ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) is calling on the provincial government to increase the income replacement benefits for injured workers, following the release of WorkplaceNL’s 2025 Annual Report showing the Injury Fund is now funded at 139.5 per cent. 

“WorkplaceNL is not just meeting its funding target, it is now well past it,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “The fund’s own target range is 100 to 115 per cent; we are now sitting at nearly 140 per cent. There is no financial argument left for denying injured workers a fair income replacement rate. The only question is whether government has the will to act.” 

Injured workers in this province currently receive workers’ compensation benefits equal to 85 per cent of net earnings – one of the lowest rates in the country. That rate often translates into a significant real-world pay cut for workers who are already coping with a workplace injury. 

That financial strain does more than create hardship – it can actively interfere with recovery. Workers under financial pressure may return to work before they have healed, risking re-injury or permanent disability. The stress of financial insecurity itself works against physical and mental recovery.  

“Adequate income replacement isn’t a favour to injured workers, it’s what makes recovery possible,” said McCormick. “When workers are forced to choose between paying their bills and taking the time they need to heal properly, everyone loses: the worker, their family, their employer, and the compensation system itself, which ends up paying for re-injuries and longer, more complicated claims.” 

The last statutory review of the workers’ compensation system explicitly recommended that there be no further discounts to employer assessment rates until the income replacement rate for injured workers is increased. Despite that recommendation, employers have continued to receive rebates while injured workers have been left with a replacement rate that has not kept pace with what workers actually need to get by during recovery. McCormick says the newly released 139.5 per cent funded position makes that imbalance even harder to justify. 

To restore fairness and fulfill the system’s core mission, the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour is reiterating its call for government to make the following changes: 

1. Increase the income replacement rate to 90% of gross earnings for all injured workers. Moving from the current 85% of net to 90% of gross would provide genuine income security, reducing the devastating gap between pre-injury earnings and compensation, and allowing workers to focus on recovery instead of financial survival. 

2. Remove the arbitrary earnings ceiling cap on workers’ compensation benefits. The current legislation caps compensable earnings at just over $80,000, meaning a worker earning $120,000 suffers the same maximum benefit as someone earning $80,000, despite facing a far larger income loss. This ceiling creates a two-tier system that punishes higher-paid workers for a workplace injury. 

“The principle behind workers’ compensation is that injured workers should be made whole, to the greatest extent possible so they can focus on recovery,” said McCormick. “With the fund this strong, government has both the capacity and the responsibility to improve the system for injured workers who are struggling with the rising cost of living.” 

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The post MEDIA RELEASE: WorkplaceNL’s Injury Fund Hits 139.5% Funded: Federation of Labour Says It’s Time to Raise Benefits for Injured Workers, Not Just Rebates for Employers  appeared first on Newfoundland & Labrador Federation of Labour.

Survey – HERE

This is an opportunity to highlight the challenges young workers are facing across Newfoundland and Labrador – from the cost of living and job security to mental health and workplace conditions – and ensure those realities are heard.

The information and input collected will help strengthen how the Committee shows up for young workers and contribute to ongoing work within the Federation.

Deadline to complete is June 3.

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“We need to ensure that the use of AI by our government is thoroughly reviewed and that strict and transparent policies, procedures, and protections are put in place protect privacy, ensure accuracy, and safeguard workers and the general public,” said Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour President Jessica McCormick. “The recent controversies have exposed the fact that there are no clear guardrails or plan in place for how this new technology is going to be used by our provincial government.”

“In response to recent AI usage issues, Premier Tony Wakeham has said that the government needs to ‘tighten up’ how they use AI – we couldn’t agree more,” said McCormick. “Any review must put the best interests of workers front and centre. From job security and training, to privacy, to monitoring and algorithmic management, to bias and discrimination and beyond, workers need and deserve strong policies in place to protect their jobs and human rights. There is simply too much at stake to make this up on the fly.”

“Workers are rightfully worried about how AI is going to impact their jobs,” said McCormick. “This government has a chance to put people’s minds at ease by leading the way in their review of internal AI policies, through legislation, and at the bargaining table with the public sector unions.”

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Monday, April 27, 2026 

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) and workers across the province will gather on April 28^th to mark the National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job.  

“In 2025, according to WorkplaceNL statistics, 17 workers in our province lost their lives due to workplace injuries or illness. In the past five years alone, 106 workers have died because of their work,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “These aren’t just numbers on a page. These are our coworkers, our neighbours, our families, our friends, and our loved ones.”  

