DHL Express Canada locks out Unifor workers amid contract dispute

Unifor members at DHL Express Canada were locked out shortly after midnight June 8, following a breakdown in negotiations and the union’s rejection of concessions proposed by the company.

“We will not stand by while DHL locks out our members across the country and threatens to use scabs in an attempt to pressure our members to take concessions. Our members deserve respect and a fair contract,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne.

Unifor says the company’s demands include a new pay system that would cut driver earnings, require drivers to travel up to 100 kilometres without compensation and language allowing the company to refuse accommodations, issue layoffs and reduce daily pay guarantees. The union also claims DHL has rerouted pickups nationwide and cut pay for owner-operators.

The lockout notice was issued June 4, just ahead of the June 8 deadline. Unifor said the company added new concessions hours before the lockout began.

“By imposing a lockout, DHL is choosing confrontation over negotiation,” said Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier. “This is a serious decision that deprives dedicated workers of their livelihoods.”

Unifor members voted 97 per cent in favour of strike action last month. The union represents more than 2,100 workers across Canada, including truck drivers, couriers, warehouse and clerical staff, at six regional locals.

The dispute comes as federal anti-scab legislation is set to take effect on June 20. Unifor’s legal team has warned DHL not to use replacement workers, which the union says would undermine the spirit of the new law and the right to collective bargaining.

Unifor also warned of broader supply chain disruptions, as DHL services integrated freight contracts with other carriers including UPS and Loomis. The union said the labour action could impact major events, including the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, where DHL is responsible for transporting Formula One vehicles.