News from the North Bay and District Labour Council

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Until Mr. Fedeli and the PC caucus introduces legislation that takes the legally scheduled bump to $15 away from those who need it most, nothing has changed. If anything, the ‘Hands Off Our Rights’ campaign needs greater support by contacting MPP Fedeli to say, “leave the ESA alone, two thirds Nipissing residents need it to pay for the rising costs of living.” Send a letter, make an appointment to speak personally, send an email, all actions you can do to to Mr. Fedeli ‘Hands off’. Click here to send a form letter to your MPP.
‘Wear it and share it’ the Day After
If and when the PCs introduce anti-worker legislation to strip the bump to $15 or claw back changes to bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, please wear your union best and put on a $15 and Fairness sticker or button!
“What we’re looking at is the minister making an announcement about something that they are planning to do, but until an MPP like Mr. Fedeli has an opportunity to put his hand up to say, ‘No, I agree or disagree with a bill that repeals Bill 148 and the minimum wage change, nothing has changed.” Jared Hunt, North Bay Labour Baytoday  Read more reaction to Min Scott’s anti-people announcement. Nugget
Recent Action
Emergency Solidarity Meeting to talk collaborative strategy. The Emergency meeting last week was really amazing. The meeting room at OPSEU was filled with community and labour people. Folks had an opportunity to share perspectives about what we’re seeing coming out of Ford administration. There’s no question, Mr. Ford and Mr. Fedeli will stop at nothing to push their neo-liberal agenda. The group resolved to stay focused on speaking to community and government in strategic and intelligent ways. The next meeting, for example, will involve letter writing training and mapping allyship of the Nipissing region. Stay tuned.
Read Shawn Moreton’s letter to the editor here Shawn attended the meeting.
Rally for Rights, a huge success!
A group of very concerned Amelia Rising agency workers, lead by Mary White, organized a rally to stand against the recent Ford Government changes to the Health and Physical Education curriculum and Ford’s claw-back of planned writing sessions for Indigenous curriculum. The Friday lunch time rally was an excellent way for people to voice their concerns about serious equity and social issues. Mr. Fedeli appears to be in full support of Ford’s far-right neo-lieral agenda. Mr. Fedeli stands in full contrast to the majority of Nipissing constituents. After the rally, Mary and a few others delivered 45 signed letters to the desk of our MPP.
What’s your local doing to help?
All year long local unions and bargaining units find important ways to give back to the community. Local leaders and rank and file members give back because its the right thing to do, but they don’t always share these success stories. What’s your local doing? We’d like to hear from you to feature a story about the amazing social justice and charitable work your members do everyday. Let us know and we’ll share through our social media, email, and other communicative means. Unions are an amazing force in the community, let’s show this. Below are a few examples of the important work locals do to help members and their communities.
UNIFOR Local 103 supports P.L.A.Y.S.

P.L.A.Y.S. is a locally and 100% charitably driven organization that helps families with autistic children enjoy fun gatherings throughou the year. UNIFOR local 103 is a proud sponsor of many activities, including the annual Glow in the Dark golf event, the annual Open Your Heart to Autism Gala. UNIFOR local 103 members take part in awareness activities and generally lend volunteer time to PLAYS events. This coming Saturday, for example, is a fun rock concert at the Capitol Centre in North Bay called Rock for PLAYS. Two famous tribute bands, Saturday Night Special and Heart of Gold go head to head in a fun classic rock filled night of support for PLAYS. To learn more, visit the Capitol Theatre website here.
OPSEU Local 608 helps organize the Annual North Bay Terry Fox Run
Members of OPSEU local 608 take on an organizing role each year to help promote the Annual Terry Fox Run in the North Bay community. They do this because it’s important work, and leadership of OPSEU Local 608 supports the Terry Fox movement and encourages their members to be involved.
Annual Health and Safety Awards
It’s that time of year again, time to think about your health and safety champions. Please think about nominating a member who helps to build Health and Safety awareness in their work space. These representatives of the labour movement often work unseen, quietly attending meetings, keeping an eye on the workspace for everyone. Health and Safety reps are vital to every union and their contribution is worthy of honour and celebration.
The 2017 Health and Safety Awards Dinner. Janice Martell, founder of the McIntyre Power Project was our amazing guest speaker.

