(Ottawa – June 6, 2019) The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) commends the authoritative review of the Copyright Act released yesterday by the Parliamentary Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. The result of months of thorough and thoughtful study, the report contains 36 recommendations, including expansion of fair dealing purposes, and represents a balanced and forward-looking assessment.

“CAUT’s members – teachers, librarians, researchers and other academic staff at universities and colleges – include both users and creators of content, and they understand the importance of finding a fair approach,” says CAUT executive director David Robinson. “While the report contains compromises, we are assured that a broad range of voices were sought out and heard, including CAUT’s, making the report a good starting point for future copyright reform in Canada.”

Several key recommendations echo CAUT’s input before the committee:

• Preservation of educational fair dealing, with expansion of fair dealing purposes (“such as” illustrative list as opposed to current exhaustive list)
• Opposition to extension of copyright term; though conceded through recent NAFTA negotiations, the term should be extended only if copyright owners register
• Agreement that intersection of copyright law and Indigenous knowledge is problematic and must be reformed to reflect Indigenous rights
• Easing of digital locks for allowable purposes such as research, fair dealing
• Placing limits on Crown copyright

“Fair dealing is a legal right confirmed by past judgments of the Supreme Court of Canada, and the report acknowledges that the ‘decline of collective licensing in education has arguably more to do with technological change than it does with fair dealing’,” Robinson adds. “It is significant that decades of jurisprudence have helped define fair dealing so as to provide certainty with flexibility, and CAUT urges the government to remain mindful of these considerations as it moves forward with reform of the Act.” 

Media contact: Lisa Keller, Communications Officer, Canadian Association of University Teachers; 613-726-5186 (o); 613-222-3530 (c)

Moncton, N.B. – June 6, 2019 – Activists from the UFCW Canada Eastern Provinces Council (EPC) recently joined hundreds of participants from across New Brunswick at the inaugural Community Light the Night walk in Moncton to help raise funds and awareness for the life-changing work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC).

Les membres d’Unifor de l’Ontario et de la Nouvelle-Écosse se sont réunis pour établir un programme pour les travailleuses et travailleurs et développer des liens serrés entre les sections locales en vue de l’élection fédérale.

Les réunions des conseils locaux ont débuté le 4 juin à Windsor, en Ontario, et à Sydney, en Nouvelle-Écosse, et se poursuivront à Antigonish.

« L’élection fédérale approche à grands pas et il est maintenant temps d’établir notre vision pour un pays plus égalitaire et encore meilleur qui fait passer les travailleurs avant les sociétés, a déclaré Jerry Dias, président national d’Unifor. Les membres d’Unifor envoient déjà un message très clair. Nous voulons des dirigeants qui prennent la défense des travailleurs. »

Les participants étaient remplis d’enthousiasme et de détermination alors que les membres travaillaient ensemble pour résoudre les enjeux auxquels doivent faire face les travailleuses et travailleurs canadiens d’aujourd’hui, de la réduction des services publics aux pertes d’emplois, en passant par la sous-traitance. Mettant l’accent sur les solutions, les membres ont cerné les véritables façons dont les partis fédéraux peuvent faire preuve de leadership dans le cadre de la prochaine élection en traitant des échappatoires fiscales des sociétés et en bâtissant un Canada plus juste et plus équitable.

Lana Payne, directrice de la région de l’Atlantique d’Unifor, a discuté avec des membres à Sydney, précisant que « la meilleure façon de protéger, et d’améliorer, notre qualité de vie, ici, dans le Canada atlantique, est d’élire un gouvernement qui investira véritablement dans les emplois de qualité et les services publics et qui protégera et améliorera les droits des travailleurs ».

