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 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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Thursday, April 24, 2025 

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.  

“In 2024, according to WorkplaceNL statistics, 26 workers in this province died because of a workplace illness or injury. That’s 11 more than the previous year,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “Behind these numbers are real people and the families, friends, and co-workers who are left to grieve their loss.”  
 
In the past five years alone,124 workers in this province have lost their lives due to their work.  

“Today—and every day—we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for strong, enforceable safety laws, healthy workplaces, and accountability for employers and governments—because even one workplace death is one too many,” said McCormick. “Everyone deserves to work safely and return home at the end of their shift. Governments must do more to make that a reality.” 

The NLFL continues our call for: 

• Employers to ensure safe workplaces; 

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

• 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. Yet, Ontario’s “Safety Check”, for example, allows the public to check the safety records of businesses; 

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

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

Day of Mourning ceremonies will take place on Monday, April 28 in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, and Labrador City. Full details of the events can be found at: https://nlfl.nf.ca/2025-day-of-mourning/  

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On Friday, March 7 the federal government announced the initial round of measures to support the economy and protect workers.  

Details can be found here – https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tariff-supports-canada-1.7477536  

And here – https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/03/fighting-for-canadian-workers-and-businesses.html 

These initial tariff protection measures reveal an inadequate response to the crisis facing our members. The announced actions fall short of providing the comprehensive support workers across our province and country need right now. 

Real protection requires considerations for wage stability, job security provisions, adequate EI enhancements, industry transition support, and pathways for re/upskilling. 

The existing EI program provides inadequate supports for workers at risk of job loss as it is. Rather than continuing to tinker with EI each time a crisis arises, government must follow through on the commitment to reform the EI system for all workers, not just those in trade-exposed industries. 

These reforms must include: 

• Implementing a universal 360 hours to qualify for EI regular or special benefits 

• Extending the duration of EI regular benefits and extend the claims of workers already on claim. This would include the many seasonal workers in Newfoundland and Labrador who are facing uncertainty this fishing season 

• Increasing the EI benefit level to ensure meaningful income replacement 

These are just some of the reforms the labour movement has been calling for. 

Workers demand better – they need and deserve bold action. We can’t be in this together if workers are left to navigate these uncertain times without adequate support. 

The Federal government must expand the suite of supports for workers to meet the moment.  

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“We have been clear from the outset that this is an existential crisis that demands a united and coordinated response that meets the seriousness of this moment,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “President Trump has started a trade war that is going to have a devastating impact on our province. We must take all necessary steps to protect jobs, protect workers, safeguard our economy, and plan for the future.” 

“A coordinated approach, relying on a united front between government, industry, and labour is essential to ensuring Newfoundland and Labrador maintains its economic stability and protects its workers and communities from trade disruptions and their far-reaching impacts,” said McCormick. “We must stand together in the face of this unprecedented attack on our country and our people.” 

McCormick is a member of the Premier’s Roundtable on Trade and is playing a lead role in ensuring that the voices, concerns, and needs of workers are heard and acted upon as the provincial government manages and responds to these tariffs.  

The NLFL is recommending and advocating for a comprehensive response that includes: 

·         Income supports for workers 

·         Enhancements to employment insurance 

·         Transition, upskilling, and education pathways for workers 

·         Long-term economic diversification planning 

·         Strategic planning to reduce reliance on American trade markets 

·         Procurement directives 

·         Promoting local and Canadian made products 

·         Liquidity supports for affected industries and businesses to protect jobs 

·         Strong retaliatory measures 

While many of these measures require federal government capacity and action, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador must also use whatever levers are available to supplement federal efforts. 
 
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are no stranger to adversity, and we have always leaned on each other to get through challenging times together,” said McCormick. “I have no doubt that we will come together to face this trade war head on. Unions will be front and center in that effort.” 

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These challenges pose serious risks to our economy, communities, and the workforce that drives them. These external pressures could profoundly impact our province, our communities, our industries, and most importantly, our workers – who form the foundation of our economy and social fabric. 

The choices we make today will shape our province for generations to come. 

In this critical period, our provincial government must pursue a forward-thinking, collaborative, and comprehensive fiscal strategy. Strategic investments in economic growth and social well-being are not merely expenditures – they are down payments on our collective future.  

A population with access to strong and well-resourced healthcare, education, and social services becomes more productive and resilient, reducing long-term demands on government resources, while strengthening our economic underpinnings. 

The government must prioritize investments that both generate revenue and strengthen our province’s economic and social capacity. Economic diversification is essential to building resilience against market volatility and global uncertainties. This approach not only creates new opportunities for growth but also ensures our province can better manage its obligations while maintaining vital public services. In order to be truly effective, this approach must be worker-led and worker-centered.   

Through thoughtful investment in our people and strategic sectors, we can build a more sustainable, equitable, fair, and prosperous Newfoundland and Labrador. 

You can read the NLFL 2025 Provincial Budget Submission – HERE  

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“The provincial government projects that the four MOU initiatives will create approximately 5,000 direct jobs and 4,500 indirect and induced jobs,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “While our province’s workers have consistently demonstrated their capability to handle projects of this magnitude, we must ensure we have the workforce capacity to meet these demands alongside other provincial labour needs. This planning must begin immediately.”

McCormick emphasized the need for collaboration: “Government, employers, and workers must work together to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure the province is prepared for the task ahead. To be effective, any labour strategy must be worker-led and worker-focused. Front-line workers have invaluable insights into what’s required to do the job right and must be included in any human resources planning process.”

