November 2020

“No blank cheques” - Clear message from Jagmeet Singh on Support for Aviation

27 November, 2020 For immediate release Toronto, ON – “Air Canada and other providers must be mandated to keep jobs in Canada! That includes all service jobs, maintenance and manufacturing. Let’s keep our Aviation industry Canadian!” That was today’s message from IAM Canadian General Vice-President Stan Pickthall, who participated in a press conference today with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, NDP Labour Critic Scott Duvall and four other unions, speaking about

International Transport Workers Federation Civil Aviation Forum a great success!

By Keith Aiken, IAM Canadian Transportation Coordinator The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) held their annual Civil Aviation week November 9 – 13, 2020 that focused on strategy for Relief, Recovery and Reform for an industry that has devastated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s Civil Aviation week was different, as it was held virtually. Each day there were two sessions held to try and accommodate as many participants

Driving a hard bargain – How COVID-19 has changed things

Whether we like it or know it, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed us: how we live and how we work. This means it has also changed the way we bargain our collective agreements and deal with grievances and arbitrations. The “new normal” has changed to “The Normal” as 2021 approaches. Most of us have already adopted videoconferencing as part of our lives. Employers have re-evaluated their need for a full

Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems Ratifies new three-year agreement

23 November, 2020 For immediate release North Bay, ON – IAM members of Local Lodge 2412 working at Kohltech Windows are happy to have ratified a new three-year Collective Agreement with the new ownership group formerly known as Seymour Windows. Highlights of the deal include annual wage increases, implementation of a dental plan, increased shift premiums, signing bonus and many other positive language changes. Grand Lodge Representative Ralph Martin said

COVID-19 and Worker’s Compensation: When to Apply

Applying for worker’s compensation can be a convoluted process that oftentimes discourages injured workers, rather than allowing for easier access. And as if the process wasn’t complicated already, COVID-19 has certainly added new challenges to filing a claim. Infection rates have continued to climb across Canada, posing challenges for both communities and workplaces. In the context of health and safety, as with many illnesses, injuries and diseases, making the connection

Canada’s Aviation Industry Requires Action Now!

For almost the entire year of 2020, the IAM has been lobbying the Federal Government for assistance directed toward the aviation sector. IAM members and their families are urged to support our ongoing efforts by signing onto the Federal NDP’s petition: https://www.ndp.ca/aviation. 2020 has been a year like no other – that is something on which we all can agree. And the Air Transportation and Aviation sector has been impacted

Workers and workers’ rights still under attack in Alberta

By Derek Ferguson, GLR Political Action Bill 47 – The most recent attack on worker’s rights by the Jason Kenney Alberta UCP government misleadingly is named the “Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape Act”. The so-called “Red Tape” contained in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) and the Workers’ Compensation Act. This will harm Alberta’s workers rather than ensure their safety. Kenny’s Bill 47 guts the OHS legislation:

Numbers work out well as workers vote overwhelmingly to join the IAM

When Cyr filed for certification at the BC Labour Relations Board, it was for 22 people. The employer wanted to add more classifications to increase the number of voters – a standard technique intended to dilute the support of the IAM. Cyr agreed to the higher number and filed a new request for 38 workers. When the vote finally occurred, a large majority voted IAM.