The stage is set for a demonstration of solidarity at Wescast in Wingham on Thursday, April 25.
Unifor Local 4207 has a rally set to demand justice for workers left in limbo following the plant's closure in 2023. The facility that manufactured exhaust manifolds for major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Volvo has been shut down ever since.
Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director, expressed ongoing concern about the closure, highlighting the impact on workers and the broader auto parts supply chain.
"Maintaining these jobs and the footprint of our auto parts supply chain is crucial to maintaining the skilled workforce and industrial capacity needed for the transition to electric vehicle manufacturing," Rizvi stated.
The rally will be at the North Huron Wescast Community Centre in Wingham and aims to send a message to Wescast's executives. Unifor asserts that Wescast failed to provide proper notice of termination and is withholding approximately $10 million in termination and severance pay owed to Local 4207 members.
Joel Sutton, Unifor Local 4207 plant chair at Wescast, did not mince words, condemning the company's actions as a betrayal of hardworking employees.
"Wescast has profited from this situation and wants to turn around and reward our hard work and dedication by violating our collective agreement, closing the plant, and moving our work overseas. It's disgusting," Sutton remarked.
The rally begins on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.