Manufacturing

Unifor Québec is expressing profound concern following the unexpected announcement of the forthcoming closure of Indorama Ventures' purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production facility in Montreal East, scheduled for September 2024.

On August 6, Viterra employees on strike since May 26 travelled by bus from Bécancour to the Port of Montreal to take part in a mobilization action in front of their employer's offices. Around a hundred people gathered for the event, including members of other locals who had come to lend their solidarity.

KANATA, ONT.—After 75 days on the picket line, Unifor members at Best Theratronics delivered a stern and powerful message to their employer: Get back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair deal.

London, ON—Members at the newly organized Unifor Local 27 bargaining unit at The Original Cakerie have ratified a first contract that covers 820 workers who produce up to 10,000 cakes per day for Costco and other big chain grocery stores.

OTTAWA— In what was supposed to be an uplifting email message to workers over the Victoria Day long weekend, Best Theratronics (BTL) owner Krishnan Suthanthiran instead went on a tirade, casting his workers as entitled and lazy for having too many statutory holidays, touting the benefits of a seven-day workweek, and even threatening to move jobs of workers on strike at the company overseas.

WINNIPEG—Unifor Local 144 members at Griffin Wheel – a Winnipeg foundry that produces train wheels – have ratified a new four-year contract, ending a 19-day lockout.

WINDSOR – Unifor has reached a tentative agreement with Jamieson Laboratories in Windsor, Ont. on behalf of 317 members of Local 195.

The members have been engaged in strike since February 1. No details will be released until the ratification meeting, scheduled for March 5.

Workers at Northern Transformer in Vaughan, Ont. voted to ratify a new four-year agreement with the company on March 25, 2023.

“This is a great deal, especially since we have an aging workforce who both require a pension plan and long-term disability they can count on,” said Eamonn Clarke, President of Local 252.

“We have tried for years to get a pension plan in place and now we have it. Bargaining an extra sick day is also great news for our members, all this along with securing an almost 16% increase over the four years makes this the best contract so far.”

TORONTO- Infrastructure, industry and health care investments are welcome in the Ontario budget, but government needs to take the next step and translate spending into good jobs and a stronger public health care system, including workforce development strategies.

"The Ontario government has put much needed money on the table - now they have to finish the job by ensuring that the work is done here in Ontario by Ontario workers. If we are going to build the transit of the future, let’s build it in Ontario,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.