Unifor is planning a city-wide protest for Tuesday in Windsor to raise public awareness about the 100-day-old lockout at Titan Tool & Die.
The lockout now holds the record for the longest-running labour dispute in Windsor's history, surpassing even the 99-day Ford strike in 1945.
"The lockout at Titan Tool & Die has gone on far too long," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Our members have shown nothing but dedication, working for decades to keep this company successful, and [they] deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Instead, they've been kicked to the curb for months, faced harassment by managers, and three sustained injuries on the picket line."
On November 10, three workers on the picket line were hit by a truck, but after speaking with all involved, Windsor Police ended the investigation without charges.
Unifor wants to draw particular attention to the company's owner and CEO for removing equipment from the Howard Avenue plant and sending it to a facility in the U.S.
"Canadian-owned companies have a responsibility to protect Canadian jobs, not move production to the United States to squeeze out a few more dollars," Payne continued. "We will not back down until Titan Tool & Die's owners end this lockout and bargain a fair deal with our members."
Payne is expected to attend the protest, along with Unifor Local 195 President Emile Nabbout and Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi.
The protest will start at 11 a.m. at Titan Tool & Die. Unifor Local 195 members and supporters will drive a caravan of vehicles throughout the city before arriving at Windsor City Hall. Once they arrive, the vehicles will continue to loop around City Hall until 1 p.m.
