Unifor Refocuses on Toyota

Thursday, 3 April 2014 at 20:14

Unifor withdraws Labour Board application to become bargaining agent for team members at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada -- Still seeks to form union with company.

KITCHENER -- Thursday saw some interesting developments in Unifor's bid to unionize Toyota.

Unifor announced that while it is withdrawing its Labour Board application to become the bargaining agent for team members at Toyota Canada, the labour union is remaining committed to working with Toyota members to form a union.

On Wednesday, Toyota provided its employee list to Unifor and the Ontario Labour Relations Board, indicating the company has approximately 75-hundred employees it believes are eligible to be part of the bargaining unit.

While Unifor's count of eligible employee numbers were almost one-thousand less -- National President Jerry Dias confirmed that already three-thousand of those have already signed at Toyota to join Unifor.

"Almost all of those three thousand cards, and I mean almost every single one has been signed since Labour Day. So, there is no more committed group of people, no work place could ever sign up 3000 people in seven months. So though the drive has been going on for over a year, the facts are that the formation of Unifor is really what's kick started the process in a significant way."

Instead of going to a vote next week, Unifor says it will taking the time to get more cards signed so there is no dispute over the numbers and the union can move forward successfully.

40 per cent of employees are needed to sign union cards ahead of the vote.

Unifor then needs 50 per cent-plus one to certify at Toyota.

Earlier this week, Tony Faria at the University of Windsor's Odette School of Business told Heart FM News that Toyota has been very clear that it prefers a non-union environment for its workers.

"At this point in time all of Toyota's Manufacturing plants in North America are non-unionized and that is the way Toyota prefers it and comments made by top management of Toyota Canada have also been clear they do not see any need for a union at their plant."

Workers who gathered at Thursday's press briefing believe the 40 per cent needed to push a certification vote isn't something out or reach.

"Over 3,000 of us have signed cards at Toyota to join Unifor," said Ken Cleveland, a 17 year Toyota veteran in Cambridge. "This is a clear sign that people want a union and even this week, more cards were coming in. The problems facing Toyota team members have not been addressed. With an extra push, I know we'll be able to succeed."

Meanwhile, a pro Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada rally will be taking place on Friday. An email sent to Heart FM's newsroom this week describes a need by some workers to "get the word out that not all TMMC employees are pro union."

The union has committed to redoubling its efforts at Toyota and Unifor says it will continue its campaign to form a union with Toyota team members despite the delay.