Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters,
Over the last several months, Canada’s Building Trades Unions, the Provincial Building Trades Council of Ontario, Essex-Kent Building Trades Council, and our signatory contractor partners represented by the Ontario Erectors Association, have diligently worked to secure an agreement that would ensure Canadian jobs are prioritized during the construction of the NextStar EV Battery Plant. Despite our best efforts to secure an agreement, Stellantis, LG, and NextStar representatives have failed to show meaningful progress, and have not desisted from using subcontractors who are bringing in more and more international workers to do work that has been done by Canadian workers, and can be done by Canadian workers. In fact, Canadian workers are now being replaced by international workers at an increasing pace, for the work that was previously assigned to Canadian workers. Fifty additional international workers are expected to arrive and begin work this week. For our building trades members in Essex-Kent, the current state of affairs is intolerable. This will affect all Canadians for years to come if something does not change. Canadian workers are being sidelined without consequence. This is a slap in the face to Canadian workers and utterly unacceptable from LG and Stellantis, particularly when their shareholders stand to benefit from more than $15 Billion in generous tax incentives from the Government of Canada. This is a brazen displacement of Canadian workers in favour of international workers, by major international corporations thumbing their noses at both the Government of Canada, taxpayers, and our skilled trades workers. All building trades unions have members that can complete their portion of this project. SMART alone has members from all across Canada traveling and working on this project. There are currently 250 travellers from 14 different locals. Local 235 Windsor is receiving calls and emails from all over Canada daily from members that need these jobs. Today, we’re re-launching our public advocacy efforts – starting with a mass letter writing campaign to government. We’re also taking our story to the media, because the public and taxpayers deserve to know what’s happening on the NextStar project. It is clear these corporations will only respond to public scrutiny and public outcry, as demonstrated in the winter when they were under the spotlight. That’s where you come in. We need your help to fill up government inboxes by sending a letter and letting them know you’re frustrated, you’re mobilized, and you’re ready to act. Our grassroots campaign starts with you going to www.buildingtrades.ca/windsor to send a message to the government. Tell them that you demand action. Please encourage everyone – our members, family and friends to show their support and have them click on the link and send a letter to the government to protect Canadian jobs and our tax dollars! While sending a letter might not match the level of activism you are prepared to take right now, we want you to know that this is only the first step in a series of escalations that we have planned – and that we are prepared to follow through on. Our brothers, sisters, and signatory contractors are continuing to work on this project. Please refrain from any actions that may impede or delay the progress of this project. Doing so may jeopardize the considerable Canadian public and media sympathy we expect to draw upon in our advocacy efforts. We will share more ways you can take action in the days to come. Please circulate and post on all your social media platforms and networks!!
In Solidarity,
Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs
Office: 705-743-4470 Fax: 705-749-2769
