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August 27, 2024

Today, Unifor leadership met with Ontario Minister of Labour David Piccini and senior ministerial staff to update the government on the ongoing dispute at Wescast Industries in Wingham, Ontario. The meeting was held as part of Unifor’s continuing efforts to resolve the dispute between the union and the company’s owners, Bohong Industries Group in China over approximately $10 million in unpaid severance and termination pay owed to nearly 200 workers.

The dispute between Unifor and Wescast began after the company withhold funds owed to workers who elected to relinquish recall rights after prolonged layoffs at the plant. Workers became eligible for the payments in April, 2024. The union’s delegation to the Minister of Labour included National President Lana Payne and Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi who were also joined by senior union staff and Laura Collison, a Local 4207 member and 44-year veteran worker of the Wingham plant, who shared her personal story with the Minister.

“Our members, many of whom are multi-generational workers at the plant, helped build this company and now are being abandoned,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The financial hardships and emotional toll on workers and their families is unfathomable, with some facing the threat of losing their homes as they struggle to make ends meet. It’s time for this overseas company to do what’s right.”

Collison described the devastating impact this dispute has had on her and how the situation has personally affected workers like herself, many of whom dedicated decades of their work lives to Wescast.

“We were laid off since July 27, 2023 with just one week’s notice and roughly 80 per cent of my brothers and sisters have devoted 25 years or more to the company and many are struggling since then,” said Unifor Local 4207 member at Wescast Laura Collison. “In my 44 years of service, I made countless sacrifices, underwent two shoulder surgeries because of my job, all to ensure the company’s success. Now, they’ve been unresponsive, lacking transparency and not understanding their responsibilities and duties to us. Hard working Canadians deserve better, my more than one hundred fellow employees deserve better, I deserve better.”

While the meeting with the Minister took place today, the union and the company are also engaged in an arbitration over the dispute.

Unifor has pursued several avenues to ensure that Bohong Industries Group is held accountable for its actions and is compelled to honour its legal obligations under Ontario labour laws and the collective agreement between the union and the company.

“We were very pleased at how receptive Minister Piccini was to our concerns and to those of workers like Laura Collison who have suffered for far too long,” said Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “Unifor members at Wescast deserve a just outcome and we will not stop escalating this dispute until workers are paid every cent they are owed.”

August 26, 2024

TORONTO—Unifor welcomes the federal government decision to impose an additional 100% tariff on all new energy vehicles imported from China as well as a new 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminum.

“Canada can and must protect auto and manufacturing jobs here in this country, which thousands of workers rely on for their livelihoods,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “There is no justification to trade away high-paying, high-skilled jobs for cheap high-carbon intensive vehicles build under deplorable working conditions. Our union welcomes the Canadian tariff that matches the U.S. to present a united front in support of the auto sector and the communities that benefit from it. We must all remember that cheap comes at a very high cost – a cost to good Canadian jobs and communities.”

In the union’s recommendations during the government’s consultations on Chinese trade practices in electric vehicles Unifor recommended a federal tariff of 100% above MFN rate on all new energy vehicles imported from China. Unifor also recommended a 25% tariff above MFN rate on battery products and battery-related components of importance to Canada that it will continue to push the government to enact during the just announced second consultation period.

Unifor does welcome the eligibility restrictions on Chinese EVs from the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles, Medium and Heavy Duty Zero Emission Vehicles and the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, although the federal government has not yet committed to extending these programs, which remains a concern.

Unifor also strongly supports the proposed additional 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminum products from China, a move that will further support thousands of Unifor members producing goods that, for years, have had to unfairly compete with Chinese-made goods.

Read Unifor’s submission and full recommendations here.

In under four years, Canada secured nearly $50 billion in major auto and EV battery supply chain investments, including nine large “greenfield” factories. These nine investments are expected to create at least 12,000 new, direct jobs in Canada. Forecasters now expect annual Canadian passenger vehicle production to expand in the coming years by 37% to approximately 1.8 units by 2031.

“A flood of low-cost EV imports from China would undermine everything being done to rebuild and grow a strong and truly national automotive sector, one that competes on the world stage. Measures to address unfair trade advantages, obtained through improper and illicit practices, are overdue,” said Payne. “We will not allow Chinese automakers to undermine Canadian workers and the development of an advanced, future-facing auto industry with the good union jobs and economic benefits it will bring to our communities. Our members have worked very hard to get here and make no mistake we will not go back.”

Unifor represents more than 40,000 workers in heavy and light-duty vehicle and powertrain assembly, as well as automotive component parts manufacturing, distribution as well as engineering, clerical and security operations. Thousands more Unifor members work in vehicle dealerships and vehicle servicing businesses throughout the country.