“Everyone deserves to work safely and return home at the end of their shift. Governments must do more to make that a reality,” said McCormick. “We have made our position clear on the need for government to take concrete action to make our workplaces safer in our provincial budget submission, our budget presentation to the Minister of Finance, and in meetings with the Premier, Ministers, and government officials.” 

The NLFL continues our call for: 

• The enforcement of the Westray Act to hold employers criminally accountable in the death or serious injury of workers due to negligence; 

• Government to implement effective prevention strategies, strong laws, and to ensure those laws are enforced; 

• A public Inquiry into the Fatal Workplace Accident at the Come By Chance Refinery (2022); 

• An increase the number of Occupational Health and Safety Investigators in the province; 

• Transparency in health and safety records. The health and safety records of NL employers are kept out of the public eye. The public must have the ability to quickly and easily check the safety records of businesses; 

• A task force to address increasing rates of workplace violence; 

• A silica dust study for Labrador West;  

• The establishment of an Occupational Health Clinic to help both employers and workers manage, prevent, and respond to occupational illnesses; 

• An increase to the income replacement rate for workers’ compensation to 90%. 

Day of Mourning ceremonies will take place on Tuesday, April 28 in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, and Labrador City. Full details of the events can be found at: https://nlfed.ca/2026-day-of-mourning-ceremonies/  

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Because one workplace death is one too many.

The following is a schedule of Day of Mourning ceremonies happening in our province:

Central District Labour Council Day of Mourning Committee
Day of Mourning Wreath Laying Ceremony
Grand Falls Windsor Injured Workers Memorial, Lincoln Road
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 12:00PM

Corner Brook & District Labour Council
Day of Mourning Wreath Laying Ceremony
St. John the Evangelist Cathedral on Main St., Corner Brook
Will be also live-streamed by Fillatree’s Funeral Home, https://fillatre.ca/
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 2PM

Labrador West & District Labour Council
Day of Mourning Wreath Laying Ceremony
5795 USW Union Hall, 105 Hudson Dr, Labrador City
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 2:00PM

St. John’s & District Labour Council
Day of Mourning Ceremony
Emera Innovation Building, Signal Hill, St.John’s
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 11:45AM

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ST. JOHN’S, NL – Despite a scheduled 35-cent increase to the provincial minimum wage set for tomorrow, workers in Newfoundland and Labrador remain caught in a crisis of affordability, with data revealing that a minimum wage job is not enough to cover basic living expenses. While framed as a predictable approach, tying increases solely to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) falls short of what workers need to stay afloat.  

“A higher minimum wage is one of the most powerful tools we have to address affordability. It puts money directly into workers’ pockets through regular paycheques, respecting their dignity by ensuring their labour is fairly compensated,” said Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour President Jessica McCormick. “While any increase is helpful, tying annual adjustments solely to the Consumer Price Index is fundamentally inadequate. It ensures that the minimum wage will never close the gap with a living wage. The longer government delays meaningful action, the more difficult closing that gap becomes.” 

In August 2025, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released its provincial living wage report for Newfoundland and Labrador. The report calculates the hourly wage needed to cover essential expenses across four regions, based on a family of two working adults and two children, incorporating all available tax credits and government benefits. 

The 2025 living wage rates were: 

·       Central Newfoundland: $24.40 

·       Eastern Newfoundland: $25.40 

·       Western Newfoundland: $24.40 

·       Labrador-Northern Peninsula: $28.30 

Even with tomorrow’s 35-cent increase, a minimum wage worker in the province will earn far below what is required to meet basic needs; a shortfall that forces impossible choices on low-wage workers and their families. Nearly one-quarter of Newfoundland and Labrador’s workforce earns less than $20 per hour. 

“The current path ensures that low-wage workers will be trapped indefinitely. They will never catch up,” said McCormick. “The government has chosen a mechanism that guarantees the minimum wage will remain a poverty wage. We need a policy that actively works to close the gap, not one that locks it in place.” 

The Federation of Labour is calling on the provincial government to move beyond inflationary adjustments and adopt a concrete plan to raise the minimum wage to a true living wage, ensuring that no worker in Newfoundland and Labrador is left behind. 

“Half-measures and policies designed to delay progress are no longer acceptable,” said McCormick. “Minimum wage workers cannot afford to wait any longer.” 

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ST. JOHN’S, NL – As the House of Assembly begins its legislative session, the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) is calling on the government to put workers and their families at the heart of its agenda. 

“Our province’s economy is powered by the labour, skill, and determination of workers, yet far too many are being left behind in this cost-of-living crisis,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “Workers need more than justwords, they need concrete action. From modernizing our labour laws, to expanding access to $10-a-day childcare, to tackling poverty and building affordable housing, to strong community benefits, creating good jobs, and beyond, this government must deliver on its promises to the working class.” 