Entre-temps, à Windsor, Naureen Rizvi, directrice de la région de l’Ontario, a souligné les coupes catastrophiques que le gouvernement conservateur a effectuées dans la dernière année en Ontario : « Nous n’avons pas voté pour des coupes touchant l’éducation, les soins de santé et les droits des travailleurs, et nous méritons mieux. Mais pour y parvenir, nous allons devoir nous battre. »

L’élection s’annonce déjà comme une campagne où certains politiciens utilisent des tactiques alarmistes et un langage semant la discorde pour isoler les travailleurs. En s’unissant au sein des conseils locaux dans l’ensemble du pays, les membres d’Unifor s’opposent à cette division et renforcent la solidarité des travailleuses et travailleurs.

Des réunions sont prévues prochainement aux endroits précisés ci-dessous. Les membres et les sections locales doivent rester à l’affût puisque d’autres réunions pourraient s’ajouter dans l’ensemble du pays.

• Jeudi 6 juin, Halifax : 17 h au bureau d’Halifax d’Unifor (63, Otter Lake Court, Halifax)
• Lundi 17 juin, Kitchener : 17 h à la section locale 1106 d’Unifor (600, route Wabanaki, Kitchener)
• Lundi 24 juin, région de Durham : 17 h à la section locale 1090 d’Unifor (140, rue Hunt, Ajax)
• Mardi 25 juin, Thunder Bay : 18 h à la section locale 1075 d’Unifor (112, rue Gore Ouest, Thunder Bay)
• Mardi 2 juillet, Ottawa : 17 h au club de soccer St. Anthony (523, rue St. Anthony, Ottawa)
• Mercredi 3 juillet, London : 17 h à la section locale 27 d’Unifor (606, 1ère Rue, London)
• Jeudi 4 juillet, région du Grand Toronto et Peel : 17 h à la section locale 112 d’Unifor (30, route Tangiers, North York)
• Lundi 8 juillet, Sudbury : 17 h à la section locale 598 d’Unifor (2550, route Richard Lake, Sudbury)

Unifor members in Ontario and in Nova Scotia meet to set a worker’s agenda and build stronger connections between local unions ahead of the federal election.

Area Council meetings kicked off on June 4 in Windsor, Ontario and Sydney, Nova Scotia, continuing on in Antigonish.

“The federal election is fast-approaching, and the time is now to set our vision for a better, more equal country that puts workers ahead of corporations,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Unifor members are already sending that message loud and clear. We want strong leadership to stand with workers.”

The room was buzzing with excitement and determination as members worked together to solve the issues facing workers in Canada today, from cuts to public services to job loss and outsourcing. Focusing on solutions, members identified real ways that federal parties can lead in the upcoming election, by addressing corporate tax loopholes and making Canada more fair and equitable.

Lana Payne, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director, spoke with members in Sydney, commenting “the only way to protect, and improve, our quality of life here in Atlantic Canada is to elect a government that will truly invest in good jobs and public services and protect and enhance workers’ rights.”

Meanwhile, in Windsor, Naureen Rizvi, Ontario Regional Director, outlined the dramatic cuts that only one year of Conservative government have brought to Ontario, saying, “Cuts to education, cuts to health care, and cuts to workers’ rights. We didn’t vote for this, and we deserve better. But to get better, we have to fight for it.”

The election is already proving to be one where some politicians use scare tactics, and divisive language to isolate working people. By coming together in union halls across the country, Unifor members resist this division, and build working class solidarity.

Upcoming meetings are currently scheduled at the locations below. Members and Local Unions should stay tuned as these spaces grow across the country.

