IAM Position Statements by Industry

Aerospace:

Our presence: The IAMAW represents aerospace workers in every cluster across the country in both aerospace manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul. Our members are the competitive advantage the Canadian aerospace industry boasts about, skilled workers.

What we stand for: The IAMAW recognizes that this industry is of national and strategic importance to Canada. We rank third in the world in research and development, making us a world leader in technological innovation. Canada also has several major competitive advantages, and now is the critical time to maintain and grow those advantages. An integral key to Canada’s success in aerospace is an educated and skilled workforce, which has given the industry a world class reputation. In fact, the industry employs 208,000 Canadians, and contributes $ 28 billion annually to the GDP.

The industry also provides indirect benefits to the economy by driving innovation through spillover effects in other industries, transfer of knowledge and support for government priorities across several federal departments.

Not only do we advocate for our member’s rights inside and outside the workplace, we have been dedicated advocates for the industry. We have worked alongside the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) and Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace (CCAA) on a number of initiatives, and we take every opportunity to advocate for betterment of aerospace in Canada. Our vision of a strong aerospace industry includes;

Developing a national funding framework, which addresses fragmentation in the industry
Developing a national labour strategy to address labour shortages in the industry
Supporting innovative clusters that drive Canada’s competitive edge forward
Supporting SMEs that are the engine of growth in the industry

For more on our position on the aerospace industry, please see the link below;

http://www.iamaw.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/6Feb2019_IAM_Aerospace_Strategy_2018.pdf

http://www.iamaw.ca/covid19-impact-on-the-aerospace-industry-2/

http://www.iamaw.ca/time-is-running-out-to-support-the-aerospace-industry-alarm-bells-getting-louder/

http://www.iamaw.ca/another-endorsement-for-iams-aerospace-strategy/

http://www.iamaw.ca/15379/

Healthcare:

Our presence: We proudly represent members in the health sector in a variety of settings, including homecare, long term care, ambulatory services, and retirement homes. We represent a broad range of healthcare workers, such as personal support workers, RNs, RPNs, homecare nurses and support staff in areas that are an essential part of the healthcare system.

What we stand for: The COVID19 pandemic has shown the critical importance of healthcare as a public good, and even more so the social value of healthcare workers. Many of our members continued working in difficult, and at times, unsafe conditions; our dedication to them is as strong as their unwavering dedication to their clients, residents and communities.

The IAMAW advocates for;

Inclusion of Long Term Care under the Canada Health Act as a way of ensuring quality care, but also limiting opportunities for privatization that jeopardizes people’s well-being and dignity
We firmly support the position that healthcare must remain a public good, as ample evidence in Canada and in other countries has shown that for profit care is detrimental to health outcomes, individuals, workers and communities.
We advocate for specific guidelines pertaining to health and safety of our members in homecare, given the unique work environment
Pandemic pay: healthcare workers have borne the brunt of the pandemic, and have worked in some of the most challenging conditions. As precarious employment becomes the predominant model in many sectors, nowhere as in healthcare has it become apparent how dangerous this work arrangement is, putting lives at risk. Given the risks and dangers that are inherent in healthcare environments, the IAMAW urges governments to maintain pandemic pay as base compensation for our essential workers.
The role of PSWs in healthcare teams must be recognized, and valued, which can be achieved through regulating and licensing the work. Much of the caring economy is feminized and unregulated, despite the fact that this is skilled work, and should be regulated as such. This would not only ensure wages were in line with job demands, but it would also ensure a high quality of care.

For more information about our positions on the healthcare industry, please see below;

http://www.iamaw.ca/senate-report-acknowledges-importance-of-psws-in-the-healthcare-system/

http://www.iamaw.ca/long-overdue-ontario-healthcare-wage-subsidies-a-good-step-but-workers-need-more-says-iam-union/

http://www.iamaw.ca/video-stan-pickthall-talks-about-pharmacare-and-healthcare-workers/

http://www.iamaw.ca/iam-healthcare-bargaining-priorities/

http://www.iamaw.ca/covid-19-and-healthcare-faq-for-iam-members/

http://www.iamaw.ca/to-all-iam-healthcare-members-position-statement-on-covid-19-for-iam-healthcare-members/

http://www.iamaw.ca/here-we-grow-again-in-ontarios-healthcare-sector/

Air transportation

Our presence: We represent the largest number of workers in the air transportation industry, across major Canadian airports, as well as, smaller bases. Our members work for major airlines in a variety of jobs, and after years of representation in the industry, we have expert knowledge of air transportation and experience dealing with member’s issues. In fact, we have held collective agreements in the industry since 1948!

What we stand for: As a result of the pandemic, it is clear air transportation will have to adapt and the way companies do business will have to change, too. As new realities emerge, now is the time to implement changes that we believe will benefit the industry and workers. The IAMAW believes that first and foremost;

The viability of Canadian air carries must be maintained by limiting foreign ownership and ensuring domestic carriers hold domestic routes.
Privatization of any public service has proven to not just be cost-inefficient, but has led to erosion of the quality of services. Airports are an important public good, which is of a national significance, and we believe that preventing privatization of airports will ensure Canada’s long-term national social, economic and environmental goals are met.
In order to ensure the safety of the traveling public, the federal government must do more to prevent contract flipping. We have advocated vigorously on this issue and while we’ve been successful in making important legislative changes, we know there’s more work to be done.
Low wages and precarious employment is a reality for far too many airport workers, which is why the IAMAW will continue fighting for living wages to ensure fair compensation.
Federal labour standards exist as minimum standards and guidelines that should protect workers’ interests. We are against employers requesting exemptions that allow them to operate outside the confines of laws; it’s unfair, unjust and no person or entity should be above the law. Workers have fought hard for those protections, and the IAMAW works to ensure those rights are not eroded.

http://www.iamaw.ca/gvp-pickthalls-letter-to-calin-rovinescu-ceo-of-air-canada/

http://www.iamaw.ca/canadas-unions-deliver-clear-priorities-for-federal-airline-relief-package/

http://www.iamaw.ca/15609/

http://www.iamaw.ca/letter-to-marc-garneau-minister-of-transportation/

http://www.iamaw.ca/fighting-back-against-contract-flipping-at-pearson-airport/

http://www.iamaw.ca/iam-bloc-ndp-call-for-end-to-contract-flipping/

http://www.iamaw.ca/airport-privatization-on-hold-in-the-wake-of-machinists-petition/

http://www.iamaw.ca/gvp-pickthall-updates-ll-2921-executive-on-airport-privatization/

http://www.iamaw.ca/future-of-airport-security-hidden-in-federal-budget/

http://www.iamaw.ca/anti-airport-privatization-campaign/

http://www.iamaw.ca/screener-unions-request-meetings-with-transport-and-labour-ministers/