Latest news with #Unifor
Global News
8 minutes ago
- Business
- Global News
Unifor asks feds to reject DHL's request for strike intervention
Unifor sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and cabinet ministers this week decrying a request from package company DHL to intervene in a strike. That request was made by DHL in a letter last week that was shared on the union's website. The letter said the change that takes effect on June 20 to federal labour law banning replacement workers during strikes threatens to 'severely undermine' DHL's operational capabilities. It said the cessation of its operations would lead to the loss of around 2,800 jobs and asks that the government intervene to allow DHL Express to continue operating while it negotiates with the union. The letter said the company saw 'similar interventions' during the ongoing strike at Canada Post and that it thinks such action is warranted in its case given that it provides 'essential logistics services to Canadians.' Story continues below advertisement 4:10 CUPW workers to vote on Canada Post's latest offer Unifor national president Lana Payne argued in the letter to Carney that DHL locked out its workers and forced members to respond with strike action. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy She said the company is asking for a 'free pass' to avoid having to comply with anti-scab legislation which sets a 'dangerous precedent.' She said the use of 'scabs' leads to longer disputes, contributes to higher conflict at picket lines, jeopardizes workplace safety and 'removes the employer incentive to negotiate and settle fair contracts.' With the two sides at an impasse, DHL Express Canada has said it will shut down operations across the country. DHL said it will halt parcel deliveries starting June 20, the day federal legislation banning replacement workers takes full effect. The upcoming shutdown adds to the labour turmoil in the parcel market, as Canada Post remains at loggerheads with 55,000 workers amid strained negotiations and an overtime ban imposed by the union last month. Story continues below advertisement Unifor represents over 2,000 DHL truck drivers, couriers and warehouse and call centre employees across Canada. — With files from Christopher Reynolds
CTV News
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Canada's EV market was already in trouble. Tariffs made it worse, workers say
Employee's cars sit in the parking lot at GM's Cami Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont., Friday, April 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins INGERSOLL — Bob Pulham recalls the optimism in the air when General Motors began producing electric vans in Ingersoll, Ont., in late 2022. As the first BrightDrop commercial van rolled off the line at the CAMI Assembly plant, GM executives, union leaders and former prime minister Justin Trudeau touted it as a major milestone for electric vehicle production in Canada. Pulham, a Unifor representative at the plant, remembers talk of increasing shifts and hiring more people to produce 50,000 such delivery vans annually by 2025. But the sales never picked up, the plant kept slowing down the production line amid sluggish demand and the optimism slowly faded. This April, GM announced it would idle the plant for several months and resume production in October with just one shift. Union members say about half of 1,200 workers at the plant will be gone as a result. 'I feel bad for all 600 that are being laid off. It's a horrible position to be put in,' Pulham said in an interview. 'It's a crazy amount of uncertainty and I think that hurts people.' The announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles, but a GM Canada spokesperson said the halt was directly related to lower-than-expected demand for the BrightDrop vans. Pulham, who began working at the CAMI plant more than three decades ago, said his wife has also been laid off and is now pondering whether to go back to school or search for a new job. Several other companies, including Honda, Stellantis, Umicore and Ford have also delayed or scrapped their EV projects amid the slow sales growth and the ongoing trade war. GM Canada said reducing production in Ingersoll was necessary to adjust to market demand and balance inventory. But workers at the CAMI plant say Trump's tariffs made things even worse. They've experienced the industry's ups and downs over the decades, but say this challenge is especially difficult at a time of great economic uncertainty. 'There's a push to build (vehicles) in the U.S., and that has caused a lot of issues over here,' Pulham said. 'So, it's not a good situation.' Mike Van Boekel, the Unifor Local 88 CAMI plant chairperson, said even though workers knew layoffs were on the horizon, the news was still shocking for many. 'It was terrible,' he said. 'I thought we were going to lose a shift. I was worried in the back of my mind … and now it has come true.' GM's ambitious plan to be at the 'forefront of a big wave' of electric delivery van production didn't materialize because the timing was not right, Boekel said. He felt the company was gaining some momentum before the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles. GM had just received an order of a thousand delivery vans from the U.S. grocery chain giant Kroger, he said. 