Ontario Regional Council Report

December 8, 2022
by Brent Tree

Ontario Regional Council Report

Ontario Regional Council from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3/22. Delegates gathered in Toronto from all around the province of Ontario There was lots of discussion about the victories by the labour movement In Ontario in the past couple weeks.

  • The repealing of Bill 28 and use of the notwithstanding clause.
  • Bill 124 the 1 % wage freeze increase on workers was deemed unconstitutional by the Ontario Superior Court.

There were a number of guest speakers who spoke during the council below are just a few of them.

  • Lana Payne Unifor National President
  • Len Poirier Unifor National Secretary Treasurer
  • Shree Paradkar Toronto Star Columnist
  • Dr Adhil Shamji, Fighting Against Health Care Privatization was the keynote speaker

The following Recommendations were voted on and passed

  1. Unifor Media Council’s Action Plan to confront and address the harassment of journalists and media workers
  2. Support and participate in national campaign to support reproductive rights
  3. Launch a provincial campaign to stop and reverse the privatization of health care in Ontario.
  4. The council encouraged Ontario Local Unions to bargaining racial justice and equity language a priority in the next round of bargaining

The following Resolutions were voted on and passed

  1. Protect health care workers from further exposure to Cytotoxic Drugs (Antineoplastics)
  2. Lobby the provincial government to pay for the Shingrix Vaccine for all adults 50 and older, and encourage all local to participate in this lobbying campaign
  3. Address discrimination caused by Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Part XIII. Subsection 176(1). And discrimination caused by Occupational Health and Safety Act, Part VI, subsection 50.1
  4. Urge all locals, units and members support local news by purchase local newspapers or online subscriptions of said.

Elections were held for the ORC Executive Board and the ORC Standing Committees. The following are the results.

Ontario Regional Council Executive Board

Shinade Allder, Local 6005                 Chairperson

Brian Chapman, Local 27                    Vice – Chairperson

Balkar Bains, Local 4457                     Secretary- Treasurer

Members at Large:

Marc Brennan, Local 707; Jordan Lennox, Local 199; Debbie Montgomery, Local 4268; Corey Dalton, Local 1090; Cindy Hasler, Local 504; Carleen Finch, Local 87-M; Dana-Anne James, Local 6006; Alicia Rivera, Local 1106

Standing Committees were elected by the entire Council meeting.

EI/CPP: Stephan Cronin, Local 88; Dwayne Gunness, Local 40; Dan Cushenan, Local 504

Health & Safety and Environment: Brian Lowery, Local 1996-O; Paul McKee, Local 4268; Bonnie Nantais, Local 195

Political Action Committee: Melissa Holden, Local 636; Donovan Nezbeth, Local 26; Anees Munshi, Local 2002

Employee and Family Assistance Program Committee: Yolanda Cornwall, Local 2002; Mike Kemp, Local 200; Paulo Duarte, Local 26; Jessica Ridgwell, Local 1285

Workers’ Compensation Committee:  Mike Kisch, Local 2458; Rob Gallace, Local 88; Ashok Venkatarangam, Local 100

The Council’s five equity-seeking committees were elected at caucus meetings of their peers.

Black, Indigenous and Workers of Colour: Dina Roushanroz, Local 2458; Carrie Moffitt, Local 229; Donovan Nezbeth, Local 26

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender: Dana Dunphy, Local 444; Deanne Smith Local 25; Denise Keefe, Local 222

Women’s Committee: Sarah-Kai Antanaitis, Local 5555; Emily Coulter, Local 1106; Melissa Wood, Local 598

Workers with Disabilities: Melanie Forget, Local 5025; Andrea Henry, Local 112; Jackie McIntosh, Local 79-M

Young Worker’s Committee: Jamie Chilcott, Local 88; Angelyn Francis, Local 87-M; Heather Lenson, Local 200

 

In Solidarity

Brent Tree; Ontario Regional Council delegate and President Unifor Local 88