On Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV), March 31, Unifor stands firmly with trans, non-binary, two-spirited, and gender-diverse people.

The Trans Day of Visibility is a call-to-action. Recognizing human rights should not always be about defending against attacks. TDOV reminds us that we have the power to lead by example, to build a more just and equitable world now and for the next generation.

Unifor’s Workers in Transition guide is a practical resource to help Unifor locals and members support workers who are transitioning. It outlines union, member, and employer responsibilities and offers tools for building inclusive, respectful workplaces.

From washrooms and uniforms to medical benefits, workplace union representatives, bargaining committees and local leaders can help build safe workplaces that welcome and celebrate trans workers.

Trans people, and especially trans kids, continue to be targeted and persecuted by right-wing governments and politicians, but together, we can set the record straight.

These politicians and activists misrepresent the realities of trans lives and of gender-affirming care in order to confuse what is a clear and simple truth.

Trans people have always been part of our communities.

All workers, including trans workers, have the right to bodily autonomy, to be free from violence and discrimination and to live in peace.

Trans rights are workers’ rights, and Unifor members will vehemently defend the rights of all workers.

Unifor recognizes the resilience, contributions, and leadership of trans, non-binary, and two-spirit members who continue to enrich our movement. Their courage and advocacy are a reminder that visibility is both a powerful act of resistance and a beacon of hope.

Review the Workers in Transition guide to see how local unions and local leadership can better support trans members at work.

Read this statement on our website.

In solidarity,

Lana Payne
Unifor National President



Destinataires: Présidentes et présidents et secrétaires-archivistes des sections locales et tout le personnel

À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la visibilité transgenre, le 31 mars, Unifor est résolument solidaire des personnes transgenres, non binaires, bispirituelles et issues de la diversité de genre.

Cette journée est un appel à l’action. La reconnaissance des droits de la personne ne devrait pas toujours être un combat de tous les instants contre les attaques. Cette journée nous rappelle que nous avons le pouvoir de montrer l’exemple afin de bâtir un monde plus juste et plus équitable, aujourd’hui et pour la prochaine génération.

Le guide des travailleuses et travailleurs en transition d’Unifor est une ressource pratique destinée à aider les sections locales et les membres du syndicat à soutenir les travailleuses et travailleurs en transition. Il établit les responsabilités du syndicat, des membres et des employeurs et propose des outils permettant de créer des milieux de travail inclusifs et respectueux.

Les représentantes et représentants syndicaux en milieu de travail, les comités de négociation et les directions des sections locales peuvent contribuer à créer des milieux de travail sûrs qui accueillent et célèbrent les travailleuses et travailleurs transgenres, qu’il s’agisse de toilettes, d’uniformes ou de soins médicaux.

Les personnes transgenres, en particulier les enfants transgenres, continuent d’être prises pour cible et persécutées par les gouvernements et les partis politiques de droite, mais ensemble, nous pouvons rétablir la vérité.

Ces partis politiques et groupes militants déforment la réalité de la vie des personnes transgenres et des soins d’affirmation de genre afin de brouiller une vérité claire et simple.

Les personnes transgenres ont toujours fait partie de nos communautés.

Tous les travailleurs et travailleuses, y compris les personnes transgenres, ont le droit à l’autonomie corporelle, ainsi que d’être protégés contre la violence et la discrimination et de vivre en paix.

Les droits des travailleuses et travailleurs englobent les droits des personnes transgenres, et les membres d’Unifor défendront farouchement les droits de tous et toutes.

Unifor reconnaît la résilience, les contributions et le leadership des personnes transgenres, non binaires et bispirituelles qui continuent d’enrichir notre mouvement. Leur courage et leur engagement nous rappellent que la visibilité est à la fois un puissant acte de résistance et une lueur d’espoir.

Consultez le guide des travailleuses et travailleurs en transition pour connaître les mesures que peuvent prendre les sections locales et leur direction pour mieux soutenir les membres transgenres au travail.

Lisez la déclaration sur notre site web.

En toute solidarité,

Lana Payne
Présidente nationale d’Unifor

This is Local 2169’s second beading event. Open to friends and family and geared more towards beginners but seasoned beaders are welcome as well. We will have an interpreter onsite from 10am-noon and we will begin instruction at the start of each hour for those coming part way through the day. Please post the attached poster to your union board and circulate with family and friends.



Please email BIWOC@unifor2169.ca to register



Event Details:

Location: 1376 Grant Ave. Main floor

Date: April 25, 2026

Time: 9:00am- 4:00pm

Beading Circle

Kits will be provided, $5 each

Open to members, family, and friends on behalf of the BIWOC committee

Join us for a few hours or stay for the whole day

Variety of kits available: red dress, orange shirt, poppy, etc

To register contact biwoc@unifor2169.ca with how many people you will be bringing and if you would prefer morning, afternoon, or whole day

Refreshments will be provided

January 17, 2026

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Unifor Office 1376 Grant Ave

Dear Unifor Members,

The Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade is coming up on Saturday, November 15, and we’re inviting all members, families, and friends to walk alongside our Unifor float and help spread some holiday cheer!

Important Details:
Parade Start Time: 5:00 PM
Road Closures Begin: 1:30 PM — plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to arrive.
Parking: You can park near either the start or the finish of the parade (see attached Float Map and Parking Map files).
Meeting Time: The float will be in the staging area 2-3 hours prior to the parade start. Please arrive early enough to find parking and reach our float before the parade begins.

