“With high grocery costs and a surge in food bank usage across the country – with one-third of them being children – we need a structured national school nutrition program now,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“We encourage all premiers to join with the federal government to support and build a national universal school nutrition program. This is no time for jurisdictional squabbles, this is a time to support families and feed kids.”

“So many working-class families will benefit from this. It’s good for kids, good for parents and good for our entire society,” Payne added.

The $1 billion investment, announced April 1, will be spread out over five years. The federal government said it would give access to healthier meals to roughly 400,000 children who aren’t being served by existing school-based programs, and who tend to come from Black, Indigenous and people of colour families and lower-income families.

The federal government’s plan is to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous groups to expand their existing programs.

The funding makes good on the Liberals’ 2021 election platform, where the Trudeau government promised to invest $1 billion in a national school meal program over five years.

As it stands, Canada is the only country in the G7 that doesn’t have a national school nutrition program, says the Breakfast Club of Canada.

“We know that good nutrition affects children’s overall health, well-being, and learning. We cannot grow leaders of tomorrow on empty stomachs.”

The 7 day Steward Nomination period is now open as of April 09 2024, nominations must be received by Fax (416-538-1997) no later than April 16 2024 at 10:00am EST.

Please follow the instructions on the nomination form itself to correctly indicate your division and location as well as information and times etc….see sample nomination attached below (if temporary loaned out of your division you must apply within the locality and division loaned from)

 

Sample Nomination Form (This is a sample only)

Sample – Nomination Form Stewards 2024

 

Download 2024 Steward Nomination Form here

Nomination-Form-Stewards-2024