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Union to launch Toyota organization drive in Canada

Toyota may be heading toward some labor issues in the Great White North, as employees at a pair of Canadian Toyota factories may be set for a certification vote. The Unifor union, which was the result of a merger last year between the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union, will be holding the vote.
Over 40 percent of the employees at the Woodstock and Cambridge, Ontario factories have signed union cards, cresting the minimum percentage required to instigate a legal certification vote, according to Reuters. The Woodstock factory is responsible for RAV4 production, while Cambridge builds the Lexus RX350 and RX450h, as well as the Toyota Corolla. The two factories employ nearly 7,000 people.
It's unclear when the union will hold a certification vote at the two factories, but what is rather clear are the worker complaints. Employees are concerned about workers being hired on temporary contracts which lack the benefits of full employment, John Aman, head of organizing for Unifor, told Reuters.

Legendary off-road cars and SUVs that were never sold in America

America has long stood proud as the land of 4x4s, but many of our best-selling off-roaders would flop on the European market due in part to size constraints. Can you imagine trying to park a Ford Bronco Raptor in a town built by the Romans? Or, how much it would cost to fill up a Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 if you're paying $8 for a single gallon of gas? Historically, most of the 4x4s sold in Europe have been tailored to the local market. Here are five cool European-market off-roaders that have never received permission to hang out with the Jeep crew in Moab. 2014 Dacia Duster View 10 Photos Dacia Duster In a way, the original Dacia Duster released in 2010 is the NA-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata of Europe's off-roader segment. I'm not talking about handling; it takes a turn with the liveliness of a blimp. But, like the original Miata, the first-generation Duster brought a big serving of modernity to its segment. It gave buyers a far more daily-drivable alternative to the ancient Lada Niva without sacrificing off-road capacity, in the same way that the first Miata provided top-down enthusiasts with a more up-to-date alternative to British and Italian roadsters of the era. Cheap and cheerful, the Duster is closer to a crossover than to a burly, body-on-frame SUV. It's built on a unibody platform, powered by a relatively small four-cylinder engine, and compact enough to zig-zag through crowded urban centers. Unlike, say, the Nissan Qashqai (which we knew here as the Rogue Sport), it was designed for mild off-roading — it appeals to folks who live in rural areas, adventure-minded buyers, and first responders. It wasn't offered with a two-speed transfer case or locking differentials, but models equipped with the optional part-time four-wheel-drive system (front-wheel-drive came standard) featured a six-speed manual transmission with an ultra-low first gear. Dacia sold the original Duster through 2017 in many European countries, though production continued for several more years in overseas markets (where the off-roader often wore a Renault badge). Its successor, which is still built in 2023, arrived in 2017 with the same focus on off-roading but a longer list of features and a nicer interior. More than a decade after its launch, the original Duster remains a common sight.

Honda Civic losing ground to Toyota Corolla, sales crown threatened

Oh, what a difference a year has made. When the numbers were tallied for 2013, the Honda Civic was riding high by claiming its segment's sales crown in the US despite being challenged by the latest generation of the Toyota Corolla for part of the year. However, with just a month to go in the battle for C-segment supremacy in 2014, it looks like Toyota gets to hoist the trophy this time. Looking at November sales numbers, Honda moved 300,644 Civics through the first 11 months of the year, down 2.1 percent in volume. Furthermore, for the month alone, the company sold 23,060 Civics, a 12.3 percent drop. Meanwhile, on Toyota's side, business has been booming comparatively. Through the first 11 months it sold 309,373 Corollas, a 10.6 percent jump, and for November alone it moved 25,609 examples, a 14.2 percent improvement. With fewer than 10,000 cars between them, it would take quite a December slump for the Corolla to lose this fight. According to The Truth About Cars, the Civic actually started out the 2014 somewhat positively with 5 percent growth over the previous year, though still behind the Corolla's figures. However, the Honda has seen a slide since then with five consecutive months of sales drops. Meanwhile, the Toyota has generally kept showing growth. Being the newer model of the two, the Corolla comes to this fight with an advantage. Honda hasn't let the Civic languish; it gave the model a CVT in 2014 to boost fuel economy. That's nothing like the Toyota's thorough recent rethink, though. According to TTAC, Honda does have reason to crow about the Civic, just not necessarily in the US. The model is on track to be the bestselling vehicle in Canada for the 17th consecutive year and have its best sales since 2008 there.