'So, it looked like we were just getting to go and all of a sudden, the tariffs came on,' he said, adding that CAMI workers will still produce Kroger's vans when they return to the factory this fall. Workers aren't the only ones feeling the pain. The ripple effects of layoffs are a source of concern for Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie. The CAMI plant, which spans two million square feet, is the largest employer in the southwestern Ontario town of about 14,000 people. Petrie said Ingersoll expects to receive $1.8 million in municipal taxes from the company this year, which is around 10 per cent of the total levies the town is expected to collect. 'It is devastating because we're not talking about new employees here, either, these are long serving employees and ... they've had a tough road going up to that point,' Petrie said in a recent interview at his office. The federal government under Trudeau set a target of 100 per cent zero-emission sales of light duty vehicles by 2035. Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin indicated this week that mandate won't be changing. But that goal seems hard to achieve, Petrie said. 'It's honest to say that I think everybody may have misunderstood the scale of the problem that we're facing to do the EV switch,' he said. 'I think all of them will admit that it's been a bigger problem than they once thought.' Still, he thinks the more than $50 billion in investments that Canada has pledged since 2020 to incentivize the EV supply chain will pay off in the long term. Some provinces, including Manitoba and Quebec, are offering rebates for electric vehicle purchases. B.C.'s rebate program, which was the longest running in the country, was paused last month. Ontario scrapped its rebate program after Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives won the election in 2018. The federal government also halted in January its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program, which offered up to $5,000 off the cost of a new electric vehicle. Dabrusin said Ottawa intends to bring back consumer rebates for EVs, but doesn't yet know what they'll look like. Zero-emissions vehicles represented only 8.7 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Canada in the first quarter of 2025 — a drop from 16.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data from Statistics Canada. The sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids had steadily increased from below one per cent in 2017 to 14.6 in 2024, but experts say the growth hasn't been nearly as fast as many expected. Dan Park, CEO of online used car retailer Clutch, said EV adoption has been slower in Canada because people normally drive long distances in colder temperatures, which reduces battery life by 20 to 40 per cent and slows down the charging speed. 'Canada is just a fundamentally harder market to have,' he said. 'Until technology and battery life is improved to be able to handle colder conditions, I think Canadians will just shy away from it.' Park said EVs make up only five per cent of Clutch's inventory, which is tied to consumer demand. He said consumer rebates and production subsidies 'artificially propped up the market,' and provincial and federal governments should instead invest in a stronger charging infrastructure to encourage more Canadians to adopt EVs. A recent survey by consumer insights firm J.D. Power shows that only 28 per cent of nearly 4,000 respondents said they were 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase, down from 29 per cent last year and 34 per cent in 2023. The survey also found that 75 per cent of new vehicle purchasers aren't confident Canada can reach its 2035 zero-emission vehicle sales goal. Manufacturers took note of the lacklustre interest. Honda Canada announced in May that it's postponing a $15-billion EV project in Ontario, citing the 'unexpected slowdown' in the market. Stellantis is postponing the production of an EV model of 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T at its Windsor, Ont., plant as it assesses the effects of U.S. tariffs. And Ford Motor Co. said it will assemble F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks at its Oakville, Ont., plant beginning in 2026 instead of planned electric vehicle production at the site. Despite the setbacks, Environment and Climate Change Canada said it will continue to support investments and innovations in the EV supply chain. Canada's zero-emissions vehicle sales mandates ensure 'Canadians have access to electric vehicles, which offer long-term savings for consumers,' department spokesperson Hermine Landry said in a statement. 'Transportation emissions have declined to levels not seen in decades, demonstrating that we can grow our economy while also fighting climate change,' Landry said. 'It is important to remain focused on the fact that the real threat to the Canadian auto industry right now are the unjustified tariffs from the United States.' Overall, Canadians buy around two million new vehicles annually and the country produces approximately 1.5 million of them, according to Unifor. Autoworkers say the federal government should push for more vehicle production in Canada from manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and others that don't have any production footprint in the country, to offset the impact of U.S. tariffs. 