Unifor Local 444 leadership is blocking traffic getting in and out of the Windsor Assembly Plant in a dispute over the future of 60 members who worked for AWC.
AWC had the contract to move vehicles in and out of the plant, but lost it recently to another company, Motipark, a division of the Essex Terminal Railway.
Local President Dave Cassidy told BlackburnNews.com he had an agreement with the new company that it would hire AWC workers, but it feel through, and Motipark hired its own employees.
The 60 members are on layoff.
"We feel we have successor rights and we have legal involved with that," said Cassidy. "We have an issue. We had an agreement, I thought. We'll hammer that out in the courts."
On Monday, the new hires arrived at the Windsor Assembly, and Cassidy said he asked them to leave. He said the company gave him a commitment the workers would not return. However, later in the day, he received a cease and desist letter from Motipark's lawyer.
Leadership at the union decided to blockade the plant Tuesday morning.
Cassidy said he has offered to sit down with management at Motipark, but has not had a reply.
He has also been in touch with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which has asked the union to remove the blockade.
"We're not removing the blockade," responded Cassidy. "We will be here at Vimy and Walker until hell freezes over."
