We are pleased to share that the Government Benefits 2026 document is now available on Unifor’s website.
This document provides updated information on government benefits, eligibility, and key changes for the year. To download the document please follow this link: GOVERNMENT BENEFITS 2026
In solidarity,
Unifor Pensions and Benefits Department
Greetings,
Does a family vacation on the shores of beautiful Lake Huron in Ontario at a resort-like facility where accommodations and food are all looked after at no cost to your members or the local sound too good to be true? Unifor’s Family Education Program offers this and so much more.
The Unifor Family Education Program is funded by the National Union. There is no cost to the Local Union and you are not required to have Paid Education Leave (PEL) negotiated in your collective agreements to have members participate in the program.
This year we are holding two (2) English Language sessions.
Sunday, August 09th to Sunday, August 16th inclusive
Sunday, August 16th to Sunday, August 23rd inclusive (ASL interpretation available)
*Interested members, reach out to president@uniforlocal7.ca to receive the application documents*
Completed applications must be submitted via email to Family.Education@unifor.org no later than Friday, March 13th, 2026.
The program is open to members and their immediate families (spouse/partner and dependant children up to and including 18 years of age only). Members are not eligible if they attended the Family Education Program within the last (7) seven years.
Successful applicants will be notified by April 10th, 2026.
The Manitoba Recreation Council (MRC) will be holding a General Meeting on Thursday, February 12, 2026 @6:30 PM. This meeting will be an opportunity to reflect on our 2025 events and begin brainstorming and planning recreation and family-focused activities for 2026.
All members are welcome to attend.
We encourage everyone to bring their ideas, energy, and union solidarity. No idea is a bad idea. We simply ask that members come with a rough thought on how their idea could be turned into an event so we can have productive discussions.
We also encourage Local Recreation Committees to attend and connect. This is a great opportunity to share ideas, combine efforts, and explore ways we can work together and pool resources to create stronger, more successful events across Manitoba.
There are also vacant positions on the MRC, and members who are interested in getting more involved are encouraged to step forward. Joining the council is not required, members can also volunteer for individual events.
Your encouragement makes a difference. Please motivate members from you Locals and all levels of experience to attend. Every voice matters in creating inclusive, engaging events for Unifor members and their families.
Thank you for your continued support.
In solidarity,
Tom Suver
Chairperson
Unifor Manitoba Recreation Council
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
Dear Friends,
Last week members of CUPE, Air Canada flight attendants said enough is enough when an overwhelming 99.7% took a strike vote sending a clear message to Air Canada’s leadership. They deserve respect, fair compensation and safe working conditions. Unifor stands in Solidarity with CUPE and it’s members.
If I may ask you all a favour, please take a moment to write to your MP’s and ask them not to interfere with Air Canada’s bargaining process. It is only through this process, with both AC and CUPE at the table, will a fair contract that has benefits for both sides happen. The flight attendants have been with their current contract for 10 years and it has been detrimental as there has been no consideration at all for inflation.
During COVID, they were not deemed an essential service and they had to wait with everyone else to get vaccinated. However now, many news media agencies, make it sound like they are. If they are, then officially deem them an essential service and pay them the salary for being an essential service. They are not coffee baristas, they are safety professionals that have to maintain that qualification every year.
Below is a sample letter of what you can email to your MP. Please share with all members and friends.
Thank you for your time!
In Solidarity,
Frank Wright
Manitoba/Saskatchewan Area Director
Directeur Local du Manitoba et de la Saskatchewan
2nd Floor, 1376 Grant Ave.
Winnipeg MB R3M 3Y4
Tel: (204) 487-5593
Cell: (204) 451-2424
Fax: (204) 487-2201
frank.wright@unifor.org
Dear MP Name
I am writing as a constituent to urge you and our government to stay out of Air Canada’s labour negotiations. As a voter, I want to believe that our government truly represents the working people who build and sustain our community. I am deeply concerned that government intervention in bargaining could tip the scales and undermine the principle of good-faith negotiations between employers and workers.
A fair contract can only be reached when both sides have the space to bargain sincerely, openly, and without external pressures that distort the outcome. Employers and workers each have legitimate interests, and a genuine, enforceable agreement should emerge from mutual concessions, trust, and a shared commitment to the common good—not from government interference that may skew negotiations.
I respectfully ask you to:
Advocate non-interference in ongoing labour negotiations.
Support policies that protect the right of workers and employers to bargain in good faith.
Promote a neutral framework that encourages fair, transparent, and collaborative bargaining processes.
Resist actions or rhetoric that could be perceived as tipping the scales in favour of either side.
Our community’s strength comes from fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignified livelihoods for those who work hard every day. Please ensure that any role our government plays in labour matters respects the autonomy of workers and employers to reach a voluntary and fair agreement without undue influence.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue. I look forward to your response and to seeing a commitment to principled, non-interventionist labour policy that upholds the rights and interests of working people.
Sincerely,
NAME
MRC Presents: Unifor Night with the Winnipeg Sea Bears!
Join the Manitoba Recreation Council for a fun and exciting Thursday Night Sports Night with the Winnipeg Sea Bears — and kick off your weekend early with your fellow Unifor members, family, and friends! See attached poster for circulation and posting.
– Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025
– Time: 7:00 PM
– Location: Canada Life Centre
We’ve teamed up with the Winnipeg Sea Bears to offer exclusive discounted group pricing! Reserve a block of seats through the FEVO page so you and your group can sit together. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the game with your Local, your Crew, or your Family.
Grab your tickets here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Manitobarecreation5 or Scan the QR Code on poster.
(Limited seating in our discounted sections – don’t wait!)
– Wear your Sea Bears gear or rep your Unifor swag!
– Bring your friends, and family – everyone’s welcome!
– Discounted prices, great seats, even better company!
Let’s show up Loud and Proud to support the Winnipeg Sea Bears and build Solidarity through sport. See you there!
In Solidarity
Tom Suver
Chairperson
Unifor Manitoba Recreation Council
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is collecting donations for wildfire evacuee’s from up North. Families have been evacuted and displaced, some having to leave their homes with nothing. If you are able to donate please see the list of donations they are accepting:
-Adult Clothing (all sizes)
-Children’s + Youth Clothing (all sizes)
-Shoes (all sizes)
-Underwear + Socks (all sizes)
-Towels + Washcloths
-Baby Care Supplies (Diapers, wipes, formula, strollers, highchairs)
-Feminie Hygiene Products
-Phone Chargers + Power Banks (Apple, Android)
-Notebooks + Pens
-Books, Games + Puzzles
-Family Friendly Recreation Passes (Museums, pools, The Zoo, movies etc.)
They are accepting donations at 200 – 286 Smith Street, Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm. If you are unable to drop the donations off there you may bring them by the Winnipeg National office at 1376 Grant Ave.
Please see the attached poster and share with members, family and friends.
Greetings!
Please note that the 2025 Unifor National Scholarship application period is open!
Unifor recognizes that the cost associated with post-secondary education is a challenge for many working families. To assist in making education more accessible, we have established 28 scholarships of $2,000.00 each to children of Unifor members and a Unifor member entering their first year of post-secondary studies. Five of these scholarships are administered by the Quebec Council with a separate application process and deadline Residents of Quebec must use that application process. See http://www.uniforquebec.org
More information about this popular program including details on how to apply can be found here.
THE APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSES ON FRIDAY JUNE 20, 2025.
In solidarity,
Unifor Education Department
Unifor Local 7