Collective negotiations await Lion Électrique, which is still collecting its money. Waves of layoffs at the electric school bus and truck maker have prompted several hundred workers to opt to join a union.
According to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), at the origin of this approach, about 300 employees were affected at the Saint-Jerome plant, in Laurentian. The union already has its eyes on the Quebec company's other plants, particularly those in Mirabel (battery packs) and Joliet, Illinois.
“We already have campaigns underway elsewhere,” says IAMAW Canada Vice President David Chartrand. “At the Joliet plant, it’s in the courts and we should have news soon. It’s just a matter of time.”
The decision of the Administrative Labor Court, which was just issued, did not specify the result of the vote held at the end of May. According to the document, Journalism I was able to consult, and there was no room for interpretation of the result.
We read that “after verifying the circumstances of the vote, there is no reason to doubt the validity of the voting results.”
In an email, Lyon's vice president of trucks and public affairs, Patrick Gervais, limited himself to saying that “Saint-Jérôme's production employees have chosen to be associated with IAMAW,” adding that the company respects that choice.
He did not respond to the union's statements, which said it had faced “strong opposition from the employer” in recent years.
“As many companies do, a local labor relations committee has been established,” Mr. Chartrand said. He had a lot of freedom. He was completely free to roam the factory trying to dissuade the workers from joining a real union. »
Under severe financial pressure, Lyon has laid off about 370 workers on both sides of the border since last fall. The Quebec-based manufacturer has about 1,150 employees.
Public money at Lion Electric
- 2008-2021: $7 million in support from the Government of Quebec for research and development
- 2021: 19 million from Investissement Québec (IQ) to buy shares
- 2021: 100 million loans from Quebec and Ottawa
- 2022: $15 million in loans from the Caisse de Dépôt et de Placement du Québec
- 2023: 98 million loans from IQ and the Solidarity Fund FTQ
As of March 31, Quebec had just $5 million in reserves. The company says it has yet to reap the benefits of tough decisions made in recent months — such as workforce cuts and a weight-loss program to cut costs.
The company will now have to prepare to negotiate a first employment contract with about 300 employees at the Saint-Jerome plant who assemble school buses and electric trucks, a process that is scheduled to begin later this summer.
Mr Chartrand stresses that “respect for workers” will be a key focus of the IAMAW. For example, the union wants to ensure that workers’ skills and seniority are recognised when workforce cuts occur.
The union leader added: “Leon is a company in the sector of the future.” The goal is to ensure that employees are not paid less than the same people doing similar work elsewhere. »
On the Toronto Stock Exchange Friday morning, Lyon shares were trading at $1.23. The stock has fallen about 47% since the beginning of the year.
Electric Lion in a nutshell:
Year of establishment: 2008
CEO: Mark Bedard
Headquarter: Saint Jerome
Products: Electric school buses and trucks (urban and heavy transport)
Plants: Saint-Jerome (assembly), Mirabelle (battery packs), Joliet, Illinois (assembly)
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- 2008
- The year Lion Électrique was born.
Electric lion
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