Auto

Historic Unifor Auto and IPS joint Council address EV transition

The first joint session of Unifor’s Auto and IPS Councils brought autoworkers together to collaborate on strategies to meet the opportunities and challenges of the EV transition.

The joint Council assembled more than 180 auto sector union leadership and members from across the Detroit Three and independent parts suppliers on May 23 in London, Ontario.

Canada’s auto industry has turned a corner, and we can never go back

Lana Payne

Investment in Canada’s auto industry is booming. With Honda’s recent $15 billion commitment to new EVs and battery components, including a first-ever separator facility in Port Colborne, that’s more than $50 billion in auto supply chain investments in just over three years – an impressive run of industrial success. 

Sadly, some in this country have a hard time accepting this.

Critical EV battery investment helps secure Canada’s auto future

TORONTO – Critical multi-government investment for new Honda Canada electric vehicle, battery and battery material facilities will further bolster Canada’s auto sector and help secure and grow jobs across the value chain. 

The projected $15 billion investment to assemble new electric vehicles, build a new battery cell plant in Alliston, Ontario alongside additional joint venture battery component and material facilities in Ontario is expected to create an estimated 1,000 new, direct jobs. 

Unifor protests to demand $10 million in monies owed to Wescast workers

WINGHAM—Today, Unifor members rallied outside the Wescast plant in Wingham, Ontario. The protest is in response to Wescast Industries continued refusal to pay approximately $10 million in severance and termination pay owed to workers who were laid off in 2023 following the Company’s decision to cease foundry operations. 

MDA workers launch strike action at company’s global space headquarters

BRAMPTON—Fifty workers at MDA’s new global headquarters and space robotics centre launched strike action on April 8 following the company’s refusal to negotiate. 

“Fair wages shouldn’t be light years away for workers at an incredibly profitable company such as MDA,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The facility houses some of the most skilled workers in the industry and they deserve a fair contract that reflects their contribution to MDA’s bottom line.”

Letter to CN Rail and Autoport

SENT VIA EMAIL

To: Tracy Robinson, CEO, Canadian National Railway
      Olivier Chouc, President, Autoport

As the elected representatives of Canada’s 20,000 auto sector members at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, we are writing to denounce your company and its subsidiary’s decision to use scab labour at Autoport in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On March 22, 2024, we met to discuss the situation unfolding in Nova Scotia as well as a range of potential solidarity actions in support of Unifor Local 100 members affected by this dispute.

Canadians deserve better than misinformed battery plant debate

By Lana Payne 

Originally published in the Windsor Star November 25, 2023

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

The famous quote from American author and funny-man Mark Twain helps summarize the firestorm surrounding Windsor’s NextStar battery plant.  

What started as an innocuous social media post from, of all groups, the Windsor Police Service has become a fire-and-brimstone level debate in this country.