Unionized workers at Dajcor Aluminum in Chatham are on strike.
Unifor Local 127 said its members started strike action after learning the company was planning to remove equipment and bring scab labour into the facility.
"Any attempt to remove equipment from a Unifor facility or bring in scabs will always be met with the swiftest possible response from our union," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This is a clear case of escalation that calls for action. Our members have every right to defend their jobs, their plant, and their community from these deceitful tactics."
Workers voted on Tuesday to reject a tentative agreement. Unifor then extended the strike deadline and requested Dajcor return to the table with an improved wage package.
Instead, the union says the company escalated tensions by preparing to move equipment and bring in scabs.
"This strike is necessary to protect the integrity of our work and the future of this facility," said Unifor Local 127 President Jeff McFadden. "Our members work hard and take great pride in producing high-quality parts. The company's plan to remove equipment and bring in scabs is a slap in the face to the very workers who help generate its profits."
Unifor said Dajcor has benefited from public investments, including a $2.48 million repayable contribution from FedDev Ontario, and over $1 million from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund to expand production capacity and create jobs in Chatham.
But the company has alsto recently invested $19.6 million to open a sister facility in Kentucky.
"Dajcor has received a great deal of support from the community of Chatham that has stood by this plant for years, from the provincial and federal governments that have invested in it, and from the loyal workforce who built its success," added Payne. "You can't accept public subsidies, rely on a skilled workforce for years, and then treat them like they're disposable."
