Unifor, Conservatives, NDP call for job protection for Honda auto workers

The $15-billion EV project will also include two other plants “elsewhere in Ontario” that will produce cathodes and separators. It’s the largest electric auto investment in Canada’s history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. Along with Ontario premier Doug Ford, the investment was lauded as a major step forward for Canada’s international industrial presence.

However, when asked whether the agreement with Honda includes explicit protection for Canadian workers, Trudeau sidestepped the question, according to CTV News.

“Actually, the investments we’re making, whether it’s with NextStar, or here with Honda Motor Co., it’s all about creating great jobs for Canadian workers, and that’s what is actually being delivered,” Trudeau said, according to the report.

Job protection for autoworkers

EV transition is an unstoppable reality, said Lana Payne, Unifor national president.

“It is paramount, however, that government investment comes with guarantees of good paying jobs and transition supports for workers, and that workers’ rights to organize are fully respected,” she said.