Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Hello,
Every year for the past 4 years, Local 594 has tried to sponsor 2 kids to attend SFL Summer Camp. This is a great program and the feedback from the participants is always positive. Please see the attached poster for all the details.
To watch a video on the 2011 Camp, click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=xC24i3rWSng
Thanks,
Unifor Local 594
200 Hodsman Road
Regina, SK S4N 5X4
January 31, 2018
TORONTO – For the third time this week, Toronto hotel workers have voted to join Unifor and leave the American union that had fired their local leadership and seized its assets, with an overwhelming 90 per cent vote.
“It is truly inspiring to see so many workers in Canada taking a strong stand against the bullying and intimidation tactics we see all too often from American unions,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “With every card signed and every vote cast, the workers are sending a strong message to U.S. unions that workers in Canada will not accept that kind of treatment any longer.”
Today’s vote at the Toronto Westin Prince hotel near York Mills and Don Mills follow successful votes held Monday at the Courtyard Marriott and the Marriott Bloor Yorkville. Workers at the Hyatt Regency hotel downtown and the Quality Hotel and Suites near the airport will vote on Friday.
Workers at the King Edward, Doubletree Metropolitan and Delta Toronto Airport hotels will have an opportunity to vote to join Unifor on Monday. Workers at the Hilton downtown, Toronto Don Valley, Hilton Toronto Airport, Sheraton Toronto Airport and Four Points Airport hotels vote next Wednesday.
“We did it – we stood up together and voted to join with hundreds of thousands of workers across Canada,” said Andrea Henry, a worker at the Westin Prince. “The American union threw everything they had at us, but we weren’t fooled. Now we feel so free.”
The American parent union of UNITE HERE Local 75 placed the local into trusteeship earlier this month in a dispute over the right of the local to set its own course, including in bargaining. It also removed elected officers and seized the local’s assets.
The workers at the Westin Prince hotel will become members of the newly formed Unifor Local 7575, and join more than 19,000 hospitality and gaming workers in Unifor across Canada.
“As part of Unifor, we will be able to continue the incredible work we have done as a union over the years, but were no longer able to continue as part of an American union,” said Lis Pimentel, who is leading the effort to bring hotel workers to Unifor.
“The momentum is building. Unifor Local 7575 is the home of hotel workers in Toronto, and is only going to grow from here.”
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
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For more information, please contact Unifor Communications National Representative Stuart Laidlaw at stuart.laidlaw@unifor.org or (cell) 647-385-4054.
Greetings, please see attached letter to Federation of Labour and Labour Councils. Please forward this letter to Labour Councils in your region, as we do not have contact information for them.
In Solidarity, Fed
Jerry Dias
National President
Président national
One year later, women are marching.
On January 20, 2018, millions will march again in cities around the world and Unifor is encouraging every member to participate.
Recent events have shown that now is an important moment to come together to push for social justice for the most marginalized and oppressed among us.
The Women’s March is an important tactic for unifying our communities in order to create change. Now is the time to show resistance and solidarity. We must not rest until women have equity, justice and parity at all levels of leadership in society.
From coast to coast to coast there are actions happening and Unifor is encouraging all members to attend and unite for the protection of women’s rights, safety, health, access and representation.
To find a local Women’s March near you, visit womensmarchcanada.com and enter your postal code. Show your support and share the social media image above or download it here.
On the day of the march, bring your flag and proudly show our union’s support. In 2017 Unifor was well represented in 30 cities and we must continue to raise our voices for gender justice. Please be sure to share your participation and photos with the union. On Twitter tag @UnifortheUnion or email your photos tocommunications@unifor.org.
Whether it is through political action, union education, resistance in the streets or government lobbying – together our union can make a difference in women’s lives.
The time is now! 
Hello Sisters and Brothers
Last week negotiations on a free trade deal with China failed, reportedly over Canada’s insistence that the agreement include sections on labour standards, environmental regulations and gender rights. This is welcome news as it just doesn’t make sense to enter into a trade deal with partners that fail to share our values or our goals regarding trade.
Yesterday Jerry appeared on CTV’s Question Period and on Global’s The West Block to share Unifor’s position on trade with China, as well as the TPP and ongoing negotiations for a new NAFTA agreement.
To watch click on the links below.
In Solidarity, Scott Doherty
http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1281605
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1113096771768/
CARP has a petition to stop the loss of pensions when there is an employer bankruptcy.
The on-line petition can be accessed on the link below.
We encourage you to sign, and share as widely as possible.
DO WE TRUST THE GOVERNMENT (2)
Friends, colleagues, sisters and brothers,
Attached to this email is an Op-ed Piece on the Partial Repeal of the Sask Party’s privatization bill – Bill 40. It has been forwarded to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina Leader-Post, as well as other dailies, rural weeklies, and other alternative media publications.
It has been written by Tim Quigley, who is a retired Professor from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Tim is also one of the originators of the petition campaign to force the government to hold a plebiscite around their privatization agenda.
Please read this important Op-ed and share with everyone you know. Our Crowns and public services belong to Saskatchewan Citizens, and are not Brad Wall’s or the Sask Party’s to sell, wind-up, or disband.
p.s. To the union leaders in my loop, please make sure and distribute this broadly to your memberships and please reproduce in your publications and newsletters.
In Solidarity,
Larry
Greetings,
At Unifor’s Canadian Council, delegates overwhelmingly voted in support of our union participating in a national campaign to push the federal government to include pharmacare as part of the 2018 budget.
Attached here you will find a letter to all local unions, staff and retiree chapters about Unifor’s efforts, a joint union-employer letter that we are asking locals to have employers sign onto, as well as a draft motion that locals can take to their city council to have them pass. Please note that we will be keeping a running tally of our successes so be sure to get in touch.
You can also download the pdfs at our campaign web page: http://www.unifor.org/en/take-action/campaigns/universal-pharmacare
For Word versions of any of these documents, please contact the Communications Department at Communications@unifor.org
Thank you in advance for your participation in this crucial initiative.
In solidarity
Jerry Dias
