IAM Canada News

It is with regret and sadness that we announce the death of our colleague Normand Cherry, at the age of 82. A man of conviction and in solidarity with his fellow Machinists, he left his mark on the history of Local 712, the labour movement, politics and the economy of Quebec. He joined Canadair as a machinist in 1954 and served as President General Chairperson of IAMAW Local 712 from… Read More »Normand Cherry (JUNE 2, 1938 – APRIL 11, 2021) A great defender of Quebec aerospace workers has passed away

By Ivana Saula Mass unemployment, a slow recovery and debt incurred over the last few months have prompted discussion about Universal Basic Income (UBI). Success of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has been used as a prelude to a conversation about UBI, given how effective it was in assisting thousands of workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Missing from this narrative is that many workers were initially… Read More »Universal Basic Income: A Help or Hindrance for Workers?

IAM political action delegates from Local Lodges across Canada joined the nearly 400 other labour activists on the weekend at the federal NDP virtual Convention. Despite some minor technical difficulties, the Convention went well and some important policies were hammered out. “The IAM has been calling on the NDP to put increased focus on the labour issues facing workers across Canada. Workers have borne the brunt in this pandemic and… Read More »Report from federal NDP Convention

April 12, 2021For Immediate Release “Announcement of an aid package for Air Canada brings relief to many workers in the aviation and air transportation sectors and is a critical first step towards a recovery. Aid has been a long time coming, and will stop the hemorrhaging in the entire Canadian industry, and related industries, such as aerospace, in which we also have a stake.” remarked Stan Pickthall, Canadian General Vice… Read More »Financial Aid for Airlines on the Horizon: Air Canada Negotiates a Deal

For immediate release 08 April, 2021 Toronto, ON – The Canadian government is facing mounting criticism over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it be the availability of the COVID vaccine, the vaccination plan or lack of a plan about jobs and the economy, they have been facing increasing pressure. One specific industry that has been abandoned is the airline industry. Canada remains the only G7 nation yet to… Read More »Shocking difference in US and Canadian approaches to airline industry

Staffing changes are always difficult. It means that years of hard-won experience and wisdom leave the organization and new staff come in without that expertise. Luckily, for IAM District 250, the two staff leaving (one through retirement and the other through career change) have gladly shared their knowledge with the newcomers. One of those newcomers is Jeff Smith, 51 years old and a member of IAM Local 692. He is… Read More »Jeff Smith – Coming full circle

Staffing changes are always difficult. It means that years of hard-won experience and wisdom leave the organization and new staff come in without that expertise. Luckily, for IAM District 250, the two staff leaving (one through retirement and the other through career change) have gladly shared their knowledge with the newcomers. One of those newcomers is Jay Garneau. He is one of two new Business Representatives (BRs) with the District.… Read More »Jay Garneau – A varied experience

April 1, 2021 To: All IAM Members Subject: IAM Canada mourns loss of IAM Local 99 member Dear Members and Activists, On April 1, 2021, our membership suffered a tragic loss. Two IAM members were injured on the job at a Finning location in Edmonton, AB yesterday while on the job. Tragically, one of them passed away this morning in hospital. I understand this message may be difficult to process.… Read More »Passing of IAM member

For Immediate Release April 2, 2021 Toronto, ON – Today’s announcement from Air Canada regarding the cancelation of the acquisition of Air Transat comes unexpectedly. From our understanding, the Company’s offer was not approved by the European Commission, making it clear that the acquisition will not go forward. IAM Canadian General Vice-President Stan Pickthall stated, “We certainly weren’t expecting this type of announcement as a start to a holiday long… Read More »Air Canada purchase of Air Transat cancelled

Participants from around the world gathered for the United Nations 65th Conference on The Status of Women, taking part in numerous sessions, with a great number looking at the impact of COVID-19 on women, youth and women of colour. Much attention has been given to the experiences of women in the public sector given large numbers of women in sectors like education and healthcare, but the experiences of women in… Read More »IAM on the Global Stage: COVID-19 and the Private Sector