Unifor and Magna Formet workers are Stronger Together!

Unifor has recently started a conversation with workers at Magna Formet Industries in St Thomas ON around organizing a union in the workplace. You have taken the first step to establishing fairness, respect, dignity and the means to make meaningful and lasting changes to your working conditions. We have had some questions about how the process works, so we wanted to let you know the six steps required to gain Unifor representation at work.

Click here to sign your union card today!!!

How A Union Drive Works

All workers in Canada have a fundamental legal right to join a union. Once Magna Formet workers begin to sign their union cards, Unifor wants to give you the facts about how the unionization process works and make sure you have what you need to make an informed decision, free from any misinformation provided by your employer.

Six steps in joining the union

The process to join the union

Step 1. Signing your card

• Magna Formet workers sign a union card to join the union. The employer will never know you have signed a card, and the process is completely confidential, you can either sign a confidential electronic card, or a physical card

Step 2. Filing for Certification

• Once enough workers have signed their union card, Unifor can apply to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to initiate a vote. The OLRB requires a minimum of 40% of employees to sign a union card before the application can be filed, typically Unifor will file at a higher percentage of support to ensure we will win the vote.
• Once the union files for the vote, you start with the pay and benefits you currently have and build on them. Your working conditions will also be frozen during a statutory freeze to give you the opportunity to bargain your first collective agreement. Its not true, you DO NOT start from scratch!

Step 3. Voting for your Union

• Magna Formet workers then vote by secret ballot to approve the union drive. A simple majority of 50% plus one is needed to win the vote and certify the union. Votes in Ontario have been conducted online from the privacy of your own home online. 

Step 4. Electing your union representatives

• As new Unifor members, workers will be assigned to a local union that can best support the workers at Magna Formet. At this point, you will also begin electing your union representatives from your workplace. There are several positions workers will elect, but the first elections will be for your bargaining committee. This will be a committee of co-workers elected to steer your first contract negotiations in a direction decided by the workers at Magna Formet. Your newly elected union representatives will get to work immediately and have the support of Unifor resources and staff at every step.

Step 5. Bargaining your first contract

• As previously stated, after you elect your bargaining committee, they will start bargaining your first collective agreement with management representatives of Magna Formet. Bargaining will cover wages, benefits and pensions, work scheduling and job bidding processes, grievances, holidays and vacations, and more. Once your elected bargaining committee and employer have reached a tentative agreement, all the Magna Formet workers will vote on the deal. If workers vote to ratify, Formet management is then legally bound to the terms of the agreement as decided on by workers
• No one pays any union dues until after the agreement is ratified.

Step 6. Your Magna Formet union

• As a Unifor member, you are the union.
• Magna Formet workers fill positions elected within your union. Your union is there for you around the clock every single day to protect your rights and ensure that management does not violate the terms of your collective agreement. Unifor National Representatives assist at every step to offer guidance, research and education that your representatives need to work on your behalf. The Collective Agreement outlines clear rules and guidelines for job selection based on seniority.

Sign your union card today!!!