Campaign Platform: We have so much to do

By Lana Payne Campaign

A vision for Unifor as a modern social union for everyone, with everyone.

Download the complete platform (PDF)

Why I’m running for President

Dear Unifor members,

It’s with excitement and a sense of duty that I announced in April that I would be running for the position of Unifor National President.

Since 2013, I have had the incredible chance to be part of the leadership team of our union: first as Atlantic Regional Director, and later as National Secretary-Treasurer. As the first woman to hold this national position, I have gained perspective on the state of our union. There are things we do incredibly well, and others must do better.

Since its creation, Unifor has positioned itself as a strong advocate for workers in Canada. We bargain hard to get great deals for our members. We are a major actor on the political scene from coast to coast to coast. We have made a name for ourselves by looking at some issues differently, and aspiring to be a different kind of union that recognizes the power of workers to change the world. We can be proud of all we have accomplished.

At the same time, there are some of our founding objectives and ideas that have not received the action and attention needed for success. Our structure was intended to be a new blend of strong central leadership and robust regional and local union structures close to our members. But there is so much more we can do to support our regional and local leadership bodies so Unifor becomes the strong, dynamic force that was envisaged.

We designed Unifor to be a model for democratic accountability and empowered member rights at a time when trust and respect in unions had declined. But a lack of accountability and a violation of our Code of Ethics led us into a crisis.

These past months have been difficult, but they have given me a new sense of resolve about the kind of leadership we need to rebuild trust and a stronger, more democratic union into the future.

No matter how difficult that may be, we must never back down.

Our union was founded as an act of hope: hope for justice for workers, hope for a better world, and hope for a union that lives up to our dreams for every worker in this country. This is no time to go back to outdated ways. This is a time to be bold and brave, and build a modern social union for everyone, with everyone.

Like all of you, I love this union with all my heart. And my heart is full with the possibilities of what we can build into the future when we are guided by our trade union principles of democracy, transparency, accountability and solidarity.

Here is my vision and the priorities I will be putting forward as I respectfully ask for your support to become Unifor’s next National President.

We have so much to do. Let’s move forward, together.

All my love and solidarity,

Lana

Platform Highlights

Unifor, a modern social union

  • Adopt new accountability measures
  • Improve the integrity of union practices
  • Fulfill commitments outlined at Unifor’s Founding Convention in 2013

Unifor, a Union for Everyone

  • Amplify and respect the voice of members
  • Expand support for equity work
  • Grow our union where it matters

Unifor, building worker power

  • Develop nation-wide coordinated bargaining program
  • A dedication to building worker power inside and outside our union
  • A stronger Canadian labour movement and thriving global solidarity

Unifor, a Modern Social Union

Building a modern social union requires us to head into the future with integrity and principled judgement.

Adopt new accountability measures

As National President, to improve accountability measures drawing from the lessons of recent events, I will:

  • Develop clear proposals for enhanced accountability measures for the union’s practices, policies and structures leading to proposed constitutional changes to be approved at Convention.
  • Involve local union executive members, activists, leadership from equity-seeking groups, in all sectors, and in every region in this process.
  • Ensure our union’s Statement of Principles is put to good use on a daily basis and that this process proposes concrete changes to increase accountability measures in Unifor’s Constitution and practices.

Improve the integrity of union practices

  • Create an independent Integrity Officer position for the union to oversee the application of the Code of Ethics.
  • Ensure the Integrity Officer reports to the National Executive Board, and is given the ability to make recommendations on improvements.
  • Ensure the delivery of a full report from the Integrity Officer to members at Constitutional Conventions.
  • Create a standard policy for national and regional elections to guide practices and disputes and ensure fair elections at Convention.

Fulfill commitments outlined at Unifor’s Founding Convention in 2013

  • Initiate a review of Unifor’s Founding Convention objectives, including commitments on servicing, organizing, education and support for local unions, and work with the National Executive Board to develop recommendations and a report for members to be delivered in 2023 for the union’s 10th anniversary.
  • Ensure a strong, representative and democratic National Executive where debates are welcome and embraced.
  • Foster a culture of organizing from the shop floor to the National Union, ensuring immediate sufficient staff support for organizing, and local union access to new methods, models and practices to welcome and empower new members in all sectors and regions.

Social unionism

“In addition to effectively representing our members in the workplace and negotiating the best possible collective agreements the role of our union extends to our communities and broader society. Social unionism recognizes that the well-being of our members and their families is determined, to a great degree, by social, economic and government policies. Our role is to be a powerful voice and tireless advocate for progressive public policies and social programs. Social unionism sees the labour movement as part of a broader movement for social change. It commits us to working with others to improve not only our own conditions, but the life of others as well.”

Source: Towards a New Union: CAW CEP Proposal Committee Final Report, August 2012

Unifor, a Union for Everyone and with Everyone

Building a union for everyone with everyone requires that we recognize and support the importanceof local unions in the life of the union.

Amplify and respect the voice of members

As National President, I will amplify and respect the democratic voice of members within our union. I will:

  • Strengthen two-way communication channels between local unions and elected leadership to ensure members have a voice and vote in the affairs of the union.
  • Empower regional standing committees and assign the necessary resources and leadership to carry out membership-supported projects and campaigns.
  • Use advanced digital tools to survey and mobilize members, support the efforts of our local unions and open opportunities for members to engage with our union online and offline like never before.
  • Fulfill commitments as part of the 2015 Local Union Task Force, including those to determine barriers that prevent local unions (small or large) from participating in union events, and recommend improvements.

