Unifor advocates for and defends the economic rights of working people, including: safer work places, secure employment, wages and benefits that provide a decent standard of living, and dignity and mutual respect in the work place.
AtlasTube
A Union for Everyone
Why is Unifor engaging in Health and Safety at my workplace?
Our focus is on preventing workplace injuries and engaging with our potential members to aid them in standing up for their legislated health and safety rights. Unifor is committed to providing Atlas Tube workers with our deep knowledge and experience to help prevent workplace injuries and to make the employer accountable if injuries occur.
The time has come to finally have a safer and stronger voice at Atlas Tube. As many of you are aware, Atlas has placed workers in harm’s way far too often and has not taken responsibility or properly addressed safety issues raised numerous times by your co-workers. Increased intimidation and harassment on the job by management have resulted in increased critical injuries and wrongful death.
We have been made aware that workers are experiencing fear of reporting many unsafe conditions, including a lack of thorough workplace training and standard work procedures. Atlas Tube management have not followed safety protocols and have overlooked and under-reported safety related incidents. We, at Unifor, want to extend our support to all of you at Atlas Tube, to contact us to discuss the issues of Health and Safety at your workplace. In the coming weeks, employees of the company will be able to discuss how to exercise their legal rights to discuss the health and safety at Atlas Tube in a focused campaign on Health and Safety.
We want to remind Atlas Tube managers that the targeting or threatening of any employee who is active in a union organizing drive is a violation of that employee’s legal rights. Managerial staff have an obligation to respect employees’ freedom to organize and their rights and protections under the Ontario Labour Relations Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Additionally, we are aware of the previous threats of termination of employees who were actively exercising their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. We are demanding that Atlas Tube management take action to ensure the employer upholds their legal obligations and cease any actions that violate employees’ rights to a safe work place and their right to organize a union.
Health and Safety in Collective Agreements
Our model health and safety language contains some of the following statements:
Health and Safety
The Company shall institute and maintain all necessary precautions to guarantee every worker a safe and healthy workplace. The company shall comply in a timely manner with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, its regulations and codes of practice. All standards established under these laws shall constitute minimum acceptable practice to be improved upon by agreement of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC).
No employee shall be required or allowed to work on any job or operate any piece of equipment until he/she has received proper training and instruction. The Joint Health and Safety Committee shall be given sufficient resources to structure the training programs which the company shall ensure are implemented.
The Company will ensure that all employees receive chemical hazard training which shall include GHS/WHMIS education and training.
Dealing with Injuries
Every injury or near-miss which involved or would have involved a worker going to a doctor or hospital must be investigated.
The union co-chair or designate and the company co-chairperson or designate of the appropriate committee shall investigate the accident or incident.
All investigations will be followed with a written report, including recommendations to prevent recurrence
Why is Unifor the right union for my workplace?
At its core, Unifor holds the fundamental belief that you and every person of working age in Canada has a right to a good job and the benefits of economic progress. Unifor is truly a union for everyone and already represents members in workplaces just like yours. We are looking to hear back from you about the Health and Safety issues and concerns in your workplace. Let us know what is taking place at Atlas Tube, visit us at https://join.unifor.org/atlastube
Are you ready to make a difference in your workplace?
Making the decision to join Unifor can leave a positive and lasting impact on the lives of workers and their families. Unifor represents workers in nearly every sector of the economy, and has a wide-range of experience negotiating strong contracts and settling grievances, even in some of the most challenging circumstances. As a Unifor member, you will have one of the strongest and most innovative Canadian unions in your corner, helping you win fair wages and an improved standard of living.
Frequently Asked Questions about joining Unifor
We often get questions about how groups of workers join the union, that's why we put together this FAQ to help answer any questions you may have. If you still have more questions please reach out to one of your organizers. Joining the union is about empowering workers and we are here to assist along the way. Read More
Are you worried you might lose your current working conditions, wages and benefits if you sign a union card?
Rest assured, you won't! When a union files for certification to represent workers in a particular workplace, the working conditions are protected by what is commonly referred to as the “freeze provision”. Read More
Stay up to date with Unifor updates to Atlas Tube employee's by signing up at the top of this page. An organizer from Unifor will be in touch with you in a CONFIDENTIAL call.