Tanguay plans to close its Montreal distribution centre permanently, says Unifor.

The union said talks were about to begin on a new collective bargaining agreement for the facility’s employees this week when the company abruptly announced that it was shuttering the location instead. Plans call for the plant to remain open until the current labour contract expires in December 2025 and then empty the warehouse before the company’s lease expires in April 2026, according to Unifor.

After that, the company plans to move its operations to a new location and have operations outsourced, the union said.

“This is a slap in the face to the workers who expected to negotiate with respect. It is very difficult to talk about solutions when the employer arrives with a decision already made, without dialogue and without consideration. We cannot let this go,” said Jean-Yves Filion, national representative for Unifor.

The company has declined to comment publicly on its decision.

Unifor has suspended negotiations with the company for the rest of the week. Unifor said it is analyzing the legal implications of Unifor’s move. The company’s decision affects 140 employees.

Photo: Tanguay