BRADFORD, ON – Unifor is condemning the decision by U.S.-based multinational Selig Group to relocate major industrial equipment from its Bradford, Ontario manufacturing facility to a plant in Chicago – threatening the livelihoods of dozens of workers.

“This is another example of the urgent need to protect Canadian jobs and stop companies from exploiting the U.S. trade war, using it as an excuse to gut Canadian manufacturing facilities,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Selig’s owners have long benefited from public funding to build up its operations in Bradford, only to now pull the rug out from under its loyal workforce and the community that supported it for years. It’s unacceptable.”

Unifor Local 333 represents 50 workers at the Bradford facility. The union local says the company has confirmed the transfer of critical heavy machinery—including a slitter and a laminator—that account for roughly 65% of the facility’s total production. The slitter is scheduled for removal in the coming weeks and the laminator will follow in July. Both are being shipped to Selig’s U.S. facility in Chicago.

The union warns that the sudden relocation of heavy machinery could result in the elimination of one of three production shifts and result in 20 unionized jobs being eliminated. The union is also concerned that the remaining machinery at the site relies heavily on output tied to the equipment being removed, risking further jobs.

“This isn’t just about moving equipment around, it’s about the future of our jobs, our facility, and our families,” said Lisa Marks, President of Unifor Local 333. “Our members are angry and anxious. We worked hard to build this plant from the ground up with years of loyalty, community support and government investment. Now, Selig is turning its back on all of us.”

Questions remain about the applicability of the tariffs under the U.S. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and whether Selig is failing to comply with CUSMA (formerly NAFTA) requirements due to sourcing decisions or certification issues.

Selig opened the Bradford facility in 2021 after a multi-million dollar renovation, supported in part by municipal funding through the Industrial Areas Community Improvement Plan (IACIP). The facility produces sealing and venting materials for packaging across several sectors, including food and beverage, healthcare, chemicals, among others.

The potential job losses at Selig come at a time when Unifor is urging the federal government to enforce and expand the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) to penalize corporations that shift production out of Canada. Read Unifor’s media release on FEMA here.

“We simply can’t sit idly by while our jobs and are communities are under threat in this trade war,” said Payne. “Canada needs stronger tools to protect domestic manufacturing jobs and this situation exemplifies why we need to use FEMA to prevent more equipment from moving south putting more Canadian workers at risk of losing their jobs.”

LMI April 2025-EN

Toronto City Council is meeting today to consider bylaw changes that would restrict our Charter-protected rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Our union has already voiced strong opposition to these changes.

If passed, this bylaw could severely limit our ability to picket, protest, and take collective action—key tools we rely on to advocate for workers’ rights.

We stand with Progress Toronto in defending these fundamental freedoms. Please sign and share this urgent petition now:

https://www.progresstoronto.ca/petition-protect-our-freedom-to-picket-and-protest

Let’s act quickly to protect our rights.

In solidarity,

Tickets for Unifor’s membership appreciation day are now available online and can be purchased at www.canadaswonderland.com/unifor2025day.

Discounted tickets are as follows:

• $51.64 Ages 3 and up. Includes parking, admission, rides, and lunch at the Courtyard Buffet.
• $17.69 for Courtyard Buffet only (park admission required to gain entry).
• Free for kids under age 2.

A poster is attached below so it can be posted and circulated to members in the workplace.

Members are encouraged to wear their Unifor colours/swag. Please make sure to secure your tickets early.

Wonderland 2025 july

TORONTO – Unifor expects engagement from Bell Canada about the impact that the introduction of new cloud and workforce automation brand, Ateko, will have on workers.

The announcement of the new tech services brand is an indication of a digital shift in the company that leaves many questions unanswered for workers who have faced continual rounds of layoffs.

“While Bell picks up new tech companies, longtime employees face continued job insecurity and are left in the dark about the future direction of the company they helped to build,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor expects Bell to not only engage with our union around significant changes like the new Ateko brand but include unionized workers in these forward-looking expansions.”

For decades, Bell has hollowed out its workforce, including an October 2024 announcement to cut 120 jobs at Expertech, a June 2024 50-person job cut at Bell Media, a February 2024 4,800 person job-cut, and a 1,300-person cut in June 2023.

“Bell workers expect to be involved in conversation about the company’s rapid and expensive shift into the tech industry. But with the announcement of Ateko, and its stated goal of helping others streamline and modernize their operations,’ Bell seems not only set on continuing to cut their own workforce, but lead more Canadian companies to do the same,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor Quebec Director.

“We can forge a new relationship. By working together, Bell workers and the company can find long term solutions that protect workers and telco jobs while growing innovation in Bell’s stated tech goals,” added Payne.

In early 2024, Unifor launched the Shame on Bell campaign to call on the company to stop its contracting out and offshoring of telecom jobs, stop slashing Canadian newsrooms and reduce dividend payouts to reinvest in employee wellbeing, infrastructure, and job security.