“While economic and social justice is critical, occupational health and safety continues to be a priority for our Federation,” said McCormick. “We are advocating for legislative and policy changes, some with little to no cost to the government, that would dramatically improve workplace safety and ensure workers are properly supported if they are injured on the job.” 

In its 2026 Provincial Budget Submission, the Federation has outlined a comprehensive vision to build a Newfoundland and Labrador that works for everyone. The key priorities include: 

1. Stronger Labour Laws: Modernize the Labour Relations Act by implementing card-check certification to protect the right to organize. 

2. Worker Health & Safety: Strengthen regulations and enforcement to ensure every worker returns home safely and improve supports for workers who are injured.  

3. Protecting Public Services: Halt the privatization of public assets and increase funding for public healthcare, education, and essential services. 

4. Economic Justice & Pay Equity: Lift workers out of poverty by moving towards a living wage, enforcing strong pay equity legislation, adopting a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy, and strengthening the social safety net. 

5. A Worker-Led Workforce Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive labour market plan, designed with input from workers, to build a resilient and skilled workforce for the future. 

6. Community Benefits from Major Projects: Guarantee good, unionized jobs on major developments by enforcing strong Community Benefit Agreements that ensure local hiring, local procurement, and meaningful Indigenous engagement and consent. 

7. Affordable Housing: Launch a provincial housing strategy with significant, long-term investments in non-market and social housing. 

8. Strengthen Universal Childcare: Protect and improve the $10-a-day program by ensuring federal funding continues to support the program, expanding access, and ensuring Early Childhood Educators are supported with fair wages and better working conditions. 

9. A Just Transition: Create a worker-led framework for an economy that guarantees the creation of good, unionized jobs and provides necessary retraining opportunities. 

The full NLFL Submission can be found here – https://nlfed.ca/2026-nlfl-provincial-budget-submission/ 

“True economic diversification and lasting prosperity are built by investing in our people,” said McCormick. “By combining strategic public investment with an unwavering commitment to workers’ rights and dignity, we can build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous Newfoundland and Labrador for everyone. We will continue to put pressure on decision-makers to ensure that workers’ voices are not just heard, but are central to their legislative and policy agenda.” 

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We were pleased to meet with the Minister of Finance, Hon. Craig Pardy, and senior departmental officials as part of the provincial government’s pre-budget consultation process on February 25, 2026. 

During our presentation, we highlighted key issues, including, workers’ rights, occupational health and safety, improving workers’ compensation, addressing the cost-of-living crisis, and the critical role of strong public services

The Minister responded positively to our proposals and committed to continuing an open dialogue with our Federation moving forward. 

Let’s all work together to build a prosperous future for workers and their families; a future where no one is left behind. 

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Status: Temporary, Full-Time, Unionized (Limited term contract to fill leave of absence) 

Location: St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador 

Immediate Supervisor: NLFL President 

Salary and Benefits: Competitive salary, pension and benefits in accordance with Unifor Local 597 Collective Agreement 

Application Deadline: End of business day, Friday, November 21, 2025 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL) is currently seeking a Worker Advisor to join our small but mighty team at our St. John’s Office. This posting will fill a vacancy created by a leave of absence.  

The Office of the Workers’ Advisor provides quality service, unbiased advice, in-depth investigation, and assistance and advocacy services, exclusively to injured workers and/or their families. The Worker Advisor may representinjured workers interests by seeking a review or appeal of an entitlement decision by WorkplaceNL. The services of the Office of the Workers’ Advisor are available to both unionized and non-unionized workers and their families. 

The NLFL is an umbrella labour organization representing 70,000 unionized workers who are members of 25 affiliated unions in every community in Newfoundland and Labrador. We advocate for improved workplace rights and stronger laws including occupational health and safety laws as well as workers’ compensation and Employment Insurance programs that are fair and there when people need them. We stand up for the principles of equity and social justice and we work with our affiliate unions and community partners to build a better world for all. 

The NLFL offers a supportive and progressive unionized work environment, but more than that, we offer an opportunity to be a part of the movement to advance workers’ rights. We are seeking a candidate with a strong background in workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety. This position would suit an experienced and driven individual who possesses strong organizational and advocacy skills and is comfortable interpreting legislation, policies and collective agreements.  

Major Responsibilities include: 

• Compile information, through investigation and research, to advocate on behalf of injured workers. 