Dress for the Weather! Warm clothing and comfortable footwear are a must.

If you’d like to participate, please email your name and the number of people in your group to manitobareccouncil@gmail.com. We need this information in advance for safety and coordination purposes.

A few quick tips:
Downtown will be very busy — expect delays and plan your route in advance.
Be patient, stay safe, and enjoy the parade!

We can’t wait to see you there, spreading Unifor pride and holiday spirit!

In Sol

Tom Suver
Chairperson
Unifor
Manitoba Recreation Council

Working people and communities across Canada continue to be adversely impacted by wildland fires, including forest fires and grassland fires. Forestry workers and forestry-dependent communities have experienced the devastating effects of forest fires, including loss of livelihoods, loss of homes and community infrastructure, and short- and long-term health challenges.

As Canada’s union for forestry workers, as well as for forest firefighters in the Quebec region (SOPFEU), Unifor has a responsibility to advocate for laws, policies, regulations and other measures that provide urgent support for workers, communities and ecosystems impacted by wildland fires. At the same time, we have an obligation to address the underlying causes of wildland fires, to mitigate risks, and to help build a safer, more resilient, and more sustainable future for forestry workers, communities, and ecosystems.

Wildland fires, including forest fires and grassland fires, are a vital ecological process that support habitat health, diversity, and regeneration. However, it is clear that climate change is influencing the frequency, intensity, and geographic distribution of wildland fires.

A Record-Setting Year and the “New Normal”

The 2023 wildland fire season was particularly extreme and destructive, setting a record for total area burned. That year, over 230,000 people were evacuated because of potential dangers to life and health, and 6,623 wildland fires burned over 15 million hectares of Canada’s managed forests.

The 2025 season is proving to be destructive as well, all areas of the country continue to cope with the impacts and risks from wildland fires, and this increasingly includes Canada’s North.

Wildland fires can harm human health and well-being, communities, and cultural and economic resources. Unifor workplaces and communities that are home to Unifor members face increasing risks of disruption and destruction, and our union has a critical role to play in addressing and mitigating these negative impacts.

Forestry Sector Responses to Forest Fires

Within our Forestry Sector, we have no choice but to incorporate climate change and fire mitigation, risk management, and disaster planning into all aspects of our work. This includes incorporating forest fire mitigation into our policy work and when providing expert feedback during government consultations. It also means considering the impacts of forest fires during the collective bargaining process.

This work is especially relevant for forest firefighters, some of whom are Unifor members – including forest firefighters in the Quebec region (SOPFEU). We must continue to advocate for stronger workplace protections and safer working conditions for these front-line workers, along with better wages and increased job security. They risk their lives to protect people, communities and natural habitats, and they deserve our unwavering support and solidarity.

Leveraging Canada’s Aerospace Capacity and Expertise

Unifor plays an important role in terms of the equipment needed to fight wildland fires. The Unifor Aerospace Strategy includes a recommendation meant to address the current water bomber shortage that is hampering firefighting efforts by leveraging Canada’s aerospace industry expertise.

Providing Supports at the Community Level

Unifor has more than 2,800 bargaining units and some 650 local unions spread out from coast to coast to coast, and our union plays a vital role in the communities in which our members work. When wildland fires impact these communities, our union locals often play a critical role in providing supports during and after fire events, including during evacuations and rebuilding efforts.

Wildland Fires and the Fight Against Climate Change

At the same time and in the longer term, Unifor will continue to advocate for policies that combat climate change, and help our members, communities and governments at all levels draw the connections between human-caused climate change and wildland fires.

Within our own union, Unifor has established the National Climate Taskforce, built on the powerful principle that the fight against climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a labour issue that requires the collective effort of workers and unions to drive lasting change. Made up of rank-and-file activists, local and national elected leaders, and staff, the Unifor National Climate Taskforce aims to involve members in important conversations about climate and sustainable jobs, through the development of a vision that transforms all of Canada’s industries while leaving no worker behind.

The Taskforce has directly drawn on the experiences of Unifor members in the Forestry Sector and sought to establish biodiversity and forest management as key drivers of economic transition. In both its outreach to members and engagement with policymakers, the Taskforce has emphasized that these policies intersect with workers’ livelihoods, threatening job loss and dislocation in the absence of a clear transition strategy for impacted workers.

In addition to this ongoing internal work, Unifor continues to participate in a number of government and industry advisory panels related to fighting climate change. For example, Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director, is a member of the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council, a tripartite body convened to provide independent, expert advice to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Government of Canada on measures and policies related to sustainable jobs, including the Sustainable Jobs Action Plan.

Unifor is committed to advancing ambitious, comprehensive industrial policies to future-proof the industries in which our members work, combating climate change, and moving Canada toward a net zero economy, all while building good union jobs along the way.

Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, with more than 320,000 members across the country, working in every major sector of the Canadian economy. Unifor is also Canada’s forestry union, with 24,000 members spread across 10 Canadian provinces. Unifor’s members work in a variety of forestry, logging and firefighting occupations as well as wood product, bioenergy and pulp and paper manufacturing facilities.

Read this statement on our website.

In solidarity,

Lana Payne
National President