Porter airlines,
unifor negotiate
fi rst agreements
TORONTO — Porter Airlines and Unifor
Local 2002 have reached their first collec-
tive agreements.
The new deals cover 170 customer ser-
vice representatives and ambassadors as
well as 77 ramp attendants.
Improvements introduced by the collec-
tive agreements include union recognition,
defined hours of work, shift and vacation
bids by seniority, established grievance and
arbitration processes, health and dental
benefits for part-time employees and addi-
tional vacation time.
The three-year agreements, effective
immediately, were reached through direct
negotiations between the parties. The deals
will expire on April 26, 2018.
All of the affected employees work at the
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The re-
gional airline operates regularly scheduled
flights between Toronto and locations in
Canada and the United States.
The agreements were ratified by employ-
ees by 75 per cent each.
ndP victory
in alberta a win
for workers: unifor
CALGARY — In an unprecedented move,
the Alberta NDP usurped a four-decade dy-
nasty helmed by the Progressive Conserva-
tives — and the victory could mean a stron-
ger workforce, according to Unifor.
Following a majority win for premier-
elect Rachel Notley and the New Demo-
crats in Alberta's provincial election on
May 5, the country's biggest private sector
union is welcoming what it calls a new era.
"Tonight, hope has triumphed over fear,"
said Jerry Dias, Unifor's president. "Alber-
tans have demonstrated their confidence
that there are viable alternatives to Jim
Prentice and the Conservatives, and voted
for a government that will put their needs
first."
On the campaign trail, the NDP made
commitments to protect public services,
including health care and education, by re-
versing significant cuts floated by Conser-
vative leader and outgoing premier Pren-
tice earlier this year. Dias added that Notley
would take a balanced approach to corpo-
rate taxes — something Prentice was reluc-
tant to change despite hiking public taxes.
"No one can solve Alberta's woes over-
night, but today's historic election is a con-
fident step in the right direction," Dias said,
pointing to ex-premier Peter Lougheed
and adding that, "A generation after Peter
Lougheed, it is the NDP who took up the
cause of 'thinking like owners' and putting
resources to work for Alberta's
families."
lAboUr brieFs
2
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lAboUr lens
The fi rst Volvo plant in the United States was awarded to South Carolina, where the automaker
recently pledged to invest $5 million.
