International Metalworkers' Federation

USW Welcomes Biden Administration Decision to Review U.S. Supply Chains

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 24, 2021

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The United Steelworkers (USW) today praised President Joe Biden's anticipated executive order to institute 100-day reviews of four critical industrial supply chains, a step meant to avoid shortages of crucial goods.

Key Points: 
  • PITTSBURGH, Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The United Steelworkers (USW) today praised President Joe Biden's anticipated executive order to institute 100-day reviews of four critical industrial supply chains, a step meant to avoid shortages of crucial goods.
  • "President Biden recognizes that American manufacturing is a critical part of our nation's safety and security," said USW International President Tom Conway.
  • "If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it's that when we are forced to rely on other nations to supply our day-to-day needs, we put American lives on the line."
  • Biden's order will focus on pharmaceuticals, computer chips, large-capacity batteries, and rare minerals used in high-tech applications.

Unifor sets federal budget priorities to Build Back Better

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 19, 2021

"This pandemic has exposed massive cracks in the economic and social supports that Canadians depend upon," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

Key Points: 
  • "This pandemic has exposed massive cracks in the economic and social supports that Canadians depend upon," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
  • The union is also calling for amnesty for workers facing Canada Emergency Response Benefit clawbacks due to overpayment, including supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB).
  • Many of Unifor's federal budget recommendations are mirrored in the union's Road Map to A Fair, Inclusive and Resilient Economic Recovery , designed with the view to #BuildBackBetter from the pandemic.
  • Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.

Jason Kenney's recognition of COVID heroes is too little, too late

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 11, 2021

EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Premier Jason Kenney's recognition of frontline COVID heroes is too little, too late says Unifor, after the Alberta government announced it's giving danger pay to essential workers, 11 months into the pandemic.

Key Points: 
  • EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Premier Jason Kenney's recognition of frontline COVID heroes is too little, too late says Unifor, after the Alberta government announced it's giving danger pay to essential workers, 11 months into the pandemic.
  • "Yet as Kenney gives with one hand, he cuts jobs with the other.
  • Many of these essential workers, including frontline grocery store employees, are paid minimum or close to minimum wage, often in precarious work situations.
  • Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.

CTV cuts hitting every part of Canada

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

"Bell Media's parent company has boosted its dividends and still has almost $4 billion in the bank, and yet they're cutting jobs right across the country."

Key Points: 
  • "Bell Media's parent company has boosted its dividends and still has almost $4 billion in the bank, and yet they're cutting jobs right across the country."
  • "There is barely a region in this country that has not been hit by the CTV Bell Media cuts over the past week," said Unifor National Media Director Howard Law.
  • Unifor is focused on working with members in affected locations and to monitor the scope of the cuts across Canada, which so far have hit 133 Unifor members.
  • Information about the union's response to the pandemic, as well as resources for members can be found at unifor.org/covid19 .

Unifor condemns journalism cuts at Bell Media

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 2, 2021

TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2021 /CNW/ -Unifor is condemning a round of cuts being made to CTV newsrooms across much of Bell Media this week, saying the layoffs will cost the network many valued media workers just when their communities need them most.

Key Points: 
  • TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2021 /CNW/ -Unifor is condemning a round of cuts being made to CTV newsrooms across much of Bell Media this week, saying the layoffs will cost the network many valued media workers just when their communities need them most.
  • "Since the beginning of the pandemic, Canadians have seen how important a strong media sector is to their continued health and safety," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
  • "Our democracy, our right to be informed and to push back against the tide of false information relies on a strong media sector," said Unifor Media Director Howard Law.
  • "Bell Media had said that news gathering is sacred, but that doesn't appear to be the case when cuts are made in news gathering."

USW Condemns Siemens Plan to Close Olean Dresser-Rand Facility

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 2, 2021

OLEAN, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The United Steelworkers (USW) today condemned Siemens Energy's announced plan to close the Dresser-Rand site in North Olean and lay off close to 900 workers, including more than 350 members of USW Local 4601.

Key Points: 
  • OLEAN, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The United Steelworkers (USW) today condemned Siemens Energy's announced plan to close the Dresser-Rand site in North Olean and lay off close to 900 workers, including more than 350 members of USW Local 4601.
  • USW District 4 Director Del Vitale called Siemens decision to close the facility disrespectful to generations of workers who dedicated their careers to the company and to the community which has supported it.
  • Vitale said that the USW would demand to negotiate over the company's decision to close the facility and if necessary, the effects of the closure.
  • "We're outraged that the USW was neither notified in advance nor offered an opportunity to meet with Siemens to discuss alternatives to closing Olean," Shinn said.

Tentative agreement reached between Unifor and VIA Rail

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, January 30, 2021

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 30, 2021 /CNW/ -Unifor has reached a tentative contract with VIA Rail, in negotiations covering more than 2,000 rail workers.

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 30, 2021 /CNW/ -Unifor has reached a tentative contract with VIA Rail, in negotiations covering more than 2,000 rail workers.
  • In the current difficult circumstances, this collective agreement secures good unionized jobs in the sector for years to come."
  • The agreement covers Unifor National Council 4000 and Unifor Local 100 members, who work as maintenance workers, on-board service personnel, chefs, sales agents and customer service staff at VIA Rail.
  • "Unifor members in rail have made incredible contributions to the industry, and advancements in workers rights and labour laws have been made possible with thanks to them.

Further travel restrictions make financial support for airline industry more urgent than ever

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 29, 2021

Further travel restrictions without providing financial support for airline workers is a risk to the very future of Canada's airline industry," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

Key Points: 
  • Further travel restrictions without providing financial support for airline workers is a risk to the very future of Canada's airline industry," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
  • "Though these measures are necessary to help flatten the curve, they also highlight the continued withering away of airline jobs.
  • Unlike other countries, Canada's continued refusal to help this industry is making a bad situation worse," said Dias.
  • Dias stressed the urgent need to develop a national recovery plan for the aviation industry that includesfinancial support for workers and addresses the growing issue of precarious work in the aviation industry.

Aerospace workers call for industry-wide COVID-19 recovery plan

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 25, 2021

We need policies implemented now to ensure the fastest possible recovery so this industry survives and its highly-skilled workers have a secure future."

Key Points: 
  • We need policies implemented now to ensure the fastest possible recovery so this industry survives and its highly-skilled workers have a secure future."
  • More importantly, they know exactly what the industry needs to weather the pandemic's worst effects," said Alexandre Lamarre, Unifor Aerospace Industry Council President.
  • Unifor represents more than 11,000 aerospace workers across Canada performing highly specialized jobs in diverse workplaces and sub-industries including commercial, military and space exploration.
  • Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.

USW Commends Executive Order Supporting Domestic Manufacturing

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 25, 2021

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway issued the following statement in response to the announcement that President Joe Biden would today sign an executive order tightening domestic content requirements and narrowing exceptions to existing domestic preference rules for federally funded projects:

Key Points: 
  • PITTSBURGH, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway issued the following statement in response to the announcement that President Joe Biden would today sign an executive order tightening domestic content requirements and narrowing exceptions to existing domestic preference rules for federally funded projects:
    "Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and remains essential to our national defense.
  • "Today's order strengthening domestic content requirements, closing loopholes in how domestic content is measured and calling for stricter enforcement of existing legislation like the Jones Act is an important step toward revitalizing our manufacturing base, as well as protecting and creating thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs.
  • "Further, taking concrete steps to make it easier to identify and utilize U.S. suppliers, as outlined in the order, will help ensure we are efficiently meeting our own needs as we look to rebuild our long-neglected domestic supply chains.
  • President Biden's executive order is a critical part of that effort.