Having Issues At Work
Your job should offer more than just a paycheque, it should provide fair wages, a safe working environment, and reliable benefits that support you and your family. Every worker, regardless of their role, deserves to feel respected, valued, and confident that their voice matters in the workplace. Yet for many across Canada, this standard is slipping. Too often, employees face stagnant wages, limited or non-existent benefits and pensions, and a workplace culture where they are treated as replaceable rather than essential. When employers hold all the power, meaningful improvements to unfair conditions rarely happen on their own. If you are dealing with ongoing concerns, whether it’s one issue or many, it usually reflects a deeper workplace imbalance and it’s a sign that something needs to change.
This is where collective action becomes a meaningful option. When workers come together, they balance the power dynamic and create a unified voice that employers must recognize and engage with. Instead of facing concerns alone, employees gain structure, representation, and a formal process to address wages, benefits, scheduling, and workplace safety. Collective representation is not about conflict, it’s about fairness, accountability, and ensuring that the people who keep the workplace running are treated with dignity, consistency, and respect.
Contact:
Darren Anderson
Organizer
danderson@teamsters979.ca
(204) 979-4419
Are You Protected ?
If you don’t have a union, the reality is that you do not have the same level of formal protection or representation in the workplace. Collective bargaining gives workers a structured and legally recognized voice to negotiate fair wages, job security, seniority rights, benefits, and working conditions. Rather than relying on individual requests, employees stand together to establish clear standards that must be followed and respected by the employer.
A union also provides a formal grievance process and accountability framework. If an employer violates the collective agreement or treats an employee unfairly, there is a defined procedure to address the issue and seek resolution. This means you are not left to navigate disputes alone or at the mercy of workplace power imbalances. With collective representation, safety, fairness, and dignity are not optional - they are enforceable rights supported by a process designed to protect workers both on and off the job.
What Is a Union
Unions have existed for generations, yet many people are still unsure of what a union truly does. At its core, a union is a collective of workers who come together to protect their rights in the workplace but its impact goes far beyond that simple definition. The labour movement plays a vital role in advancing fair wages, safe working conditions, strong benefits, and a higher overall quality of life for workers and their families.
By joining General Teamsters Union Local 979, you become part of a strong, supportive community that stands together to defend fairness, health and safety, and respect on the job. Our goal is not only to ensure your voice is heard at work, but also to help create stability and balance that positively supports both your professional and home life.
Defenders of Fair Wages
For decades, unions have helped set higher standards for wages and working conditions, not only for their members, but for workers across entire industries. This leadership is especially important today, as wage inequality and pay discrimination continue to affect many workplaces across Canada.
Unionized workplaces help close these gaps by establishing transparent pay scales, clear job classifications, and fair collective agreements that apply equally to all employees. As a result, unionized workers in Canada earn, on average, about 10–25% more than non-union workers, while also benefiting from stronger pensions, better benefits, and greater job security.
Advocates for Your Health and Safety
Workplace health and safety laws exist to protect employees, but they are only effective when they are properly followed and enforced. A union provides an added layer of protection by ensuring that safety standards are upheld and that workers can raise concerns without fear of retaliation. If you need to refuse unsafe work or push for safer conditions, you are supported by a structured process and collective representation that puts your well-being first.
Beyond physical safety on the job, unions also support the overall health of their members and their families. Through negotiated benefits, including extended health coverage and wellness supports, unions help ensure that your care and protection extend both inside and outside the workplace.