Unifor to push forward on unionizing Toyota plant

CTV Kitchener: Unifor wants Toyota union Despite pulling out of a clarification vote Thursday, Unifor still plans to push for Toyota union. Frank Lynn has the numbers.

Unifor says it will escalate its campaign to unionize the Toyota plants despite calling off the certification vote yesterday.

The union needs 40 percent support from Toyota workers to hold a certification vote.

Unifor President Jerry Dias believes sixty five hundred workers are employed with Toyota, and says more than three thousand of them want to join the union. However, the company reported Wednesday it has over seventy nine hundred employees.

The union president says instead of arguing with Toyota about how many people work in the plants, it will focus on signing up more workers before applying for a certification vote again.

“This was a very logical move by Unifor,” says University of Windsor Professor Tony Faria.

The auto industry analyst says right now, the numbers are too close for Unifor to risk losing a vote.

“It’s conceivable they could be back calling for a vote in a month. Could be two months, could be whatever, but within the year is absolutely conceivable,” says Faria.