• Thursday, June 6, Halifax - 5:00 p.m. at Unifor Halifax office (63 Otter Lake Court, Halifax)
• Monday, June 17 - Kitchener – 5:00 pm at Unifor 1106 hall (600 Wabanaki Drive, Kitchener)
• Monday, June 24 – Durham Region – 5:00 pm at Unifor Local 1090 (140 Hunt Street, Ajax)
• Tuesday, June 25 – Thunder Bay – 6:00 pm Unifor 1075 hall (112 W Gore Street, Thunder Bay)
• Tuesday, July 2 – Ottawa – 5:00 pm at St. Anthony’s Soccer Club ( 523 St Anthony St. Ottawa)
• Wednesday, July 3 – London – 5:00 pm at Unifor Local 27 (606 First Street, London)
• Thursday, July 4 – GTA/Peel – 5:00 pm Unifor Local 112 hall (30 Tangiers Rd, North York)
• Monday, July 8 – Sudbury – 5:00 pm Unifor 598 hall (2550 Richard Lake Drive, Sudbury)

Delegates gathered at the Unifor Family Education Centre in Port Elgin, Ontario between May 31 and June 2, 2019 to discuss ways to support and effectively represent members who are struggling with mental illness or addiction.

The Unifor Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) & Addictions conference, which takes place every two years, brought together 135 attendees from across the country including full-time EFAP representatives, health and safety representatives and local union leadership.

“The focus of the conference was about breaking the stigma around mental health and addiction issues, as well as how to get our members and their families the appropriate treatment when needed,” said Jessica Ridgwell member of the Ontario Regional Council (ORC) EFAP Committee.

Participants were invited to attend a new full-day course piloted by the education department, called Mental Health Matters, which provided a foundation for understanding mental illness and gave them guidance on referring members to appropriate services. The course also explained the duty to accommodate people with mental illness and addiction, and set out the rights and responsibilities of the employer, the union and the worker. In addition, there was a discussion on how to improve collective agreement language to support our members in these situations.

Other courses included How to Work with People in 12 Step Recovery, Transforming our Workplaces into Psychologically Safe and Supportive Places and Workplace Suicide Prevention Training.

The conference was sponsored by the Ontario Regional Council EFAP with help from the EFAP committees from the Atlantic, Prairie and B.C. regions. Staff from the women’s, health and safety, human rights and research departments also attended.

“We take great pride in our initiatives to address mental health and addiction issues,” said Jeff Ramackers, chairperson of the ORC EFAP Committee. “By bringing together experts from the mental health field and resources within our own union in this way, we are better equipped to help members who are struggling feel like they are not alone.”

By Zaid Noorsumar Punched. Groped. Kicked. Killed. Violence in long-term care homes has to stop Staff and residents are caught in a vicious cycle of violence in Ontario’s nursing homes Caregivers who are punched, kicked, and spat on as they tend to residents. Caregivers who… Read More

LabourStart headline - Source: SPA

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LabourStart headline - Source: IUF

LabourStart headline - Source: IFJ

LabourStart headline - Source: IFJ

Ottawa – June 5, 2019 – UFCW Canada, the country’s leading advocate and union for migrant and temporary workers, welcomes a new government work permit initiative to protect migrant workers across Canada from abusive employers.

Workers at Postmedia have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a merger with the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) Pension Plan.

“In this time of crisis in the media sector and the growing uncertainty workers are facing, our members will now have a more secure and stable pension to rely on when they retire,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “This is a significant gain for our journalists and media workers who perform such a vital public service and play a huge role in our democracy.”

Postmedia 87-M members voted 97.4 per cent in favour of the pension merger, which will take effect on July 1, 2019 and will apply to Postmedia members with defined benefit pensions as well as those with defined contribution pensions.

Everyone with a pension at Postmedia will be going back to a defined benefit plan under CAAT’s new DBplus plan. It’s the same plan that Torstar members enrolled in when they approved a merger last fall.

The move to this stronger and more stable public pension plan will also provide Postmedia members with cost of living inflation protection that was not previously available to most of them. 

Additionally, the merger will result in savings for the employer. The employer is still required to contribute to the plan, but will save money on costs associated with pension administration and solvency payments.

“I am really happy with this outcome,” said Unifor Local 87-M President, Paul Morse. “This is a win-win situation for both employees and employers, and we encourage other employers in the industry whose workers we represent to consider similar pension mergers.”

Local 87-M represents workers with 37 different employers – including newspapers, magazines, television and publishing houses such as the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun, Sing Tao, Maclean's magazine, The London Free Press and CTV.

