Employees of the PACCAR truck plant in Sainte-Thérèse assembled outside Premier François Legault’s Montreal office on Thursday to protest the Quebec government’s lack of action following the announcement of 300 layoffs last week.
Situated north of Laval, the Sainte-Thérèse plant once boasted a workforce of around 1,400 individuals and churned out approximately 100 trucks daily. However, the output has dwindled to just 18 trucks now, putting about 500 jobs in jeopardy.
Daniel Cloutier, Unifor’s Quebec director, emphasized the fears of the workers facing potential job loss, financial instability, and struggles to provide for their families.
The union attributes the layoffs to the ongoing U.S. tariff disputes that have impacted PACCAR’s financial performance. The company’s revenues have dropped from $8 billion in 2024 to about $6.6 billion this year.
Cloutier criticized the province’s lack of support for local manufacturing by not implementing policies favoring domestic procurement. He highlighted the need for Quebec to prioritize local purchases to safeguard jobs at risk.
Unifor is urging both the Quebec and federal governments to implement stronger local purchasing regulations and trade safeguards. Cloutier suggested that Ottawa should explore imposing quotas or tariffs on imported trucks, mirroring measures taken in the auto sector.
Union leaders caution that without swift action, PACCAR could face a more severe crisis, endangering more jobs.
A significant demonstration is scheduled for November 29, where Unifor will unite with other labor organizations in Quebec to pressure the provincial government to prioritize local employment protection before it’s too late.
