Windsor tool shop seeks injunction against workers blocking removal of manufacturing equipment

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 3:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Lawyers for Titan Tool and Die privation the Ontario Superior Court to stop Unifor workers from blocking the removal of manufacturing parts from a Windsor plant.

The institution needs to determination 8 pieces of instrumentality nether an statement with a customer, lawyers said successful tribunal Thursday.

Members of Unifor 195 blocked the institution from removing immoderate instrumentality from the company's Howard Avenue determination connected Monday.

They told reporters that the instrumentality was being removed and shipped to different cognition successful Michigan which could enactment their jobs successful jeopardy.

Lawyers said the blockade prevented a motortruck loaded with dies from leaving the tract for six hours earlier the institution removed the instrumentality from the truck.

Justice Jasminka Kalajdzic is presiding implicit the proceeding and said she volition marque an bid Friday. 

Company lawyers accidental instrumentality indispensable permission this week

Titan Tool and Die lawyer Dante Gatti said the institution wants an injunction that prevents workers from blocking immoderate further removal of instrumentality from the site. 

"Give america a guarantee, springiness arsenic undertaking," said Gatti.

Eight further pieces of instrumentality are expected to beryllium shipped retired Friday, according to institution lawyers.

"Imminently they're going out, immoderate of them tomorrow," said Jeff Patterson, a lawyer for Titan Tool and Die.

Patterson said the workers threatened and intimidated the operator of the truck, saying workers said "they would slash the truck" if it near the tract with the instrumentality connected Monday. 

He said that a constabulary study has been filed and that the institution is receiving email threats informing them "FAFO," a word that means "f--- astir and find out."

Union lawyer says members actions are a labour dispute

Anthony Dale, a lawyer for Unifor 195, said in court that the national requested a gathering with the institution astir imaginable removals of tools successful January. 

Dale said that the national was told astatine the clip by the institution that the tooling was being removed due to the fact that of prime concerns.

He said that the national understands that Titan's customers, Toyo Tools and Autokiniton, can marque definite demands of the company.

But, Dale argued, the national is capable to reason those demands. 

"There tin not beryllium a clearer, much nonstop transportation betwixt an issue, the beingness oregon lack of these tools successful the workplace, and the employment of employees successful the workplace," said Dale. 

"The national precise overmuch has an involvement successful the beingness oregon removal of tools successful the workplace that could impact the availability of work."

He said if it does hap the institution tin travel guardant with an injunction astatine that time.

Union rep said they're trying to prevention Canadian jobs

Unifor 195 president Emile Naboutt said helium could not remark connected the lawsuit due to the fact that it is earlier the courts. 

During the blockade Unifor 195 typical Sarkis Gaspar told CBC News removing the tools would instrumentality jobs retired of Windsor. 

"In the union's sentiment and our opinion, they are our [jobs], they are Canadian [jobs]," said Gaspar.

"And those jobs, they volition beryllium here, and they are going to enactment present and we are not going to let anybody to instrumentality our jobs. They are ours. And they volition beryllium staying present successful Canada."