‘We’ve had enough’: Etobicoke company workers demand answers after weeks without pay

Several union employees of an Etobicoke millwork shop reached out to Speakers Corner after failing to get answers and pay from their employer for weeks.

“This has gone on long enough,” said Mario Grossi, who has worked for Flair Woodworking, a company which owns Scepter Industries on Humberline Drive, for the past 30 years.

“Over the past two years our pay has been sporadic and over the past few months it’s been nonexistent,” he said.

Grossi estimates he is owed at least 10 weeks of back pay. Three other workers who spoke with Speakers Corner say they are owed the same.

 “We were supposed to be paid in full by November 30. That came and went. Then it was pushed to mid-December but we’re still waiting,” said Grossi.

He and the others say they continue to show up for work, worried that if they quit, they’ll lose all hope of getting the back pay.

“That’s the only reason why we’re still here,” hee said. “Now this about principle and we will not back down until we get the pay owed to us.”

Speakers Corner met with the group during a break from their work, outside the shop. When we arrived, the front doors to the building were open, but when we went to get a comment from the company’s owner to respond to the allegations, the doors were locked.

Multiple calls to the owner also went unanswered.

The workers are represented by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 1072.

A union spokesperson said they have already pursued all legal avenues to recover the amounts owed to workers, including orders and judgements against the employer through the collective agreement arbitration procedures and the Ontario courts.

“The Union has taken steps to enforce the orders for the outstanding amounts owed to Flair’s employees but with limited success. The Union understands that Flair and Scepter – an associated company – have many creditors that are in a similar situation seeking to collect outstanding debts,” said UBC local union coordinator Jennifer Bennett.

 But the workers say they are frustrated their demands for pay remain unanswered.

“We feel let down by the union, some of us we’re told to find other jobs and that’s not what I want to hear from my union, we’d like to see more done,” said Grossi.

The union will continue to pursue all enforcement mechanisms to collect the amounts owed, “as well as taking all available steps to ensure that there are no unfair reprisals against the employees as part of the union’s continued representation of its bargaining unit members,” Bennett said.

Workers are also taking action and many have filed complaints with the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

“They told us it will take some time to look into the claims. They also advised us to get legal representation, which is another option we’re looking at right now,” said Grossi.

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