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Dear members,
We want to keep our members up-to-date as developments unfold.
DHL Express Canada issued a lockout notice to the union yesterday, June 4, 2025 — four days before the deadline to reach a deal.
This callous move was filed with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service while negotiations were still underway.
We understand this news is concerning. Please know we’re here for you every step of the way.
In response, we’ve issued our 72-hour legal strike notice today. If we’re unable to reach a tentative deal by Sunday, June 8, the company will be in a legal lockout position as of 12:01 a.m. EST, and the union will be in a legal strike position as of 11 a.m. EST.
Strike action will follow a rolling notice, meaning members in different time zones will begin picket lines based on the Eastern Standard Time trigger. Picket start times by region will be:
• 12 p.m. Atlantic Time
• 11 a.m. Eastern Time
• 10 a.m. Central Time
• 9 a.m. Mountain Time
• 8 a.m. Pacific Time
We are also aware that DHL sent a letter to members this morning indicating some of its proposals, including a 15% wage increase over five years.
This collective agreement is incredibly complex, with members in numerous job classifications that have differing needs, which can’t be boiled down to a single number. Proposals by DHL mean hardship for owner-operators, workers who have made significant investments in their vehicles, based on promises made by the company.
The company has still failed to address a number of outstanding concession demands and is now using this lockout threat as a pressure tactic to divide our membership apart.
Now more than ever, we need to keep our solidarity. We need to stay at the table and see if we can resolve this. The union is attempting to ensure that the gains of the agreement are spread across all workers that make DHL Express so profitable.
Now more than ever, we must stand together in solidarity. The union is committed to finding a fair deal—one that recognizes the contributions of all workers who make DHL Express Canada so profitable.
Our members deserve better than this.
This decision by DHL's senior management is disgraceful, incomprehensible, without a trace of common sense, and devoid of empathy for the highly skilled and dedicated workers who keep DHL Express running in Canada.
This is not a good sign, but it is not catastrophic.
Clearly, the Company believes it can do whatever it wants to its workers, as long as the shareholders line their pockets!
But make no mistake—Unifor has faced these kinds of tactics in the past. Our union is the largest private sector union in Canada, with the unity and power of 320,000 members strong, and we will not stop fighting for a fair and just contract for DHL workers.
In the event that a labour conflict with DHL becomes inevitable, the union will keep you fully informed on next steps.
DHL Express Canada serves over 50,000 customers and holds contracts with over two dozen international companies operating in Canada – some of the biggest names include Temu, SHEIN and Siemens Canada.
A labour dispute could also have major implications for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, June 13 to 15, given DHL’s critical role in transporting Formula One equipment.
We thank you for your continued patience and your support.
In solidarity,
DHL National Bargaining Committee
