Campaigns

Why Pharmacare?

SIGN THE PETITION Canada’s unions are proud that we’ve won health insurance coverage for many of our members. But we believe anyone with a health card should have coverage for the medicines they need. That’s why we’re working to win a universal prescription drug plan that covers everyone in Canada, regardless of their income, age or where they work or live. The Unfinished Business of Medicare Today, the only place

Open letter on raising the minimum wage

Fifty leading Canadian economists recently published an open letter supporting the decision to increase the minimum wage in Ontario to $15 an hour. This is an excerpt from their statement: Raising the wage floor makes good economic sense. Today, Ontario’s minimum wage is $11.40 per hour. Adjusted for inflation, this is barely one dollar higher than its value in 1977. Yet over the same four decades, the average productivity of

The IAM welcomes the Appointment of prominent Labour Leaders to the NAFTA Advisory Council

As the first round of renegotiations of NAFTA approaches – starting on August 16 – the Liberal Government is adopting a multi-partisan and inclusive approach with the creation of the NAFTA Advisory Council. Former politicians from the entire political spectrum, along with stakeholders will be assisting the Chief Negotiator Minister Chrystia Freeland (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and her team in the challenging renegotiations of NAFTA with the United States and

OFL makes final appeal to Ontario government on card check!

Toronto, ON – The Ontario government has wrapped up its public consultations on Bill 148 which will make major changes to labour standards in the province. Following public hearings in Thunder Bay, North Bay, Windsor, London and Kitchener-Waterloo, no fewer than 35 delegations made presentations to the Steering Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs at Queens Park. The IAM made its presentation in London earlier in the week. The Bill

GVP Pickthall updates LL 2921 Executive on Airport Privatization

Mississauga, ON – IAM Canadian General Vice-President Stan Pickthall met with the Executive Board of IAM Local Lodge 2921 on July 20th to talk about Political Action and the issue of airport privatization that is looming over Canadian airports. “Many of our Locals are rallying against the privatization of airports and Local Lodge 2921 is working hard to get signatures on our petition to stop the Liberal government from moving

WestJet campaign enters phase two!

On June 29th, the IAM announced the second phase of its campaign to organize the Customer Service Representatives and Aircraft Mechanical Engineers at WestJet. Phase one concentrated on Toronto and Calgary and we are expanding our efforts across the entire country. For the uninitiated, joining a union raises a number of questions. Do I have the right to join a union? If I sign a union card will it be

The State of the Unions at Chalk River

On Monday June 5th, Jonathan Fitzpatrick, along with Bob Walker (PWU), Steven Schumann (IUOE), Matt Wayland (IBEW) and Stephen Eadie (Robertson, Eadie and Associates) met with representatives of the Prime Ministers’ Office, Treasury Board, and NRCan to discuss the request for CNL employees to remain in the Public Service Pension Plan beyond 2018 September. This was the second meeting with government officials; the first round of meetings took place the

IAM campaign to organize WestJet takes off!

Thursday June 29, 2017 For Immediate Release Toronto, ON – The IAM campaign to organize WestJet Customer Service Agents and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers across Canada has entered its next phase. “The culture at WestJet has changed,” said IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 Organizer Sam Jabbar. “WestJet employees are telling us that the days of a family atmosphere in their workplace have gone, replaced by a corporate attitude that’s only interested

Pickthall tells OPCM, Ontario Bill 148 doesn’t go far enough

Toronto, ON – “All the people in this room should be proud of the work they have done to make changes to Ontario Labour laws a reality but I’m here to tell you that our work isn’t done yet,” explained IAM Canadian GVP Stan Pickthall. Speaking to delegates at the 56th conference of the Ontario Council of Machinists, Pickthall said the changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act and the

Ontario Bill 148: The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017

By Lou Pagrach – IAM Grand Lodge Representative for political Action The Special Advisors to the Changing Workplaces Review have released a 419-page Final Report. A Summary Report has also been issued. The Report, which proposes amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Labour Relations Act, 1995, contains 173 recommendations. In 2015 Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn initiated the Changing Workplaces Review by appointing C. Michael Mitchell and John