• Ongoing communication with injured workers to assist with identifying entitlement/appeal issues and researching and preparing submissions to support the resolution of issues prior to appeals. 

• Provide advice and guidance in ensuring the application of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act and Policies. 

• Communicate with staff and decision-makers at WorkplaceNL. 

• Preparing for and representing injured workers to WorkplaceNL and at Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division. 

• Community outreach and education to improve workers’ knowledge of the workers’ compensation system. 

• Review and analyze the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act, Policies, and Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division decisions in order to recommend legislative and policy changes to the Federation of Labour in its preparation for consultations with WorkplaceNL and government. 

Confidentiality must be strictly respected. The successful candidate must be able to work within tight deadlines, handle multiple injured workers’ claims, must be willing to work flexible hours, and travel when necessary.  

Required Knowledge, Experience and Competencies: 
 

• Specific knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act/Policies and other relevant legislation. 

• Graduation from an educational facility with relevant work experience, or possess an equivalent combination of training and experience. Experience and/or training on the principles of administrative law considered an asset. 

• Excellent organizational and time management skills. Handling multiple workers’ issues while adhering to the required timelines is a key component of this role. 

• A sound understanding of the labour movement, unions and workers’ rights. 

• An ability to use advocacy/representation thinking and techniques to resolve issues while working independently with minimal supervision. 

• Strong oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills are required. 

• A basic knowledge of occupational health and safety. 

• Basic research skills and proficiency in the use of word processing. Knowledge of databases and electronic file management considered an asset. 

In addition to competitive pay in a unionized environment, we offer: 
 

• A 30-hour work week; 

• 3-weeks paid vacation in first year of employment, plus paid office closure between Christmas and New Year; 

• Extensive health, dental and wellness coverage for you and your dependents; 

• Paid sick days, and additional time off for personal and care responsibilities; 

• Pension plan contributions; 

• A supportive and progressive work environment that recognizes that work is one of the many responsibilities we have to prioritize in our lives. 

Closing date: End of Business Day Friday, November 21, 2025 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour offices are located on the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq.  

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour is committed to diversity and equity in our society and in our workplace. We welcome applications from equity-deserving groups. If you are invited to continue with the interview process, please notify us as soon as possible of any particular adaptive measures you might require. Applicants are encouraged to share accessibility needs in the application process, and every attempt will be made to accommodate them. 

Please submit cover letter and resumes to:  
 

Executive Director -Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour  

P.O. Box 8597, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3P2  

Email: kdunne@nlfed.ca (preferred) 

Reference: Workers’ Advisor 

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We condemn the Alberta government’s decision to legislate teachers back to work, and its use of the notwithstanding clause to impose a collective agreement.

This action is a direct and deliberate attack on the fundamental freedoms of association and collective bargaining, which are protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The right to strike is a fundamental component of a meaningful collective bargaining process, a principle affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v. Saskatchewan.

By invoking the notwithstanding clause, Premier Danielle Smith and her government are not negotiating in good faith. They are treating the protections in the Charter as obstacles instead of fundamental rights.
Sending the message that Charter-protected rights are optional and can be set aside for political convenience is profoundly dangerous. When rights become optional, they cease to be rights.

This sets an alarming and dangerous precedent for every worker in Canada. If a government can so easily erase the right to strike in one province or territory, no workers’ rights are safe anywhere in the country.

The use of the notwithstanding clause to break a strike is an affront both to democracy and to these teachers, substituting good-faith bargaining with legislative force. We stand in solidarity with the Alberta Teachers’ Association and all education workers in their fight for a fair agreement that benefits students, supports teachers and strengthens public education.

We call on the Government of Alberta to immediately withdraw this legislation and return to the bargaining table. We further call on all provincial and territorial governments to affirm their commitment to the Charter and to pledge never to use the notwithstanding clause to violate workers’ fundamental rights.

Our member unions will not stand idly by while the Charter is weaponized against the very people it is meant to protect. We will organize, we will educate, we will mobilize, and we will stand together to defend the rights of all workers across Canada. And we will oppose any politician who seeks to erode workers’ hard-fought rights.

We stand in unwavering solidarity with workers who are fighting to protect the right to strike and to fair collective bargaining.

An injury to one is an injury to all. An attack on the rights of Alberta’s teachers is an attack on every worker in Canada.

Together, Canada’s provincial and territorial labour federations give voice to over three million workers, represented by the Alberta Federation of Labour, British Columbia Federation of Labour, Manitoba Federation of Labour, New Brunswick Federation of Labour, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, Northern Territories Federation of Labour, Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, Ontario Federation of Labour, Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour, Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and Yukon Federation of Labour.

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