Unions strive to enter foreign plants in the US and Canada image



Toyota officials have told reporters in Canada that the union is unnecessary and they expect the Unifor drive to falter before it reaches critical mass. The fight is similar, in many ways, to the one being waged by the United Auto Workers in the US at plants operated by European and Asian automakers such as Volkswagen, Nissan and Daimler AG.

A Unifor victory in Ontario would certainly be heard throughout the industry. The preponderance of auto plants in the US and Canada operated by Asian and European car companies operate without unions.

Unifor officials think they have a good opportunity to gain traction and point to issues such as Toyota’s widespread use of what are known as permanent temporary. The workers can be employed by Toyota for years and never have the security that comes with having reached full-time status, according to David Cassidy, the financial secretary of Unifor Local 444 in Windsor, Ontario.

Efforts to organize Toyota plants in the US have gained little momentum over the years and the UAW hasn’t done much better with Honda – which opened the nation’s first transplant line over three decades ago.

The UAW is more hopeful of gaining a foothold at the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, though the company is far from ready to welcome it in. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is discussing a role for the UAW in its factory in Chattanooga, though no final decision has been made.

Canadian labor law is considered more favorable to unions than American laws, which provide employers with ample room to delay or block unionization by employees.

  • steve

    A union at Toyota is not needed in anyway,let's face it it is nothing more then a money grab by a union that is desperate for revenue having put record numbers of members out of work(can only try to blame corporate greed and gov't for so long) why else would they have merged? Union has no role at toyota the info they provide on toyota is so far from the truth it's laugable, try to paint a wonderful picture at cami but how many times have they been laid off since it's inception.Never mind that everything they are saying against toyota is what they agreed to in bargaining with gm,ford,chrysler funny how they spin that.Heck the one thing they try to put as a bonus at cami is fm radio on line and tv's seems like a huge safety risk as opposed to a benefit. I would like to keep my hard earned money for my family not for "protection i don't need". let's keep union out and if not let's get right to work legislation in canada.


  • gumby

    right to work needed in canada