Latest news with #fairwages
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Champaign Co. employees will strike Wednesday if no agreement reached
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign County employees plan to strike beginning Wednesday if a new contract is not settled before then. In May, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) workers voted to authorize a strike if necessary — after their previous agreement expired at the end of last year. Then on June 30, county workers represented by AFSCME sent a five-day notice of the union's intent to strike to county management. The county workers said they're fighting for fair wages and to keep health insurance costs low. Champaign Co. workers rallying for better contracts 'For too many of us, county wages aren't living wages. They start at less than $16 an hour, and a third of all county workers make less than $20 an hour,' Cecelia Phillips, a Deputy Clerk in the Circuit Clerk's office and president of AFSCME Local 900, said in a news release. 'Yet management has barely moved at the bargaining table, and they won't offer us any guarantee that our health insurance costs won't spike by as much as 150%. That's unacceptable.' Bargaining began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Union representatives said they plan to to stay at the table 'as long as it takes' to reach an agreement. 'When we took our strike vote in May, we said clearly that while nobody wants to strike, we're willing to do what's necessary to ensure fair pay and affordable health care,' Phillips said. 'The time for talk is over; now it's time for action.' PREVIOUSLY: AFSCME protests at Champaign Co. Courthouse, warns of possible strike if new contract isn't complete soon AFSCME members include Courthouse, Brookens Administrative Center, the Highway Department, Animal Control, the Coroner's office, and County Jail workers. WCIA reached out to Steve Summers, the county executive, for a statement regarding county workers planning to strike if a new contract is not settled. 'County Administration and AFSCME are meeting with a mediator today. The County is committed to continuing negotiations until we reach a fair and equitable agreement,' Summers said in a statement sent to WCIA. WCIA will continue to provide more information once it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
08-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
CN Tower workers are still locked out even though both sides say they're willing to talk
Negotiations between CN Tower workers and their employer have yet to resume since workers were locked out at the end of June, even though both sides say they're ready to to talk. Unifor, the union represents workers at the CN Tower, began negotiating with the employer, Canada Lands Company, in April. Talks reached a standstill in late June and workers have been locked out from CN Tower since. Unifor says the lockout is hurting the tourist attraction's business. About 250 CN Tower workers attended a rally on Tuesday organized by Unifor to call on their employer to return to the table and negotiate a deal that employees consider fair. But a spokesperson for the CN Tower said Tuesday that the company has yet to receive a request for a meeting from the union for further negotiation. Unifor Local 4271 president Shan Ramanathan, who has worked at CN Tower for 13 years, told CBC Toronto on Tuesday that despite it being peak season for tourism, the recent line for CN Tower has been "cut much more than half". "We haven't seen a line up for the last nine days, except for one day, which was July 4," Ramanathan said. "People are responding to us. The public is collaborating with us by boycotting the tower." Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement that by hosting a rally, the union and the workers want to send a message to their employer that they deserve respect, decent wages and fair contracts. "It's disgusting that a Crown corporation would lock out workers rather than negotiate a fair wage," said Payne. Representatives from CN Tower said that most recently, the company offered the union a nine per cent wage increase over three years (three per cent annually), as well as other improvements to employee benefits and pension protection. "The CN Tower made it clear to the Union that we are flexible in how monetary improvements were allocated between wages and benefits," said the employer. "Unfortunately, the Union did not present any counter-proposals since our last meeting on June 26, 2025, and has not requested a meeting for further negotiation." The company said that even though parts of the tower are affected, the observation levels, EdgeWalk and The Shop remain open.
