Three weeks on the picket line: Strikes continue in Windsor and Toronto against GreenShield

Greenshield workers on strike in Windsor, Ont., on March 1, 2024. (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

About 580 members of Unifor local 240 and 20 members with local 673 have been on strike since March 1, when their contract expired with GreenShield Canada.

President Jodi Nesbitt says the biggest “sticking point” has been job security, “making sure that we continue that work here in Windsor and within GreenShield Canada not-for-profit.”

Nesbitt says just 20 of the employees work at the office in Toronto with the rest working at the office on Anchor Drive.

Unifor represents IT specialists, customer service reps, client administrators and claims adjustors.

“We have people on the picket line that are continually helping people get their claims processed,” Nesbitt tells CTV News. “We're not processing it for them, but we are giving them the information they need because we do care about our customers.”

Nesbitt says the community support for her members has been “phenomenal” as striking workers appreciate the honks they can hear from motorists on E.C. Row Expressway.

“People understand that we are on strike and we are fighting for job security. We are not out there for anything but job security,” says Nesbitt. “It resonates with people. Job security is on the forefront of many workers minds. “

Officials with GreenShield Canada (GSC) say they are “disappointed” by the strike.

“We hope Unifor can put aside the many untrue and misleading claims it has made and begin negotiating with the same urgency and long-term outlook that our bargaining team has shown,” Mila Lucio, Head of People & Culture told CTV News in a statement.

GSC says they are “highly committed” to job security in Windsor, noting they have added to the local workforce by 10 per cent in the last six months.

“GSC values all our employees and remains hopeful we can all work together again soon,” Lucio said. “In the meantime, we will continue to leverage our contingency plans for as long as is needed, to provide service for our valued clients and the underserved communities we support.”