Representing Non-Academic Administrative, Professional and Technical Employees at McMaster University and Regional Medical Associates

August 2017 Volume 4, Issue 13

Unifor5555

Labour DayRetiree’s Chapter

Musicians WantedNorthstar Update

Pharmacare$15 Petition

Dates to Remember

Contents This Week

LABOUR DAYMONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

Labour Day 2017:

The parade starts at its traditional time--10:30 am.

Please note the new route has unions and solidarity

groups lining up on Stuart St. Unifor locals will assemble on

Stuart at Tiffany.

The BBQ/picnic and entertainment following the parade will take place at Bay

Front Park.

The Local will provide tickets to those members and their family members who march in the parade with our Local.

RETIRED WORKER CHAPTER NEWS

Kathy Ouellette, Member-at-Large (second from left) and Rosemary Viola, Chairperson (third from left), of the Unifor Local 5555’s Retired Workers Chapter attended a rally on Wednesday 2 August in Milton in support of Unifor Local 112 members at Northstar Aerospace who are facing a reduction in their pensions of 25%. The plant has announced that it is shutting its doors and moving equipment to facilities in Chicago.

The employer structured the pension plan as a Target Pension Plan. This means the plan is funded to pay out a certain level of benefits, but that level is just a target (levels are not guaranteed). If the plan suffers a shortfall, either contributions must increase or benefits must be reduced.

Northstar must top up the pension plan. Milton workers helped to build Northstar into what it is today: a massively profitable corporation. Despite the recent closure announcement, the company remains healthy and profitable and well-positioned to do the right thing for the pension plan.

To do your part to help support retirees and the members of Local 112 in this fight you can send a message to Northstar. Contact Northstar Aerospace’s Human Resources Manager, Krista Bunn at kbunn@nsaero.com or at (905) 875-4000 x 2498

MUSICIANS/BAND REQUIRED

The 2017 McMaster United Way campaign team is organizing a Bus Pull as a fundraiser. The date for the Bus Pull is Tuesday, October 3, 2017. Our McMaster United Way Bus Pull Committee members are all relatively new, and we need your help!

Our plan is to have a band entertain participants and onlookers for a couple of hours while the bus pull is underway and while people are eating. It is a ‘Fall Fair’ theme. We are asking you to forward suggestions for Bands that would be appropriate for a work venue. Please email the Band’s name and their contact information to beth.couchman@unifor5555.ca so that our Committee can be in touch with them

Thank you!Beth Couchman, VP Local 5555

NORTHSTAR RALLY UPDATE!

As of August 12, 2017, a cease and desist court order has brought an end to the occupation described below. Unifor will continue the fight for fair pensions for Local 112 members and for all workers. Additional details will be released as they become available. The occupation began at 4:00 am Thursday 10 August 2017, when Unifor members occupied the Northstar Aerospace plant in Milton, Ontario halting production in a protest over worker pensions as the company prepares to close within two months.

“At the end of the day, this is a company that is closing and our members are going to lose about 25 per cent of their pensions,” said Unifor national president Jerry Dias. Dias went on to say that Northstar and its parent company, Wynnchurch Capital, have been “inherently disrespectful” leading up to the closure by failing to come to the bargaining table and “see how we can find solutions for our retirees. This action sends a clear message to Northstar that the company cannot short-change workers and the pension of retirees that have made it profitable for so many years. There is no financial reason for refusing to fund the plan. The only excuse is corporate greed.”

“It’s frustrating,” Scott McIlmoyle, President of Local 112, said. “As a president of the local union, I have many corporations that we deal with, and we have had some that have closed for one reason or another, and they stepped up to the plate to look after the employees. We have stopped production at this facility until Northstar holds up its end of a commitment, a commitment to the workers who have made this company flourish,” said McIlmoyle. “After months the company has refused to discuss the matter. Time is running out - Northstar needs to do the right thing.”

In typical corporate speak, Heligear Canada Acquisition Co., which purchased select assets of Northstar Aerospace in 2012, is blaming the union for the pension shortfall claiming in a statement that it’s not to blame for the pension cuts. Instead, it says Unifor is responsible for the state of the pension plan but isn’t accepting responsibility for it. Heligear said it’s pursuing legal options to regain control of the facility, and further claims that the union’s actions pose safety concerns.

Unifor members and supporters are holding a picket line outside the facility and has now come to an end. Line support was given by OSSTF, ETFO, USW and CUPE. Rosemary Viola, Retired Workers Chapter Chairperson, and Sarah Kai Antanaitis, Guide were among the supporters on Friday 11 August.

Sourced from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/unifor-members-occupy-milton-plant-that-makes-boeing-parts-1.4241493 and http://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/press-room/unifor-takes-over-milton-northstar-aero-space-plant and https://twitter.com/search?q=%23occupynorthstar&src=typd

NATIONAL PHARMACARE PROGRAM

$15 MINIMUM WAGE PETITION

$15LOBLAW’S BILLIONAIRE CEO GALEN WESTON IS TRYING TO SABOTAGE THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO’S EFFORTS TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO

$15. He launched a public relations offensive, complaining about the irritating cost of paying its workers a living wage – even though Loblaw's doubled its profits last year and Weston took home $5 million. He’s hoping to convince Premier Wynne to back away from her promise to raise the minimum wage -- and his plan could work unless we push back now. A massive petition could let Premier Wynne and the Ontario Liberals know that voters back their plan and won’t let corporations’ attempts to block their fair wage promise succeed. But we have to act fast -- before more corporate CEOs join Loblaw’s campaign to sabotage the minimum wage increase. Please, sign the petition to send a clear message to the Ontario Liberals that voters want a livable minimum wage.

Sign the petition

Loblaw’s CEO Galen Weston has a net worth of $10 billion, so his whining about paying his employees a livable income is a bit rich — especially when you consider that in just 2 days Mr. Weston makes almost double what a Loblaw’s employee makes in an entire year. He can afford to pay his employees $3 more an hour and he knows it! Big business billionaires like Galen Weston are the biggest threat to the minimum wage increases. A majority of small- and medium-sized business owners support a $15 or higher minimum wage because they know that a higher paid, respected worker saves them the steep price of high staff turnover. Fight back against greedy corporations and call for an end to working poverty in Ontario - sign the petition supporting a $15 minimum wage.

Sign the petition

Working together to build a fair economy is part of the Leadnow community’s DNA. They’ve won campaigns on a fair economy before: in 2016 9,000 wrote to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, calling on him to stop tax evaders in the federal budget, which led to $2.5 billion being introduced to close tax loopholes. If we combine forces again, we can stop companies like Loblaw’s plan to sabotage fair wages in Ontario. With hope and respect, on behalf of the entire Leadnow team. Sources: https://act.leadnow.ca/support-minimum-wage http://betterwayalliance.ca/

Note: Dates, times and/or locations of events are subject to change without notice. Watch your emails or this e-newsflyer for notices of events or changes. Contact info@unifor5555.ca to check on status of events and/or to rsvp your attendance.

August 18-20, 2017Dundas Cactus Festival

71 Cross Street, Dundas, ONhttp://dundascactusfestival.ca/

August 25-27, 2017Winona Peach Festival

Winona Park, 1328 Barton Street, Winona, ONhttp://wpfnew.bravesites.com/

Wednesday 27, September 201712 noon - 1 pm

General Membership MeetingCIBC Hall

“The greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown.

But there’s no such thing as the unknown - only things temporarily hidden,

temporarily not understood” ~ Captain James T. Kirk