 

IAM Charters New Local for 2,400 Canadian Healthcare Workers

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IAM International President Bob Martinez meets with newly chartered Local Lodge 1231 President Merry St. Bernard.

 

Four interim executive officers and 23 stewards attending leadership training class this week took part in a historic event by signing the new charter for IAM Local Lodge 1231 at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, MD. The newly chartered local is made up of more than 2,400 home healthcare workers employed by Spectrum Healthcare.

IAM International President Bob Martinez, General Secretary Treasurer Dora Cervantes, IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall and IAM Grand Lodge Representatives Ralph Martin and Scott Jackson witnessed the signing.

IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes observes as Stewards sign the charter for the newly formed Local Lodge 1231.

Martinez also took the opportunity to administer the Oath of Office to the new interim executive officers of Local Lodge 1231 and all of the Stewards attending this week.

“It is a rare occasion to charter a lodge this large, and watch our founding members sign a charter that will be in place forever,” said Martinez. “By joining the IAM you’re taking a big step toward a better life.”

“We are pleased and privileged to have these new members at our training center,” said Pickthall. “They’re here to learn how to do their best to represent their membership and our training center provides the best Union education in the world.”

IAM Canada General Vice President Stan Pickthall congratulates one of the new Stewards of IAM Local 1231.

Health care workers at Spectrum include more than 2,000 Personal Support Workers and 400 Registered Nurses were organized by the IAM in March of this year. They provide home health care across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Machinists ratify new deal with Novelis

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Machinists ratify new deal with Novelis

Machinists ratify new deal with Novelis
trbo 6 June, 2018

Wednesday June 6, 2018

For Immediate Release

Kingston, ON – Members of IAM Local Lodge 54 have ratified a new collective agreement with Novelis Inc.

The three-year agreement provides wage increases of 2.5 per cent in the first and second year respectively and 3 per cent in the third year. Other agreement highlights include;

Increased shift change premiums
Meal voucher provided if employee works overtime for a period of two hours or more before their regular shift begins but only if the overtime request was given with less than two hours’ notice
Orthodontics coverage increased to $1500 lifetime for each dependent child
Paramedical expenses increased to $1,400.00 per year per family
Paramedical expenses increased to $800.00 annually per person
Vision care coverage increased
The 244 members manufacture flat rolled aluminum products for automotive, transportation and industrial applications as well as beverage can sheet for the canning industry. Novelis, formerly Alcan, is the world’s largest flat rolled aluminum sheet producer and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum.

Canada’s unions support Canadian retaliation against American steel and aluminum tariffs

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Thursday, May 31, 2018

Canada’s unions today applauded the Canadian Government’s retaliation against the unjustified and unwarranted American tariffs on steel and aluminum.

“I am pleased to see Canada respond so quickly and decisively to defend Canadian workers and industry against President Trump’s bullying tactics. Canada cannot waver in its defence of balanced trade,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

Today, Canada announced plans to stand up to sweeping American tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada. Canada’s plans include new surtaxes and other targeted measures on steel, aluminum and other imports from the U.S. amounting to $16.6 billion, the value of total Canadian exports of steel and aluminum to the U.S. in 2017. These surtaxes are set to take effect on July 1st, 2018 and will remain in place until U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs are dropped.

“Trump’s aggressive trade provocations against Canada are a totally unjustified and unwarranted sanction against a fair-trading ally,” said Yussuff. “The implications of Trump’s tariffs will be felt on both sides of the border, but in Canada, it will impact the lives of more than 20,000 workers directly employed by the industry, and another 100,000 indirectly employed workers.”

Every year, Canada exports $6 billion worth of steel products to the U.S., and, because of the integrated nature of the North American steel industry, imports steel products of the same value from the U.S. Last year, Canada exported $9.3 billion worth of aluminum products to the United States. Canada’s steel industry is also responsible for millions of dollars worth of research and development throughout the economy.

“Unfair and one-sided trade tactics cannot be allowed to undermine Canadian workers and industry,” said Yussuff. “In the days and weeks ahead, Canada’s unions will be calling on the Canadian and provincial governments to assist Canadian workers and steel and aluminum manufacturers who will need support to maintain their livelihoods and stay in business until this dispute can be resolved.”