When the Paycheque Stops & the Bills Don’t:
Local Labour Unions and the United Way work together to provide comprehensive information for local unions who may be experiencing a work stoppage. For a quick summary of resources and guidance on where to turn, please download our brochure.
For a more detailed guide to coping with a loss of expected income, please see our Creditor Action Plan (PDF)
Labour Community Advocate Training:
A partnership between the United Way of KFL&A and the Kingston and District Labour Council, the Labour Community Advocate Training helps workers find effective solutions and community support for issues that often fall outside the scope of their collective agreements. Labour Community Advocate graduates are often the first contact for co-workers and family members experiencing difficulties.
The course has 12 sessions covering such topics as: Access to services, Mental Health issues, Services for Youth and Seniors, Domestic Abuse issues, EI (Employment Insurance), Credit Counselling, Effective Communications, Family and Individual Counselling services, Addictions, Retirement and Conflict resolutions.
Benefits to All:
- The Labour Community Advocate benefits by learning new skills to help those in need and guide them to appropriate programs and services available in their community.
- The Union benefits by having trained referral agents on site to help their members. LCA training can also complement the training of union stewards, providing them with more “tools in their toolbox”.
- The Employer benefits by having access to Union Advocates that are able to help their workers find solutions to difficult problems that may impact their jobs, especially where no EAP is in place. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.
- The Community benefits from an increased awareness of the need to provide universal, accessible services that strengthen our community bonds. LCAs also help identify gaps in available services.
Labour Community Advocates are an important component to making your workplace healthier, safer and therefore, happier.
For more information please contact the Director of Labour Community Services or contact by phone at 613-929-4830.
Workers Help Centre and 211
The Help Centre is designed to help both union and non-union workers with access to community resources. This service benefits those who have lost their jobs due to layoffs, downsizing or closure. It also helps with personal issues or other problems affecting workers. Whatever the reason we know that keeping a positive attitude and accessing information about community resources works to improve any situation.
The Centre provides a phone message service, available by calling 613-548-4952 or 613-542-2674 Ext. 1105. All messages are checked on a regular basis.
Please note though that we do highly recommend contacting 211 as well. Their service is also confidential and helps you navigate the complex network of available human services quickly and easily, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 100 languages. https://211ontario.ca/
Labour Community Services Committee
Chair – Joan Jardin (OSSTF)
Members – Lesley Jamieson (PSAC), Rej Bruneau (PSAC-UNDE), Ryan Bol (IATSE), Jeremy Robins (USW).
Union/Labour United Way Campaign Endorsement
Labour Bodies
- CLC – Canadian Labour Congress
- OFL – Ontario Federation of Labour
- KDLC – Kingston and District Labour Council
Unions
- COPE – Canadian Office Professional Employees Union
- CNFU – Canadian Nurses Federated Union
- CUPE – Canadian Union of Public Employees
- CUPW – Canadian Union of Postal Wokers
- ETFO – Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario
- IAM – International Association of Machinists
- IBEW – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- KMU – Kingston Musicians Union
- OECTA – Ontario English Catholic Teachers Federation
- OPSEU – Ontario Public Service Employees Union
- OSSTF – Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation
- PSAC – Public Service Alliance of Canada
- QUFA – Queens University Faculty Association
- SEIU – Service Employees International Union
- UFCW – United Food & Commercial Workers
- UNIFOR – formerly Canadian Auto Workers & Chemical Energy Paper Workers
- UNITE – United Union of Needle Trades, Industrial Textile Workers
- USW – United Steel Workers