'It'd be nice, (if) the government stands up for us and you know says to these big companies, 'If you want to sell here, then you need to build here as well,'' said Paul Harvey, who works as a framing team leader at CAMI. Harvey said that although he and his wife will keep their jobs at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, they will both have to work the same hours when production resumes on one shift. With four children at home, that means the couple will need a new child-care plan and increased costs will come with it. Harvey, who has been an autoworker for 20 years, said it would be 'kind of silly' to think that the transition to electric vehicles would happen at the flick of a switch. He said he and his wife remain optimistic about the EV market and that's why they purchased a Chevy Blazer EV just a few weeks ago. 'We're committed to moving into the future with the electrified vehicles,' he said. 'I do believe it will get there eventually.' Article by Sharif Hassan.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Canada's EV market was already in trouble. Tariffs made it worse, Ontario workers say
INGERSOLL — Bob Pulham recalls the optimism in the air when General Motors began producing electric vans in Ingersoll, Ont., in late 2022. As the first BrightDrop commercial van rolled off the line at the CAMI Assembly plant, GM executives, union leaders and former prime minister Justin Trudeau touted it as a major milestone for electric vehicle production in Canada. Pulham, a Unifor representative at the plant, remembers talk of increasing shifts and hiring more people to produce 50,000 such delivery vans annually by 2025. But the sales never picked up, the plant kept slowing down the production line amid sluggish demand and the optimism slowly faded. This April, GM announced it would idle the plant for several months and resume production in October with just one shift. Union members say about half of 1,200 workers at the plant will be gone as a result. "I feel bad for all 600 that are being laid off. It's a horrible position to be put in," Pulham said in an interview. "It's a crazy amount of uncertainty and I think that hurts people." The announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles, but a GM Canada spokesperson said the halt was directly related to lower-than-expected demand for the BrightDrop vans. Pulham, who began working at the CAMI plant more than three decades ago, said his wife has also been laid off and is now pondering whether to go back to school or search for a new job. Several other companies, including Honda, Stellantis, Umicore and Ford have also delayed or scrapped their EV projects amid the slow sales growth and the ongoing trade war. GM Canada said reducing production in Ingersoll was necessary to adjust to market demand and balance inventory. But workers at the CAMI plant say Trump's tariffs made things even worse. They've experienced the industry's ups and downs over the decades, but say this challenge is especially difficult at a time of great economic uncertainty. "There's a push to build (vehicles) in the U.S., and that has caused a lot of issues over here," Pulham said. "So, it's not a good situation." Mike Van Boekel, the Unifor Local 88 CAMI plant chairperson, said even though workers knew layoffs were on the horizon, the news was still shocking for many. "It was terrible," he said. "I thought we were going to lose a shift. I was worried in the back of my mind … and now it has come true." GM's ambitious plan to be at the "forefront of a big wave" of electric delivery van production didn't materialize because the timing was not right, Boekel said. He felt the company was gaining some momentum before the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles. GM had just received an order of a thousand delivery vans from the U.S. grocery chain giant Kroger, he said. "So, it looked like we were just getting to go and all of a sudden, the tariffs came on," he said, adding that CAMI workers will still produce Kroger's vans when they return to the factory this fall. Workers aren't the only ones feeling the pain. The ripple effects of layoffs are a source of concern for Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie. The CAMI plant, which spans two million square feet, is the largest employer in the southwestern Ontario town of about 14,000 people. Petrie said Ingersoll expects to receive $1.8 million in municipal taxes from the company this year, which is around 10 per cent of the total levies the town is expected to collect. "It is devastating because we're not talking about new employees here, either, these are long serving employees and ... they've had a tough road going up to that point," Petrie said in a recent interview at his office. The federal government under Trudeau set a target of 100 per cent zero-emission sales of light duty vehicles by 2035. Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin indicated this week that mandate won't be changing. But that goal seems hard to achieve, Petrie said. "It's honest to say that I think everybody may have misunderstood the scale of the problem that we're facing to do the EV switch," he said. "I think all of them will admit that it's been a bigger problem than they once thought." Still, he thinks the more than $50 billion in investments that Canada has pledged since 2020 to incentivize the EV supply chain will pay off in the long term. Some provinces, including Manitoba and Quebec, are offering rebates for electric vehicle purchases. B.C.'s rebate program, which was the longest running in the country, was paused last month. Ontario scrapped its rebate program after Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives won the election in 2018. The federal government also halted in January its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program, which offered up to $5,000 off the cost of a new electric vehicle. Dabrusin said Ottawa intends to bring back consumer rebates for EVs, but doesn't yet know what they'll look like. Zero-emissions vehicles represented only 8.7 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Canada in the first quarter of 2025 — a drop from 16.