Important Update from Unifor

Workers at Kirchhoff Automotive showed their support for union representation and we applied for certification. We have made the difficult decision to withdraw the application with the intent to re-submit at a future date.

We will keep building on this momentum and continue to build a strong voice for the workers in your workplace. We are confident that we can get to our goal of filing a new application and will make advancements on the support which is required to win by a large majority while educating many new workers. Membership cards that were signed are still valid and will be used for our future application. In the meantime, we will continue to build on the campaign by reaching out to each of you individually to discuss our plan in detail.

We often hear from workers that they had not heard about an organizing drive and were unable to get information about the union. On the other hand employers take every opportunity to miss-inform workers about the union because of course they have unlimited access to you.

We also anticipate that Kirchhoff Automotive will continue to escalate its efforts to convince workers not to join the union. We have seen this week already, that they have been spreading fear and intimidating workers.

Is this the type of work environment you want to walk into every day? Do you want to go to work and be treated fairly with respect and work in a safe environment? These are just a few of the reasons why many of you sought out a union to change your working conditions and to create long-lasting positive outcomes. Kirchhoff’s main concern is to avoid you becoming a union workplace in which you will have a say in what goes on in your working conditions.

We also want to remind everyone, it is your right to join a union and there are limits on what your employer can do. Below are some of the things you need to be on the lookout for.

1. The employer cannot in any way intimidate, coerce, threaten or use undue influence to encourage an employee not to join a union, or not to participate in union activities.
2. The employer cannot ask employees whether they have signed a union card, or how they feel with respect to unionization.
3. The employer cannot threaten loss of jobs or lay-offs, to reduce or discontinue privileges, etc. if the union is certified.
4. The employer cannot promise increased job security, improved terms and conditions of employment, grant additional benefits or preferences, etc. if the union is not certified.
5. The employer cannot exhibit favouritism to those employees who appear to be opposed to the union.
6. Employees cannot be disciplined, threatened with discipline or otherwise treated improperly or given undesirable work assignments simply because the employee may be exercising the right to join a union and/or participate in lawful union activities.
7. The employer cannot attempt to become involved in internal union affairs or attempt to infiltrate the union.
8. The employer cannot make rules which have the effect of restricting employee involvement in union activities which are held outside of working hours.
9. The employer cannot indicate that the employer will refuse to bargain with the union if it is certified, or otherwise refuse to recognize the union.
10. The employer cannot state that a strike or lockout would be inevitable if the union were to become certified.

If you see management doing any of the things listed above, please let one of your Organizers know and we will protect your rights free of intimidation.

We look forward to continuing our efforts to get you the representation you all deserve.

Please do not hesitate to reach us if you have any questions or concerns.