OTTAWA — Teamsters Canada has penetrated further into the trucking industry as hundreds more owner-ops and fleet drivers are on the verge of being unionized.

In a series of press releases, the Teamsters announced that the grocery haulers — including many independent contractors — at Wilson’s Truck Lines and Young Transportation will now be represented by the union.

The union said that the Ontario Labour Relations Board included the votes of 40 workers who had been let go by Wilson’s Truck Lines prior to the union vote. The workers were reinstated shortly after.

The Wilson’s drivers, who transport goods to Metro and Food Basic food chains, should expect to be certified by the OLRB soon.

Meanwhile, 138 Young Transportation owner-ops, who deliver for Loblaws and No Frills, will be represented by Local Union 938.

Organizers are also awaiting a decision on the application for salaried employees of that carrier. 

In recent years, The Teamsters have stepped up efforts to unionize independent drivers across Canada, including auto parts haulers in Ontario and container haulers at the Port of Vancouver.

More recently, the union launched an aggressive campaign to unionize company drivers and a handful of owner-ops of Challenger Motor Freight, one of the top five largest for-hire carriers in the country.