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data from Statistics Canada. The sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids had steadily increased from below one per cent in 2017 to 14.6 in 2024, but experts say the growth hasn't been nearly as fast as many expected. Dan Park, CEO of online used car retailer Clutch, said EV adoption has been slower in Canada because people normally drive long distances in colder temperatures, which reduces battery life by 20 to 40 per cent and slows down the charging speed. "Canada is just a fundamentally harder market to have," he said. "Until technology and battery life is improved to be able to handle colder conditions, I think Canadians will just shy away from it." Park said EVs make up only five per cent of Clutch's inventory, which is tied to consumer demand. He said consumer rebates and production subsidies "artificially propped up the market," and provincial and federal governments should instead invest in a stronger charging infrastructure to encourage more Canadians to adopt EVs. A recent survey by consumer insights firm J.D. Power shows that only 28 per cent of nearly 4,000 respondents said they were "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase, down from 29 per cent last year and 34 per cent in 2023. The survey also found that 75 per cent of new vehicle purchasers aren't confident Canada can reach its 2035 zero-emission vehicle sales goal. Manufacturers took note of the lacklustre interest. Honda Canada announced in May that it's postponing a $15-billion EV project in Ontario, citing the "unexpected slowdown" in the market. Stellantis is postponing the production of an EV model of 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T at its Windsor, Ont., plant as it assesses the effects of U.S. tariffs. And Ford Motor Co. said it will assemble F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks at its Oakville, Ont., plant beginning in 2026 instead of planned electric vehicle production at the site. Despite the setbacks, Environment and Climate Change Canada said it will continue to support investments and innovations in the EV supply chain. Canada's zero-emissions vehicle sales mandates ensure "Canadians have access to electric vehicles, which offer long-term savings for consumers," department spokesperson Hermine Landry said in a statement. "Transportation emissions have declined to levels not seen in decades, demonstrating that we can grow our economy while also fighting climate change," Landry said. "It is important to remain focused on the fact that the real threat to the Canadian auto industry right now are the unjustified tariffs from the United States." Overall, Canadians buy around two million new vehicles annually and the country produces approximately 1.5 million of them, according to Unifor. Autoworkers say the federal government should push for more vehicle production in Canada from manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and others that don't have any production footprint in the country, to offset the impact of U.S. tariffs. "It'd be nice, (if) the government stands up for us and you know says to these big companies, 'If you want to sell here, then you need to build here as well,'" said Paul Harvey, who works as a framing team leader at CAMI. Harvey said that although he and his wife will keep their jobs at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, they will both have to work the same hours when production resumes on one shift. With four children at home, that means the couple will need a new child-care plan and increased costs will come with it. Harvey, who has been an autoworker for 20 years, said it would be "kind of silly" to think that the transition to electric vehicles would happen at the flick of a switch. He said he and his wife remain optimistic about the EV market and that's why they purchased a Chevy Blazer EV just a few weeks ago. "We're committed to moving into the future with the electrified vehicles," he said. "I do believe it will get there eventually." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. Sharif Hassan, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Union slams package company DHL's ask for federal strike intervention
