Emile Nabbout, who was unanimously acclaimed to another three-year term as president of Unifor Local 195 earlier this month, has identified resolving the ongoing Titan Tool & Die lockout and protecting Windsor jobs threatened by U.S. tariffs as his top priorities.
Renewed Mandate
Nabbout, who has led the local since 2019, expressed his commitment to serving the union's members. "This just gives me additional motivation to continue serving the workers we represent in all our workplaces and be part of the community," he said. "Stepping into this role, I'm fully aware of all the challenges that lay ahead."
Titan Tool Lockout
The lockout at Titan Tool has now exceeded 10 months, making it one of the longest-running labour disputes in the region. Unifor Local 195 and the national union have filed an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board, alleging that the employer bargained in bad faith. Nabbout confirmed that a mediation officer was assigned on May 7, and discussions are ongoing. "We're still working through the mediation process," he stated. "If this doesn't formulate it into some type of resolve, then the union will proceed to the bad faith bargaining that we initiated against this employer."
Titan Tool workers were locked out of the Howard Avenue facility last August after negotiations for a new collective agreement failed. Since then, the union has accused the employer of using replacement workers and attempting to move machinery and parts to the United States in response to U.S. tariffs.
Regarding the mediation process, Nabbout expressed cautious optimism: "I believe the employer knows their legal obligation to provide the workers with severance. It's a legal requirement. So, I think, as much as this employer has ignored so many things, the law has been put in place to protect the worker. I think, in my own interpretation, that the employer cannot any longer ignore that requirement." He added, "Hopefully we continue having the dialogue and resolve this labour dispute."
Protecting Windsor Jobs
Unifor Local 195 represents approximately 4,800 workers across Windsor-Essex, primarily in the automotive, manufacturing, and hospitality sectors. Nabbout emphasized that protecting local jobs from U.S. tariffs will be a major challenge during his term. "We need to continue to find a way to work with our government to secure a good trade agreement where the top focus is protecting Canadian jobs," he said. "The community relies on jobs we have in Windsor-Essex. We need to make sure that those jobs exist, are protected and have a long-term future."
Nabbout concluded with a forward-looking statement: "I'm looking forward to leading the fight on behalf of the working-class people, securing the investment and building on jobs in our city. I'm looking for three years full of success."
