Unionized employees at a tool and die shop in Windsor claim the company is removing equipment from the facility because of the tariffs being imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Workers at Titan Tool and Die at 2801 Howard Ave. are blocking a transport truck from leaving the facility after they say several dies were already removed from the business earlier Monday morning.
Financial Secretary of Unifor Local 195, Sarkis Gaspar, says the union received a call Monday morning from the union chairperson at the site that equipment was being removed-up to four or five dies-and that the equipment would be moved to another facility in Michigan.
Gaspar says they received some information on the loading bill that the move was related to tariffs.
"We called the company right away, and they said no," he says.
Unifor Local 195 currently represents around 30 employees at Titan Tool and Die.
"Right now, no trucks will be moving. They have the dies; they are on that truck. They moved some probably, one or two earlier in the morning before we got here. The second load, they have them in that truck, and they will never move them. If they're related to tariffs, they're not going to move them," he says.
Gaspar says it's our jobs and they're staying here.
"It's not only for Titan Tool. It's all over in Windsor. If it's our job, it's staying here. They belong to Canadians, and we're not going to take our jobs and put them in the states," he says.
AM800 News has left a message with the company for a response on the situation but has yet to receive one.
Windsor police officers are on the scene to monitor the situation.
Trump is expected to impose what he calls "reciprocal" tariffs on Wednesday and then his 25 per cent levies on automobiles and parts are set to go into effect Thursday.