OTTAWA - Unifor sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and cabinet ministers this week decrying a request from package company DHL to intervene in a strike. That request was made by DHL in a letter last week that was shared on the union's website. The letter said the change that takes effect on June 20 to federal labour law banning replacement workers during strikes threatens to 'severely undermine' DHL's operational capabilities. It said the cessation of its operations would lead to the loss of around 2,800 jobs and asks that the government intervene to allow DHL Express to continue operating while it negotiates with the union. The letter said the company saw 'similar interventions' during the ongoing strike at Canada Post and that it thinks such action is warranted in its case given that it provides 'essential logistics services to Canadians.' Unifor national president Lana Payne argued in the letter to Carney that DHL locked out its workers and forced members to respond with strike action. She said the company is asking for a 'free pass' to avoid having to comply with anti-scab legislation which sets a 'dangerous precedent.' She said the use of 'scabs' leads to longer disputes, contributes to higher conflict at picket lines, jeopardizes workplace safety and 'removes the employer incentive to negotiate and settle fair contracts.' With the two sides at an impasse, DHL Express Canada has said it will shut down operations across the country. DHL said it will halt parcel deliveries starting June 20, the day federal legislation banning replacement workers takes full effect. The upcoming shutdown adds to the labour turmoil in the parcel market, as Canada Post remains at loggerheads with 55,000 workers amid strained negotiations and an overtime ban imposed by the union last month. Unifor represents over 2,000 DHL truck drivers, couriers and warehouse and call centre employees across Canada. — With files from Christopher Reynolds This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Unifor supports ITF Safe Rates as DHL members locked out over fair pay, good jobs and safe roads Français
TORONTO, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - As Unifor members at courier giant DHL Express Canada remain locked out and on strike across the country, the union draws attention to this year's International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)'s Safe Rates campaign that demands fair pay, good jobs and safe roads for truck drivers and couriers. "The very things the Safe Rates campaign is fighting for – including fair wages, improved workplace protections, access to washrooms and tackling fatigue – are some of the same improvements we've been demanding for our members, and which DHL has locked us out for," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "They are bringing in scab workers, undermining the work our skilled members do every day, all the while threatening their livelihoods by proposing reduced earnings." Solidarity actions are scheduled throughout the week at Unifor picket lines of DHL facilities in Hamilton, Ont., Edmonton, Lachine, Que., Richmond, B.C. and the DHL depot at Vancouver airport. Members are encouraged to share photos online, using the tag, #SafeRatesSaveLives. Unifor's rallies coincide with ITF's week of action, which runs June 19 to 25, 2025, demanding fair pay and decent working conditions for drivers to tackle fatigue with support from affiliated road transport unions. This year's actions are timed to coincide with the European Transport Workers' Federation's Day of Action Against Driver Fatigue on June 21. More information can be found on Unifor's Safe Rates campaign page. "This is not just a fight against DHL, but the wider system of how Safe Rates can protect workers in trucking and delivery," added National Secretary-Treasurer Len Poirier, who is also the Canadian Chair on the Road Transport Workers' Section Steering Committee of the ITF. "We call on the industry and Canadian government to get involved and put safe rates in the forefront." Unifor with the ITF are fighting for the Canadian road transport industry and federal government to: Adopt Safe Rates legislation. Advocate for labour protections and unions to strengthen supply chain security and resilience. Wage floors and sectoral bargaining—like those in B.C.'s port trucking sector—help prevent wage suppression and casualization that primarily benefit U.S. corporate profits. Free and fair collective bargaining to help support working conditions and wages needed attract high skilled labour to these sectors and keep that money in Canada. Establish a fair price for transport. Transparency in rate setting and working conditions. Strong enforcement through collective agreements and regulatory bodies. Expanded trade union rights for all in transport. Ratify and implement International Labour Organization guidelines on the promotion of decent work and road safety. "The way forward is clear: Safe Rates save lives," said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. "When drivers are paid fairly, they don't have to speed, skip rest, or risk their lives to make ends meet. Governments and industry stakeholders must act now to set and enforce fair standards in road transport together. We call on companies who depend on road transport to work with the ITF to make road transport fair, safe, sustainable and inclusive." About Unifor Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future. About ITF About the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF): The ITF is a democratic global union federation of 740 transport workers trade unions representing around 18.5 million workers in 154 countries. The ITF represents the interests of transport workers' unions in bodies that take decisions affecting jobs, employment conditions, and safety in the transport industry. What are Safe Rates? Guaranteeing Safe Rates mean drivers are paid fairly for all the time they work, allowing them to make enough money to drive safely and support their families. If drivers own their own vehicles, Safe Rates are calculated to ensure that they can cover the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and operating them. SOURCE Unifor
