Toronto, Canada
By Maria Kalamatas | The Logistic News
June 10, 2025 – Section: Business / HR & Supply Chain

DHL Express Canada has entered a national lockout affecting more than 2,100 employees, after talks with Unifor broke down over the weekend. The union represents workers at key facilities across the country, including in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

This marks one of the largest private-sector labor disputes in Canada’s logistics industry in recent years.

The disagreement centers on wages, scheduling stability, and safety concerns. Unifor claims DHL management was unwilling to meet its members halfway on core issues that have been raised for months.

“Our members showed up every day during COVID. They kept packages moving when the world shut down,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president. “Now they’re being locked out instead of listened to.”

In a statement released Monday, DHL Canada said it had implemented a continuity plan designed to minimize disruption. That includes using management personnel, third-party contractors, and adjusting delivery timelines in areas with higher volume.

Despite these efforts, delays have already been reported in several urban centers.

Daniel Bouchard, a supply chain consultant based in Quebec, warns that any sustained disruption could put added stress on sectors that rely heavily on just-in-time logistics.

“You can plan for a lockout on paper. But in practice, missed deadlines and rerouted shipments cost trust—and customers remember that.”

DHL insists that the offer on the table includes wage increases and improvements in work conditions. Unifor, however, maintains that the proposed deal does not reflect the realities of inflation or the workloads employees are facing.

No date has been set for a return to the bargaining table.

In the meantime, DHL Express is working to reassure clients, while Unifor continues to organize public rallies and press conferences in major cities.

As labor tensions rise across the logistics sector in North America, the outcome of this dispute may have broader implications for how carriers manage workforce negotiations under economic pressure.

Maria Kalamatas
Senior Correspondent – Business & Labor Relations
The Logistic News

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