People
Miller Canfield Secures Injunction in Windsor Union Blockade Case
Miller Canfield LLP successfully obtained an injunction on behalf of Titan Tool & Die, following a blockade at the company’s Windsor facility by members of Unifor Local 195.
The legal action stemmed from a March 31 protest in which union members physically blocked trucks from transporting manufacturing equipment to the United States. The protest, aimed at recently imposed tariffs, raised concerns about potential job losses in the region. The blockade escalated with reports of threats made toward a truck driver and interference with Titan’s ability to fulfill contractual obligations.
Miller Canfield LLP attorneys Jeffrey Patterson and Dante Gatti argued the matter before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on April 3. The firm’s position was that while peaceful protest is protected, unlawful acts—including threats and obstruction—are not.
Justice Jasminka Kalajdzic agreed, granting the injunction on April 7. In her decision, she wrote: “The Respondents do not have the legal right to block or impede the entry and exit of vehicles or people on Titan’s premises. They may have strong views about the recently imposed tariffs, and they certainly have the right to express those views, but they cannot do so by unlawful means.”
“This case was about striking the right balance between freedom of expression and the rule of law,” said Patterson. “We’re pleased that the Court affirmed the principle that protest must be lawful.”
The legal team was led by Patterson and Gatti, with assistance from Monica Muscedere, Jeffrey Adey, and Oluwatimilehin “Timi” Robert.
About Miller Canfield
Miller Canfield is a global law firm headquartered in Detroit with offices in the United States, Europe and the Middle East and affiliated locations in Canada and Mexico. The firm’s Windsor affiliate practices in association, and not in partnership with, Miller Canfield, and provides strategic counsel to clients doing business across borders, particularly in the automotive, manufacturing, and international trade sectors.
