The Union for Manufacturing Workers

The Manufacturing Workers

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UFCW Canada: The Union for Manufacturing Workers

UFCW Canada is the union for manufacturing workers, as our union represents tens of thousands of members working in Canada’s dynamic manufacturing industry, from coast to coast.

UFCW is the best union for manufacturing workers because we have a record of success in achieving gains for members in manufacturing, whether you work as a welder, machine operator, or general labourer.

We also help manufacturing workers build a better life by negotiating higher wages, increased vacation time, shift premiums, and much more.

As well, our union works hard to ensure that benefits at work are not solely determined by company bosses. Instead, UFCW Canada manufacturing members have a direct say over the nature and quality of their working conditions, as they are able to negotiate these terms with their employer.

Facts About the Manufacturing Industry in Canada

  • Canada’s manufacturing sector accounts for $174 billion of our gross domestic product (GDP) and represents over 10 percent of our total GDP.

  • Canadian manufacturing companies export more than $354 billion in goods each year, which represents 68 percent of our merchandise exports.

  • Across the country, the manufacturing industry employs over 1.7 million Canadians, and 95 percent of jobs in this sector are full-time.

  • When spinoff effects are included, 27 percent of all jobs in Canada are linked to manufacturing.

  • Jobs in the manufacturing industry pay 14 percent more than the national average, in part because 22.9 percent of employees in manufacturing are unionized.

 

Why Manufacturing Workers Join the Union

As a UFCW member, you’ll have a strong voice in the workplace and an enforceable collective agreement that can provide you and your co-workers with a wide range of benefits, like training bonuses, employer-paid pension contributions, and paid sick leave. These benefits are key reasons why UFCW Canada is the #1 choice for manufacturing workers across the country.

Choosing UFCW Canada: Manufacturing Workers

More and more workers in the manufacturing industry are choosing to stand up for their rights and gain the union advantage by joining UFCW Canada. Manufacturing employees choose UFCW as their union because we have what it takes to help manufacturing workers build a better workplace, and because we stand up to employers when they take workers for granted.

UFCW Canada is incredibly proud of our manufacturing members, who work tirelessly to make the windows, doors, furniture, and clothing products that Canadians and their families have come to know and love. Simply put, UFCW members in the manufacturing industry keep Canada running, and we are honoured to represent their interests in the workplace, at the bargaining table, and in the halls of government.

Joining UFCW Canada: Manufacturing Workers

Manufacturing workers join UFCW Canada because our union has a proven track record of negotiating meaningful gains at the bargaining table that help improve the lives of members and their families.

For example, compared to non-unionized manufacturing employees, UFCW members enjoy higher wages, more paid holidays and vacation time, and benefits like group insurance. Often, members also have access to an employer-paid pension plan, wage premiums for working certain job roles and shifts, and a footwear allowance.

During COVID-19, our union pushed employers to enforce mask wearing, reduced line speeds, staggered break periods, and physical distancing in manufacturing plants. We also negotiated additional paid sick time and advocated for government income supports for manufacturing workers who were laid off in the pandemic.

As well, UFCW Canada Local Unions have demanded that manufacturing plants temporarily close their operations, and send workers home, in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak. That’s because the safety of members and their families is a top priority for our union.

The Best Choice for Manufacturing Workers

Our union proudly serves as the voice of manufacturing employees working at companies like Mobilier MEQ, Western Glove Works, Novembal, and many other businesses, in almost every province in Canada.

Employees at Pliteq, Fabrication PFL, Group Lacasse, PMI Structures, and other manufacturers pick UFCW Canada as their union because we help manufacturing workers achieve a better workplace.

Throughout the manufacturing sector, UFCW Canada members work in a wide array of job roles, including the following positions:

  • Assembler / Assembly Employee
  • Day Labourer
  • Design Technician
  • Drafter / Draftsman
  • Electrician
  • Electrical Mechanic
  • Fabricator
  • General Labourer
  • Industrial Engineer
  • Industrial Mechanic Millwright
  • Industrial Painter
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Machine Operator
  • Machinist
  • Material Handler
  • Mechanical Engineering Technician
  • Metal Fabricator
  • Millwright
  • Operator
  • Press Brake Operator
  • Process Operator
  • Production Control Clerk
  • Production / Inspection Packer
  • Production Worker / Helper
  • Quality Control Analyst / Inspector
  • Safety Technician
  • Shipping and Receiving
  • Team Lead
    Tool and Die Maker
  • Trainer
  • Welder
 
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