180 days in to Titan Tool and Die lockout, expert warns resolution could ‘take years’

Signs seen at Titan Tool and Die in Windsor, Ont. on Nov. 10, 2025. (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

For more than 180 days, workers at the Titan Tool and Die plant in Windsor have been locked out by their employers.

Previously reported to be amongst the longest disputes in Windsor’s automotive industry, union leaders aren’t optimistic that a deal will be reached soon.

Labour disputes surpassing the six-month mark are not unheard of, according to Barry Eidlin, an associate professor of Sociology at McGill University.

In the case of Titan Tool, Eidlin said it’s “peculiar” because of the company’s efforts to move equipment and materials to sites in the U.S.

“So they don’t really have any kind of incentive to keep the plant operating,” he told CTV News.

“They’re basically just trying to weed out the workers and not have to pay them severance after closing their plants. So that is something I’ve not seen.”

Saturday marked 180 days since workers were locked out. Unifor Local 195 represents about 27 active members, with 33 people on layoff.

Even as the dispute drags on, with workers maintaining a consistent presence outside the factory doors, Eidlin noted that it could continue for years.

“There isn’t any mechanism in the labour law that can basically force them to address the issue,” Eidlin said

Potential claims of bargaining in bad faith, he said, could prove to be an equally lengthy battle that lacks meaningful repercussions.

Local 195 has stated the employers’ offers have included 15 pages of concessions that included included a proposed wage freeze, elimination of cost-of-living language, elimination of an annual lump sum payment, elimination of retiree benefits, rollback of benefits, mandatory overtime, removal of seniority rights, and concessions around pensions.

In an interview with CTV News, Emile Nabbout, president of Local 195, said that despite contact with Titan Tool, they haven’t made substantial progress towards an agreement.

“The company hasn’t declared what their intention is. Other than they’re hoping that those workers give up,” Nabbout said.

Despite the lengthy dispute, the union leader doesn’t feel members have began losing hope.

During the dispute, Nabbout noted even members on layoff have joined the picket line.

“Either you give them a collective agreement that can be satisfactory by those members, or if you intend not to run a business, you can shut down your business, give them what they deserve and move on,” Nabbout added

In lengthy disputes, Eidlin noted, both sides tend to reach a negotiated settlement, but that takes time.

“It can literally take years. But ultimately, you know, the workers have to move on, you know, so they move on to other jobs, and the company gets tired of, of just having this issue bothering them,” he explained.