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April 21, 2018 TORONTO – Unifor National President Jerry Dias is available to comment on the government review of personal emergency leave for auto workers. The review comes after Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn met with a Unifor led delegation of unionized and non-unionized auto workers. “We had a frank discussion on how regulation 502/06 creates a lesser standard of personal emergency leave for auto sector workers. It is unfair and is hurting workers and their families,” said Dias. “Auto workers have the same need for personal emergency leave as everyone else, they incur injuries, their kids get sick and when they lose someone they need bereavement leave. The lesser standard must be fixed.” The provincial government appointed independent reviewers Buzz Hargrove, former National President of the Canadian Auto Workers, and Stacey Allerton, former Vice President of Human Resources for Ford Canada, to evaluate the impact of the personal emergency leave exemption and provide recommendations to the government. WHAT: Unifor available to comment on review of auto worker personal emergency leave WHEN: Saturday April 21 in Toronto – by arrangement Sunday April 22 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Windsor Riverfront Festival Plaza 375 Riverside Dr. E, Windsor, Ontario WHO: Unifor National President Jerry Dias Ontario’s Fair Workplaces Better Jobs Act allows workers 10 days of personal emergency leave with the first two days being paid leave. However, under the exemption, auto workers are only entitled to seven days for personal or family illness or emergencies and three days for bereavement, with none of the leave being paid. “In addition to lobbying the government, Unifor has the ability to address this unfair regulation through collective bargaining,” said Dias. “However, thousands of auto sector workers are not covered by collective agreements so it’s important that their voice is represented.” At the end of December when the exemption was confirmed by the government Unifor launched a campaign to advocate for fairness. To date, the Union has collected more than 7,000 signatures on a petition calling on the Ontario government to eliminate the personal emergency leave exemption for auto workers. To view the petition click here Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Kathleen O’Keefe at @email or 416-896-3303 (cell).
