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Dear Members,
It has been a disappointing week for Unifor/our bargaining representatives across Canada, the company simply refuses to take negotiations seriously and didn’t adequately prepare to bargain a new contract.
Unifor began bargaining with the DHL Express Canada six months ago on Oct. 1, 2024, but to-date, we’re still waiting for a concrete response to address more than half of our demands.
Even the presence of a mediator, requested by DHL, was not enough to get the company to bargain.
Instead, DHL has focused on targeting DHL workers in Canada by imposing new operating rules to reduce delivery costs – including reducing pay for owner-operators and putting restrictions around vacation – which signals to us that the only things that matters to the company’s management in Canada is taking care of their shareholders first rather than their workers.
The company is also demanding concessions, such as forcing some workers to drive over 100 km per day without compensation, proposing negative changes to the duty to accommodate process and imposing a new payment system for owner-operators, which will also reduce pay for some drivers. DHL Express Canada is also asking to have work-from-home options decreased and employees are being forced to provide a detailed reason when they want to use the bathroom.
To add to the tension, the employer is refusing to bargain until the deadline. The Union has asked for more national bargaining dates and the employer has refused to provide any. Therefore the only meetings scheduled with the employer are in June, just before the deadline.
DHL Express Canada has applied for conciliation. This means that, as per the Canada Labour Code, they are in a legal position to lock out Unifor members on June 8, 2025 – a truly disappointing realization.
As a result, the union has decided to organize strike votes for our members in each province to strengthen our position at the bargaining table and show the employer that we are prepared to take job action, if necessary.
We will be reaching out to our members across Canada over the next few months about the details for strike authorization.
The bargaining committee remains committed to achieving improvements for members and won’t abandon its efforts. We ask for your continued patience, solidarity, and mobilization to show the employer that we are united.As always, we will keep you informed of the bargaining process every step of the way.
In solidarity,
DHL National Bargaining Committee
