Momentum to unionize carries on to mature throughout Canada’s car components sector, immediately after 600 staff at TRQSS Inc., a seatbelt company in Windsor, Ontario, voted to join Unifor.
“By joining Unifor, vehicle parts workers at TRQSS have taken an important step towards their aim of having the coverage, and security, of a first collective agreement,” stated Lana Payne, Unifor Countrywide President. “Momentum is obviously building across the sector. Personnel are standing up for on their own and stating loudly and plainly that they are improved off with the protection union membership supplies.”
Unifor presently represents 17,000 auto areas employees across extra than 100 factories in Ontario and Quebec. The union push at TRQSS was licensed by the Ontario Labour Relations Board on January 11, 2023 soon after staff voted to be a part of Unifor late past calendar year.
TRQSS supplies seatbelts to automakers these kinds of as Toyota in Canada and is a critical factory, together with 4 sister plants in North The united states, that comprise the TRAM car parts firm, a subsidiary of Japanese-dependent Tokai Rika Group. It is the latest massive-scale organizing campaign in the vehicle sector and follows the UAW’s thriving union push at the GM/LG Ultium battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio on Dec. 9, 2022.
“Auto elements personnel are highly skilled and have an understanding of their vital function in our domestic provide chain, specifically as the business transitions to electric powered motor vehicle manufacture,” extra Payne. “This transition provides new possibilities. Unifor is poised for the potential with a new eyesight for Canada’s vehicle sector that includes anyone and obviously our message is resonating.”
Unifor’s a short while ago unveiled industrial policy system, entitled “Navigating the Highway Ahead” envisions a much better, more sustainable car sector driven by fantastic, union positions throughout Canada. One particular of its five main pillars focuses on applying concrete actions to strengthen workers’ legal rights to unionize and cut price reasonable collective agreements with companies.