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May 23, 2025 by 1996-O Executive

Unifor calls on federal government to punish corporations offshoring Canadian jobs

Protect Canadian Jobs Banner EN

TORONTO— Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, is calling on the federal government to take immediate and aggressive action against corporations that move jobs out of Canada in response to U.S. trade measures. The union has presented a detailed proposal, including legislative amendments, outlining how the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) can be deployed to penalize corporations that offshore or outsource work to the detriment of Canada’s national interest.

“Canadian workers should not pay the price for American trade aggression,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.  “It’s time for the federal government to draw a clear line: if you do business here, you don’t get to pack up and leave to avoid tariffs without consequences.”

While Canada has responded to unfair U.S. tariffs with retaliatory measures, these steps fall short when it comes to stopping companies from offshoring Canadian production to the U.S., resulting in devastating job losses. Unifor is calling on the federal government to immediately apply FEMA to penalize Canadian-based companies in the event they shift operations south of the border in compliance with U.S. pressures or incentives.

The case presented by Unifor can be read across varying levels of aggressiveness. FEMA, as it stands, can be used as a tool immediately—although penalties and remedies are currently limited. However, legislated amendments to FEMA (when Parliament returns), intersecting with existing powers under the Customs Tariff, present a suite of very aggressive—almost limitless—punitive measures, up to and including blocking or restricting the import of goods from companies that have offshored Canadian jobs.

Read Unifor’s letter to Prime Minister Carney and pertinent cabinet ministers here.

Read Unifor’s supporting legal position here.

Under FEMA, the Attorney General—backed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs—has the authority to issue orders that block compliance with foreign measures that harm Canadian interests. These blocking orders would make it a federal offence for companies to move production out of Canada in response to U.S. tariffs or directives, with penalties currently reaching up to $1.5 million for corporations and up to five years’ imprisonment for individuals.

“This is existing legislation that can be activated today. No new law is needed—just political will to protect Canadian workers and prevent further job losses in vital manufacturing sectors,” added Payne. “By using FEMA, and strengthening it through legislative amendments, the government can send a clear message that offshoring Canadian jobs will not be tolerated.”

Unifor is also calling for stronger penalties, including asset seizures for companies that violate blocking orders, and for FEMA compliance to be a condition for any company seeking relief from Canada’s own retaliatory tariffs.

“We need to stop rewarding companies that gut our communities and undermine our economy,” said Payne. “This is about protecting good Canadian jobs and defending our sovereignty.”

Filed Under: Uncategorised

May 23, 2025 by 1996-O Executive

Selig Group’s major equipment move from Ontario to U.S. facility puts Canadian jobs at risk

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.”

Filed Under: Uncategorised

May 23, 2025 by 1996-O Executive

Labour Market Insights – April 2025

LMI April 2025-EN

Filed Under: Uncategorised

May 21, 2025 by 1996-O Executive

Defend Our Right to Protest

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,

Filed Under: Uncategorised

May 20, 2025 by 1996-O Executive

Canada’s Wonderland Member Appreciation Day

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

Filed Under: Uncategorised

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