Unifor Local 444 Ends Blockade of Windsor Assembly Plant After Hard-Fought Victory

By JG Markham, YCL-LJC member in Windsor-Essex

On January 5th, 2021, Unifor Local 444 President David Cassidy called for an immediate blockade of the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA, now known as Stellantis) Windsor Assembly Plant Minivan Yard as another 60 workers were put on the chopping block, set to be laid off. This was a direct response to a decision by FCA to replace former logistics and transportation contractor Auto Warehouse Corporation (AWC) with a new contractor, Motipark. David Cassidy has expressed grave concerns in the Windsor Star that Motipark’s hiring of 60 outside workers would result in layoffs and a decrease in pay from the established $20-$24/hr pay to what will likely amount to $17/hr pay. There are also concerns that these new workers are bound and hired from a temp agency. Cassidy publicly stated and reaffirmed the Local’s commitment to the 60 now laid-off members by stating, “Nobody in, nobody out until we get this thing resolved. We’ll be here 24 hours around the clock.” On January 11, Local 444 and FCA reached a temporary agreement, allowing AWC to maintain working the van yard, however within 48 hours FCA asked AWC workers to leave the plant and Local 444 once again erected barricades. Then on January 18th, Unifor Local 444 reached a tentative deal with FCA, replacing Motipark with Auto Transportation Services (ATS), another contractor who services FCA and is unionized through Local 444, resulting in the end of the blockade and strike action. All those previously threatened with layoffs will continue to work at the same pay.

Motipark and FCA assured Unifor on and before December 14, 2020 that the current roster of workers would be re-hired, with Motipark subsequently requesting Unifor’s seniority list. During these initial talks, Unifor stressed that the 60 workers had successor rights to be represented by Unifor and that they would not deviate from the original collective agreement. Motipark refused and ended talks. Motipark assured Cassidy that members would be unionized, albeit through the United Steelworkers. However, in an act of solidarity with Unifor Local 444, and with a degree of militancy, the Steelworkers have refused to represent the newly-hired 60 workers.

Despite this, Teamsters Local 879 has apparently decided to represent the new workers on behalf of Motipark. According to a news release and social media posts from David Cassidy of the 444, there was no proof that these workers would be actually represented by Teamsters Local 879 due to a lack of a collective agreement and ratification. This is a direct slap in the face to fellow workers from Teamsters — this action and lack of solidarity needs to be called out and criticized. This is, after all, one struggle, and we cannot accept any concessions or losses for the labour movement, such as a drastic decrease in pay, loss of benefits, or an erosion of labour rights.

David Cassidy and other leaders from Unifor had repeatedly approached Motipark and FCA to sit down and discuss the situation, but all requests have been refused. Motipark had sent a cease and desist letter to Unifor. Following this, Windsor Police have routinely been seen engaging in dialogue with the Local 444 strike team. Unifor had also filed a grievance under Section 69 of the Ontario Labour Relations Act to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), stating that they have clear successor rights, which Motipark denies.

In an interview with AM800 CKLW The Morning Drive, Cassidy stated, “I can tell you we are going to be pushing, fighting, screaming that AWC keeps the contract. I’m sure Chrysler has an out clause with Motipark but this is not the type of employer we want to be dealing with.” FCA has asked Motipark take on 40 of the 60 laid-off workers, so long as Unifor drops its court case. Unifor however has refused, demanding that all 60 of its members return to work at the same pay and benefits.

There is no other reason for corporations to have outsourced these jobs, other than to cut wages — and to cut corners on health and safety — entirely for profits. And all of this during a pandemic, wherein so many are facing the symptoms of huge income inequality, increased precarious employment, layoffs, and unemployment. This is pure greed, with not a drop of concern or empathy for the community or workers. Production stoppage was prevented with the new deal with ATS, however production should be halted anyway during a pandemic, though that is a discussion for another day, but this further shows the incompetence of our bourgeois government and the sheer greediness of corporations seeking further profits during a crisis. 

Despite this small, yet very important, hard-fought victory for Local 444 and its workers, the struggle for labour and for the working class continues, this event simply highlighting the need for solidarity and militant action as corporations seize opportunities in crises to further exploit and erode the labour movement. They will continue to attempt to use temp agencies, contract work out for lower pay, and attempt to force concessions onto workers and their families, as the cost of living continues to skyrocket for many workers. Our governments will undoubtedly continue to prepare a new wave of neoliberalism and harsh austerity to “balance budgets”, cutting services extensively, privatizing public assets, and introducing more precarious employment with lower wages. It, however, doesn’t have to be this way, and the efforts of Unifor Local 444 show that the united working class can fight back and resist these awful cuts and layoffs.

History is our best teacher, and surely time will tell us all, but allow us to apply a very brief historical materialist analysis: FCA has already eliminated its third shift, laying off nearly 1000 workers. They promise a return of jobs, but we all know that we cannot trust a corporation’s mere words without tangible action to go along with it: just look at Nemak and how they left the area, completely violating their collective agreement. The next contract expires in 2024, just in time for FCA to prepare a new vehicle. It would not be surprising to see FCA attempt to have Unifor accept concessions in order for them to keep their promises. Or perhaps FCA will simply fall short on their promises, with their better-than-nothing attitudes. Corporations like FCA, Motipark, or even Nemak will always look to outsource, contract-away jobs, or utilize neoliberal free trade policies to pack up and leave with no consequences. They will always look out for their bottom dollar, the top-owning 1%, weaselling their way around and out. And as workers and students, we must continually reject such callous, disconnected behaviour in defence of our fellow workers and the community at large.

We at the YCL-LJC Windsor-Essex Club give our utmost solidarity to Unifor Local 444, and Windsor’s auto-workers. We applaud those within the factory for their displays of solidarity and for their past and current efforts in the labour movement. We applaud the militancy displayed by Local 444 and urge continued militancy against these neoliberal, anti-labour behaviours and policies! We demand an end to layoffs and precarious employment — full, dignified employment for everyone! We demand free, universal education and vocational training! No more concessions, no more austerity! We say: down with Neoliberalism and nationalize the Big Three in their entirety!

Photo by Rob Hindi, via IHeartRadio