McCormick also stressed the importance of investing in education and training: “The provincial government must properly engage with, fund, and support the K-12 and post-secondary education systems to ensure workers can access the education, training, upskilling, and professional development needed for these projects’ diverse labour demands. This plan must also consider labour needs beyond these four specific projects. Furthermore, all associated benefits agreements must prioritize ensuring that our province, our workers, and our communities are the primary beneficiaries.”

“The future prosperity of our province and its people depends on these decisions,” McCormick stated. “If our history has taught us anything, it’s the importance of due diligence and proactive planning. We have one chance to get this right – so we must start planning immediately.”

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“This is a good first step by the government on this front; one that workers and their unions, as well as the medical community, have been requesting for some time,” said NLFL President Jessica McCormick. “This change will reduce stress on our healthcare system, free up healthcare workers to focus on providing care, improve access to healthcare, and allow workers to concentrate on getting healthy before returning to work.”

“However, the full impact of this change will depend on individual employers, who will still have the ability to set their own sick note policies, even for short-term illnesses,” said McCormick. “Employers should absolutely follow the precedent set by this change – for our healthcare system and for workers – but they are not required to do so.”

A recently released report by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) estimated that as many as 12.5 million unnecessary healthcare appointments could be eliminated annually by removing the requirement for sick notes for minor, short-term illnesses.

“Workers and their families need this government to implement further labour legislation changes to improve their working and living conditions,” said McCormick. “We are hopeful that this change signals that this government is listening to workers and is ready to prioritize their needs. We will continue to pressure the government to ensure this happens.”

Recently, the NLFL called on the provincial government to increase the Income Replacement Rate for injured workers. Additionally, the NLFL is urging the government to introduce legislation during this session to ensure workers have access to ten (10) paid sick days.

“Sick notes are just one part of the overall picture,” said McCormick. “Workers should not feel pressured to come to work while sick for fear of losing their jobs. If the goal is to reduce the financial strain on workers and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, as the Minister states in her release, then we also need to enact increased access to paid sick days and better compensation for injured workers.”

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“If enacted, Trump’s proposed 25% tariff would have a devastating impact on workers, jobs, our economy, and our province as a whole,” said McCormick. “We must all work together to do whatever we can to ensure that these tariffs never materialize – there is simply too much at stake.”

The Newfoundland and Labrador economy depends greatly on exports to America. In 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador exported over $7B of goods to the United States. A tariff on this trade and of this magnitude would impact all parts of our province’s economy, not only the directly targeted sectors – people’s livelihoods, public sector funding, community funding, social programs, etc. 

“We need all hands on deck to tackle this issue and workers must be involved in any strategy as it will be workers and their families who will bear the brunt of the impacts of these tariffs,” said McCormick. “Labour is ready to assist the Premier and the provincial and federal governments in the effort to stop these catastrophic tariffs from coming into existence.” 

The NLFL will be meeting with the Premier and other stakeholders to discuss the proposed tariffs, their impact, and how to work together to protect Newfoundland and Labrador workers and their families. 

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“Workers are the backbone of our province. Workers and their labour drive the economy,  provide vital public services, and move our province forward. Yet, it’s workers who are often at the end of the line when it comes to reaping the benefits of prosperity,” said Jessica McCormick, President of the NLFL. “Too many workers are struggling with the rising cost of living. In this session, government must invest in the working class people of our province.” 

The affordability crisis continues to put a strain on workers’ budgets while the wage gap continues to widen. In response to this, more workers are turning to unions and organizing to bring democracy to the workplace; this momentum in union organizing is growing. However, excessive voting and process delays, coupled with belligerent, hostile and predatory challenges and actions from anti-union employers stand in the way of workers having a fair and just collective say in their workplace. 

“Workers are rightly demanding more balanced and fair labour laws, including bringing back single-step certification (also known as ‘card check’), and are calling for additional staffing and resources at the Labour Relations Board to immediately address delays that are undermining workers’ and Charter Rights,” continued McCormick. “The process is stacked against workers right now and they need the government to level the playing field. Anything short of this is an injustice to workers and their families.”

Bringing more balance to labour relations must also include enacting anti-scab legislation. Strong anti-scab legislation is vital for the future of all workers, protecting their rights and restoring fairness at the bargaining table. The Provincial Liberals should follow the lead of their Federal party colleagues on this important labour legislation. 

Workers not only need a voice and representation at work, they also need to be safe and healthy and protected when they get hurt on the job. Recently, the NLFL called on the provincial government to increase the Income Replacement Rate for Injured Workers. Additionally, the NLFL is urging the government to introduce legislation in this session that ensures workers have access to ten (10) paid sick days. “Employees should not feel pressure to come to work when sick or fear losing their job,” said McCormick. “Throughout the pandemic, we saw first-hand what happens when workers can’t stay home when they’re sick. As we currently experience surges in respiratory illnesses, we are reminded that paid sick leave reduces strain on our public healthcare system and saves lives. Public health and worker protection go hand in hand.”

Finally, the NLFL is calling on the government to sign an agreement with the federal government to implement the national pharmacare program in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“People shouldn’t have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for the medications they need,” said McCormick. “Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve a stronger, fairer healthcare system. The Premier shouldn’t waste any time moving forward with this agreement which will help so many in our province who are cutting their meds or going without entirely.”

“Workers and their families need and deserve to be put first in this session of the House of Assembly, and in the upcoming budget,” said McCormick. “We have laid out a legislative agenda that will help accomplish this goal and will continue to put pressure on government to do the right thing for the working class people of our province.” 

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