Labour dispute looming for unionized workers at Titan Tool

Unifor says contract talks between the union and Titan Tool and Die are not going well, as a labour dispute looms.

The president of Unifor Local 195 is calling on officials from Titan Tool & Die Limited in Windsor to change their bargaining strategy.

Emile Nabbout said the two sides are currently in talks for a new collective agreement but feels if the company does not change its strategy, the sides are headed towards a long labour dispute.

“The union is committed to continue talking with the employer but from the way it looks, the negotiation is not going well,” said Nabbout.

He says a few months ago, there were some issues at the plant, where the company was trying to remove some equipment from the Howard Avenue facility to the U.S. due to the tariff threat.

At that time, unionized workers at the plant spent a day blocking a transport truck from taking equipment out of the facility.

Nabbout said since talks started, the company has been doing ‘shady’ things.

He believes the company is trying to provoke the union.

“We are here now at the bargaining table and the employer kind of, trying to tear down the collective agreement we’ve built over the year,” he said.

“So, our union is not going to stand idling and waiting for the company to do this.”

Nabbout feels the company is not serious about negotiating.

“We are hoping today the company realizes that the union is not going to accept the change of course in the collective agreement that we have built over the year and maybe we could then talk about the challenges and reasonably negotiate a good collective agreement,” said Nabbout.

He said the union remains committed to bargaining a collective agreement for its members.

Nabbout said the union’s focus remains the membership and not to play games with the company.

“If really they want to remain in business in Windsor and in this country, they need to become really serious about their bargaining strategy otherwise we are headed into a labour dispute and will be a long one. I’m hoping I’m wrong on my interpretation, but this is basically what it is right now,” said Nabbout.

He said normally there are 50 unionized members at the plant but majority of them are currently laid off.

The current collective agreement expires on July 31.

- Written by Rob Hindi/AM800 News.