Ford taps Dias to head task force

Unifor leader to help fight U.S. policies threatening Ontario’s auto-manufacturing industry

‘‘ Let’s just say our relationship started off rough, but the Ontario government knows exactly what they are getting with me. JERRY DIAS, UNIFOR PRESIDENT

Premier Doug Ford has tapped Jerry Dias, Canada’s most powerful private-sector union leader, to help Ontario fight American policies that threaten Ontario’s auto industry.

Dias, the president of Unifor, will lead the province’s push to try to thwart U.S. President Joe Biden’s protectionist moves that favour American-built electric vehicles.

The veteran unionist, who advised the federal Liberal government during negotiations on the 2019 USMCA free trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico, will serve as the unpaid chair of the new Premier’s Council on U.S. Trade and Industry Competitiveness.

“I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Jerry Dias as we work together to protect an integrated economy that employs millions of workers on both sides of the border,” Ford said on Thursday.

“At a time when we’re on the cusp of unleashing the full potential of Ontario’s auto sector as we build an economy that will compete globally, now is not the time to rip up decades of co-operation and put workers on both sides of the border at risk.”

In an interview, Dias said “co-ordinated action” between labour and governments is needed to prevent Biden from harming the Canadian auto sector.

“We will have senior players from the affected industries because we need to work together to protect jobs,” he said, noting the premier’s council will also address threats to other sectors, such as lumber.

While Ford is working closely with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other premiers to counter Biden’s “buy American” policies, he wants Ontario to step up its own efforts to combat the protectionist manoeuvring.

That’s because the auto industry is the backbone of the province’s manufacturing, with about one million cars and trucks made here annually.

“Ontario is the number-one place in the world to build the cars and trucks of the future,” he said at a Linamar auto facility in Guelph on Nov. 17.

“We have the supply chain in place, we have the geographic advantages and we’re blessed with the mineral resources to make the batteries that these in-demand new cars will need.”

But the Star reported on Nov. 9 that Stellantis, parent company of Chrysler, will phase out the gaspowered muscle cars like the Dodge Challenger, which is currently manufactured at its 3,163employee plant in Brampton.

A replacement electric model is expected to be made in Belvidere, Ill., to take advantage of Biden’s subsidies, which are worth up to $12,500 (U.S.) for domestic buyers of union-made vehicles.

Dias — whose union represents 315,000 workers in 29 different sectors, including employees of the Toronto Star — acknowledged his differences with Ford’s Progressive Conservatives.

“Let’s just say our relationship started off rough, but the Ontario government knows exactly what they are getting with me. I didn’t exactly graduate from charm school,” the Unifor president said.