Expand support for equity work

As National President, I will consult and engage with workers from equity-seeking groups to turn our union into a fighting force for everyone, with everyone. I will:

  • Create more space for workers from equity-seeking groups to organize for change through the union and win further gains in bargaining.
  • Start an equity campaign fund for local unions engaging in Indigenous, racial and social justice initiatives on the ground.
  • Deepen our union’s commitment to truth and reconciliation in solidarity with Indigenous communities within our membership and beyond.
  • Broaden our union’s national representative recruitment and training program to be more accessible, inclusive and representative of the membership, including more transparency with local unions and activists with respect to all staff job openings and a professional interview process to fill positions.
  • Continue ongoing engagement with regional equity leaders to bolster our union’s equity work and incorporate it into all facets of our union.

Grow our union where it matters

  • Maximize nationally-coordinated organizing efforts towards non-union workers and make full use of Unifor’s financial commitment to organizing on an annual basis.
  • Build broad-based working class power and target inequality by setting organizing priorities in sectors where the workforce is composed predominantly of women and workers of colour.
  • Maximize staff support and expand the set of tools available to local unions to grow and organize new members and directly support local union organizing projects, including financial support for community-based organizers.
  • Organize a strong membership by strengthening the trust, confidence and respect of current Unifor members.

Unifor, Building Worker Power

Building worker power requires working together to develop a vision for a better world in which there is gender, racial and social justice for all workers.

Develop nation-wide coordinated bargaining program

As National President, I will initiate a participative nation-wide coordinated bargaining program to achieve collective goals, strengthen our position in bargaining, and deliver gains for members, with members.

  • Build from Unifor’s past practice in developing strong national bargaining programs.
  • Involve local unions, bargaining committees, sector leadership and national representatives in the process to regularly set objectives, allowing this document to serve as a guide between Conventions. Annual review will allow timely responses to economic and workplace trends.
  • Dedicate resources to reaching our collective goals, including formal training, support and resources for staff and bargaining committees as well as strong union services to support fights at the bargaining table.
  • Work closely with Industry Directors to empower Unifor’s Industry Councils to enhance coordination, implement broader-based bargaining and fight for fair wages and collective rights in our economic sectors.
  • Put the strength of our union towards raising the floor for members and for all workers.

Building Worker Power

As National President, I will always fight to build worker power and to push back against the erosion of all workplace rights that threatens our members’ safety, security and prosperity. I will:

  • Review Unifor’s union member education programs to allow greater access, greater offerings, and more opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom.
  • Fight to modernize federal and provincial labour laws in full compliance with the rights of free association in organizing and bargaining, extend free collective bargaining to all workers (including gig, freelance, franchise and others) and empower workers in all decisions that affect us.
  • Advocate for working class-based public policy at all levels.
  • Recognize that there is no worker power without the power of ALL workers, and actively pursue the fight to identify and remove barriers to fair employment for members in equity-seeking groups.

A stronger Canadian labour movement and thriving global solidarity

  • Ensure Unifor participation and leadership across Canada working with other unions and social movements whenever working class interests and rights are at play.
  • Commence consultation with Regional Councils and local unions on the outstanding issues and prospects for re-engagement with the Canadian Labour Congress, Federations of Labour and Labour Councils.
  • Maintain strong ties with global unions to coordinate campaigns that support workers’ struggles everywhere, and foster an international vision for worker power.
  • Conduct a review of current financial and in-kind support for organizations and movements that support our principles and objectives as a union.

The first 100 days

To make our union stronger and better in the way we envision it, we need to hit the ground running. Here are the priorities I will work on in the first 100 days of my mandate.

  1. Immediately convene the newly-elected national leadership team and the National Executive Board to develop a union-wide plan coming out of Convention, including specific plans for all resolutions adopted.
  2. Begin developing proposals for enhanced accountability measures for the union’s practices, policies and structures leading to proposed Constitutional changes to be approved at Convention.
  3. Create an independent Integrity Officer position for the union to oversee the application of the Code of Ethics.
  4. Initiate a review of Unifor’s Founding Convention objectives, including commitments on servicing, organizing, education and support for local unions, and work with the National Executive Board to develop recommendations and a report for members to be delivered in 2023 for the union’s 10th anniversary.
  5. Start up an equity campaign fund for local unions engaging in Indigenous, racial and social justice initiatives on the ground, and announce details to apply.
  6. Call a participative nationally-coordinated bargaining conference with the purpose of developing a nation-wide coordinated bargaining program.
  7. Commence consultation with Regional Councils and local unions on the outstanding issues and prospects for re-engagement with the Canadian Labour Congress, Federations of Labour and Labour Councils.
  8. Publish a financial report available to all Unifor members.
  9. Initiate a review Unifor’s union member education programs to allow greater access, greater offerings, and more opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom.
  10. Launch three specific community-based organizing projects in areas where workers are in great need of unions and where the workforce is predominantly women and workers of colour
  11. Review and improve servicing levels across the country, identifying gaps and challenges.

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Download the complete platform (PDF)