More movement in the ongoing labour dispute involving Titan Tool and Die.
Unifor is condemning the company for allegedly terminating healthcare benefits and ending monthly pension benefits for current retirees and surviving spouses.
Unifor Local 195 says the cuts affect a number of former employees who earned those benefits through decades of service.
The union alleges the company has failed to bargain in good faith since the lockout of unionized workers in August 2025.
Local 195 President Emile Nabbout says in the expired collective agreement, Titan agreed with the union to continue topping up those who are retired. He says the company tried to cut the benefits earlier in the year, but reinstated it after talks with the union.
Nabbout says it may not be a significant amount of money, but the retirees are now being unfairly targeted.
“For them it is significant because those people live in the poverty line. So $100 or $150 a month. So this employer is very disgraceful, not only willing to starve these members on a picket line and lock them out, but to go after our pensioner about their health care and go about their top up pension.”
He says the company’s actions will only add the fuel to the fire for the union to push harder.
“If they are willing to hurt our members and the workers, why wouldn’t they hurt all their supplier base, all their customer, all their vendor, all the financial institution. I think this employer will do whatever it takes just in the name of greed, that way they only can keep the money.”
Nabbout says the locked out workers are disgusted with the company.
“Nothing would work: bargaining don’t work, severance don’t work, Ministry of Labour don’t work. They continue ripping off everybody in the name of advancing themselves and benefiting themselves. And they show no care, no love. The law is so damn poor, allowing this employer to continue, continue ripping off everybody.”
Unifor says Titan has filed another injunction against the union as the company continues efforts to restrict picketing and solidarity actions.
The union says it will continue pursuing its bad-faith bargaining complaint while also challenging the company’s decision to end retiree benefits.
The union represents 60 members at the plant on Howard Avenue, including 27 active employees and 33 laid-off workers.
AM800 News has reached out to Titan Tool and Die for comment.