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
‘We're done being disrespected': Nurses ramp up action over fair pay
Thousands of nurses and midwives across Queensland have escalated their campaign for fair wages and conditions, with stage 2 of protected industrial action officially under way. The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU) has confirmed members across all Queensland Health facilities will participate in targeted action, stepping back from a range of non-clinical duties while continuing to prioritise direct patient care. QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said members were sending a clear message to Health Minister Tim Nicholls that it was now time for a new, nation-leading offer. 'Today marks a historic step in our push for a deal that recruits, respects and retains this state's frontline nursing and midwifery workforce,' Ms Beaman said. 'Nurses and midwives are holding our health system together through sheer heart, skill and determination. 'We're at breaking point and we're done being disrespected.' The latest action follows the union's rejection of the government's proposed 11 per cent pay rise over three years, with the QNMU instead pushing for a 13 per cent increase over the same period. The government's offer includes staged increases of 3 per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in both April 2026 and April 2027, and a final 3 per cent in December 2027. Mr Nicholls has described the proposal as a 'nation-leading' package that includes an 'Australian-first double-time-for-overtime care package'. However, Ms Beaman said the deal would strip Queensland's nurses and midwives of their long-held position as the highest paid in the country, a status they've maintained for 15 years. She said the workforce was now escalating action to 'keep Queenslanders safe.' 'We are over the state government's stalling tactics and gaslighting,' she said. Actions under stage 2 include not performing administrative and support duties such as filing, answering phones, cleaning equipment, moving beds or entering non-clinical data into hospital systems. The QNMU has also issued specific notices for additional actions in various wards and units across the state. The union confirmed it had provided Queensland Health with the required three full working days' notice to allow for contingency planning. The industrial action has been approved by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC). Members will continue to document all clinical observations to ensure safe, continuous care. The QNMU said the latest action was in response to what it described as a failure by the government to uphold its written commitment to maintain nation-leading wages and conditions. It said that under the current offer, more than 36,000 of Queensland Health's 55,000 nurses and midwives would miss out on those wage standards. 'We have not taken this decision lightly, but the government has left us no choice,' Ms Beaman said. She said the protected industrial action is about making sure there were enough nurses and midwives to care for Queenslanders. 'Fair pay, safe conditions, respect. That's all we're asking,' Ms Beaman said. The first stage of industrial action began on June 5 with low-level visibility activities such as staff wearing pink or promotional shirts and email signature updates. Ms Beaman said the stage 2 action would be 'legal, safe, and targeted,' in response to what she described as ongoing disrespect and gaslighting from the LNP state government. She emphasised that while the action may cause some inconvenience for Queensland Health officials, patient safety would not be compromised. 'We dedicate our working lives to the provision of safe, quality health care. As such, patient safety remains our priority at all times,' she said. Ms Beaman clarified the action was not a strike and assured the public that nurses and midwives would remain on the job, continuing to deliver frontline care. 'Nurses and midwives will be focusing on direct patient care, rather than some of the many other additional duties which have been added to their workload over the years,' she said. 'Nurses and midwives will not suddenly abandon their professional obligations or their longstanding and demonstrated commitment to patients and their care. 'But we are standing strong and calling on this government to bring an end to the disrespect and dishonouring of its election commitment. 'The Premier promised frontline nurses and midwives he would respect them. It's time to make good that promise.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sheraton Vancouver Guildford workers on strike for fair wages
SURREY, BC, July 5, 2025 /CNW/ - More than 140 hotel workers at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford hotel began strike action today after failing to reach a fair collective agreement with their employer. "Our members deserve better and are trying to catch up," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "These workers kept the doors open during some of the most challenging years in hospitality. Now, they're standing together to demand better wages in the face of a skyrocketing cost of living in the Lower Mainland. This strike is about fairness, respect, and economic justice." Unifor Local 3000 members at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford have been without a contract since April 2024. After more than a year of bargaining, workers voted to reject a tentative agreement and began legal strike action at 5:30 p.m. Pacific on July 5,2025. "This hotel runs because of our members—and they're done waiting for a fair deal," said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. "They're taking a stand not just for themselves, but for all hospitality workers who deserve better pay and respect on the job." The Sheraton Vancouver Guildford is owned by Pacific Reach Properties, a Vancouver-based investment firm with holdings in real estate, hospitality, healthcare, and tech. The company outsources its labour negotiations to Hospitality Industrial Relations (HIR), a third-party group that bargains on behalf of hotel operators across the province. "Wages at this hotel have flatlined while rent, groceries, and gas have soared," said Adrian Burnett, President of Unifor Local 3000. "Our members are scraping by while a wealthy ownership group tries to nickel-and-dime them. This strike is the direct result of that imbalance." Unifor Local 3000 represents 120 full-time and 24 part-time workers at the hotel, including room attendants, front desk staff, banquet servers, kitchen workers, and maintenance workers. The union says it remains open to productive talks but warns the strike will continue until a fair deal is on the table. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 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. SOURCE Unifor View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
National Post
03-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
OCEU/CUPE 1750 Stands in Solidarity with UNIFOR Workers Locked Out at CN Tower
Article content TORONTO — The Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE Local 1750), representing 3,600 striking WSIB frontline workers, reaffirms its strong support for UNIFOR Local 4271 members locked out at the CN Tower, owned by Canada Lands Company. Article content Earlier this week, OCEU members demonstrated their solidarity by joining UNIFOR workers in Toronto to show collective strength in the face of unfair labour practices. This action reflects the growing frustration among public sector employees with employers who refuse to bargain in good faith. Article content Article content 'Solidarity among workers is essential in the fight for fair treatment and respect in the workplace,' said Harry Goslin, President of OCEU/CUPE 1750. 'We stand with all workers demanding fair wages, safe working conditions, and genuine negotiations.' Article content The ongoing lockout at WSIB — the first in its 110-year history — and the CN Tower lockout highlight a broader pattern of public sector employers abandoning their responsibility to frontline workers. Article content 'Respectful, good-faith bargaining is essential,' added Goslin. 'These workers keep critical public services running, and they deserve fair treatment.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
