St. Thomas jobs could be saved, CAW suggests
Written on September 27, 2009
The Canadian Auto Workers union says it might not oppose the closing of a southwestern Ontario auto plant if Ford will commit to creating jobs elsewhere in Canada.
"It’s all about jobs – it’s not in isolation about location, it’s about jobs," union president Ken Lewenza said yesterday.
Ford has said it will stop producing vehicles in 2011 at its plant in St. Thomas, which has 1,600 employees. The issue has become a major "stumbling block" in contract negotiations between Ford and its workers, Lewenza said.
He said the union’s primary goal is to keep the St. Thomas plant producing cars but, if that is impossible, it’s willing to consider other options faxless cash advances.
"Is there any possibility to convert the St. Thomas plant into a components facility?" he said.
The CAW has said it is willing to help Ford reduce its labour costs to a level competitive with General Motors and Chrysler, but it wants the company to guarantee it will keep its current Canadian manufacturing presence – between 12 and 13 per cent of total North American production.
The Canadian Press
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