Letters from the president

Teamsters have a new home in Canada! Earlier this month, the new Teamsters Canada National Office was dedicated in Laval, Québec. The five-storey building is owned entirely by Teamsters Canada and its members. The union...

The COVID-19 pandemic is global. We are facing one of our greatest challenges, but it’s not the first time that collectively and individually, we are faced with adversity. I notice, with satisfaction, that we are already showing solidarity and compassion for one another.

My message to you during this 2021 federal election campaign is first and foremost to exercise your right to vote on September 20, 2021. I will not tell you who to vote for as Teamsters Canada is a non-partisan organization. I will, however, tell you what we have been advocating for on your behalf as Teamster members so we can all make informed decisions before we cast our votes.

Christmas is upon us. It’s a favourite time of year for many, filled with celebration and cheer. I would like to salute our members and all transportation workers, many of whom had to work long hours over past few weeks to meet the demands of their employers during this busy season…

Sister Mariam Abou-Dib has been appointed Teamsters Canada director of government affairs effective September 1, 2020. She will be responsible for working with elected officials and public servants to advance the interests of Teamster members. Our current lobbyist, Brother Phil Benson, will be retiring after a distinguished 18-year career in service to our union.

April 28 is the National Day of Mourning, a day to remember those who died, or were injured or made ill, from their work. It is also a day people are asked to recommit to improving health and safety and preventing tragedies in the workplace.

NAFTA talks start in Washington, D.C. today on an ambitious schedule to come up with a “modernized” agreement by the end of the year. The Teamsters Union will be tracking them closely. As North America’s transportation union, our members on the roads and rails, in warehouses and ports from coast to coast, depend on trade for their livelihoods...

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the contribution of truck drivers to the well-being of all Canadians has been, more than ever, invaluable. Without them, the economy would have almost completely ceased to function and chaos would have quickly taken hold in our cities and countryside.

Every day we get up and expect to go to work and come home to our families and loved ones. Indeed, coming home safe and sound is both a routine and a right that all workers have. Sadly, we know that things aren’t always so simple.

Teamsters Canada is satisfied with the Trudeau Government’s third budget. The union is pleased that the government is taking small steps toward creating a national pharmacare program. However, the government should increase infrastructure investments in coming budgets, and do more to help Canadians through the coming wave of automation and technological changes.