Members include reporters, editors, photographers, videographers, graphic artists, computer technicians, printing, advertising, circulation and finance staff.

"NUPGE promises to stand as allies with Indigenous people as we move forward together, making changes at the state and societal level to ensure the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women, Two Spirit, and gender diverse people ends." — Elisabeth Ballermann, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer

Largest U.S. Private-Sector Union Praises House Passage of Bill that Supports Workers and Strengthens the Economy, Urges Swift Approval by Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) praised House passage of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, legislation that would provide much-needed stability to businesses and millions of workers across the economy. UFCW President Marc Perrone, who represents 1.3 million workers across a wide range of industries strengthened by this legislation, released the following statement:

“Today’s House passage of the Dream and Promise Act is a critical step to improving the lives of millions of hard-working men and women who already strengthen our nation’s economy, as well as the communities they call home.

“All of our elected leaders, from both parties, must embrace the truth that providing stability for those who have already passed intensive background checks, pay taxes, and work hard every day to build a better future for all of us is simply the right thing to do.

“Given that this nation was built by generations of immigrants who believed in the promise of this country and worked hard every day to build a better life for their families, it is time for the Senate to join the House and pass this commonsense immigration reform immediately.”

BACKGROUND

The UFCW, which represents 1.3 million workers, is part of a coalition of labor organizations representing workers – including many TPS and DACA recipients – in the service and hospitality, airline catering, laundry, meat packing and food processing, entertainment, transportation, and building and construction industries.

Many of our members and their families maintain TPS and/or DACA status and have been in this country for many years working, building their families, paying taxes, and contributing to the economy. Giving TPS holders and DREAMers a path to citizenship is critical to our unions and to the U.S. economy.

The American Dream and Promise Act will:

• Protect workers from all TPS designated nations, and their immediate family members, who have had a continuous presence in the U.S.
• Give these workers a path to legal permanent resident status as well as eventual naturalization
• Ensure that immigrants who came to the U.S. as children will be able to have a path to permanency as well

Allowing TPS workers to lose their status would have a significant impact on the economy:

• $967 million in turnover costs for employers
• $164 billion in lost GDP
• $6.9 billion in lost Social Security and Medicare payments over a decade.
• 60,000 TPS families would be forced to drop mortgages.

This bill is needed to ensure that our members can continue to strengthen our economy and contribute to our communities.

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The parade for the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival is only days away and we’re looking for MAHCP members to join us this coming Saturday, June 8, 2019!

There’s no RSVP required: please look for our MAHCP vehicle at the marshalling area (Watson Street and Jefferson Ave. in Winnipeg), which will be decorated with flowers, flags and MAHCP banners.

We’re asking all members of our group to be there by 12:30 p.m. You’ll also get a free MAHCP T-shirt to wear in the parade at the MAHCP vehicle!

The parade gets underway at 1 p.m.

The 2019 edition of the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival, which takes place at the Maples Multiplex (434 Adsum Drive in Winnipeg) marks the eighth year of the event and it keeps getting bigger and bigger! According to festival organizers, last year’s event had an estimated turnout of 15,000 over the two days.

There will be entertainment at the main stage, 40 food vendors, and fireworks at 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, so it promises to be a good time.

See you there, MAHCP members!

Largest Private-Sector Union Representing Thousands of Pork Workers Applauds Passage of Amendment to Defund Implementation of USDA Line Speed Increase

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) applauds the House Appropriations Committee for taking steps to protect the safety of food and workers at swine slaughter plants. The legislation passed by the Committee included an amendment championed by Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and David Price (NC-04) which aims to halt the USDA proposal that increases pork plant line speeds and puts American workers and consumers at risk. The amendment would prevent the USDA from spending funds to implement the rule. UFCW President Marc Perrone released the following statement praising today’s vote:

“America’s food safety and the safety of the workers who produce our food must never take a backseat to corporate profits. Today’s vote to defund this dangerous line speed rule makes clear that Congress is ready to honor that commitment and the USDA must do the same.

