Toyota Canada General Manager cautions workers
Posted Mar 31, 2014 12:22:56 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The general manager of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada – Greig Mordue – tells 570 News that if Toyota workers vote to join Unifor, it will change the dynamic at the plants in Cambridge and Woodstock, which he describes as productive and positive. “But we’ll never compromise our values, we consistently do the right thing – not because of some ‘us versus them’ or ‘winner versus loser’ type of negotiation, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
Mordue says he has some concerns about a unionzed shop at Toyota. “We question what they’re going to negotiate, what they’re going to negotiate away, are they prepared to go on strike? Those are questions that Unifor has to answer, that our team members are going to have to consider.”
Mordue points out that once a union is certified, it’s extremely difficult to end the relationship. “Team members are going to have to think hard about whether they’re prepared to hand over six million dollars a year in dues to Unifor, whether they’re prepared to work 28 hours per year to pay Unifor dues.” He also has concerns about what Unifor might negotiate on behalf of workers and whether they are prepared to go on strike at some point.
He adds that Toyota employees already have pay and benefits that are among the best in the auto industry.
Voters are expected to vote next week whether to join Unifor.