“Increasing line speeds needlessly threatens the quality and health of America’s food supply and cruelly endangers the lives of workers who help produce that food. The proposed USDA rule would dramatically weaken protections that Americans depend on to be able to select safe, healthy food to feed their families every day.

“Our members in pork plants nationwide understand from firsthand experience that the USDA’s proposed rule would hurt workers, consumers, and our economy. We urge the USDA to stop this rule and do its job to protect American workers and consumers.”

BACKGROUND

The Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection rule proposed by the USDA would hurt workers and consumers.

Hazards of Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection Rule:

• The Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection rule removes all limitations on line speeds in hog slaughter plants which will endanger the health and safety of tens of thousands of workers in the hog slaughter industry.
• Even at current line speeds, swine slaughter and processing workers face many job risks that can lead to severe injury, illness and death.
• There is no evidence that the increased line speeds can be done in a manner that ensures food and worker safety.
• In 1997, the USDA created a pilot program called the HACCP-Based Inspection Models Project (HIMP) which allowed five hog slaughter plants to test a new food safety program.  The hog slaughter pilot program revealed serious safety issues including a Clemens food plant in Pennsylvania which reported injuries severe enough that two workers were hospitalized, and one suffered an amputation.
• The Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection rule provides no requirement or funding to train plant employees on inspection techniques that were previously performed by USDA inspectors and are now their responsibility.
• Increased line speeds will disproportionally hurt women and people of color.

Key Facts About Swine Workers: 

• Meatpacking workers in hog slaughter plants work in cold, wet, noisy, and slippery conditions making tens of thousands of forceful repetitive motions on each shift.
• Research shows that the fast pace in pork plants, coupled with the forceful and repetitive nature of most of the jobs, leads to high rates of injuries and health issues.
• Meatpacking workers are injured at 2.4 times the rate of other industries. These injuries result in lost time or restrictions at three times the rate of other industries and they face illness rates at 17 times the rate of other industries.
• The current maximum line speed for swine is 1,106 hogs per hour.
• The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents 30,000 workers in the pork slaughter industry
• UFCW members handle 71 percent of all hogs slaughtered and processed in the United States.

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The UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.3 million professionals and their families in grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries.

Our members help put food on our nation’s tables and serve customers in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Learn more about the UFCW at www.ufcw.org

Ottawa – June 4, 2019 – The need to act to end violence against Indigenous women and girls is urgent and, tragically, this has been the case for generations.

To recognize and mark Labour Day, Unifor is offering all local unions across the country an opportunity to purchase a special Unifor garment at a subsidized rate.

Orders will only be accepted until Friday, June 14, 2019. Click here for the order form.

Whether your local is marching in a community parade, attending a labour picnic, or hosting an event for members and their family, Labour Day is an opportunity to show union pride. Along with recognizing the historical importance of Labour Day as a celebration of all workers, the day is also significant for our union.

In the spirit of that celebration and unity, all locals are invited to order a one-of-a-kind garment, a sporty zip-up jacket, with the Unifor logo proudly shown the front. Please note that an order must have a minimum of 12 jackets, in order to have your local number branded on it. The jacket is unisex sixed and available in extra small to XXXXL.

The national union will reimburse fifteen dollars for every jacket order up to a maximum of 100 jackets per local. For locals that order more than a 100 jackets, the amount of jackets ordered above the 100 will be charged at the full rate of $45 each.

Locals will have to submit receipts of purchase to the national office, attention Fred Raidl, at 205 Placer Court Toronto, ON M2H 3H9 to receive the rebate.  

Don’t miss out, have your local submit an order today using this form. Orders should be submitted via fax to 450-449-4668 or email PROMO@UNIVERSALPROMOTIONS.COM

Download the order form as a word document or a PDF.