WINDSOR, Ont. — The Canadian Press Published on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 3:47PM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:02PM EDT
Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza says Daimler Trucks officials have told him that “no money in the world” could change the fate of a plant the company plans to shut down in St. Thomas, Ont., next year.
The CAW leader was in Windsor, Ont., Tuesday to plead for Daimler AG to halt the Sterling truck factory temporarily instead of shutting it down.
Federal and provincial politicians who represent the area have said there could be government funds made available to retool the plant.
But Mr. Lewenza said Chris Patterson, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, wouldn't bite.
“Mr. Patterson was pretty clear that all the investment in the world at this particular time can't produce a truck that would sell in this market,” Mr. Lewenza said.
“They don't have anything today that would increase market share. Therefore, the investment today is basically irrelevant regardless of what the provincial and federal government would do.”
But Mr. Lewenza said the federal government needs to be more aggressive in keeping manufacturing jobs in Canada.
“We're going to still demand that the federal government step in and say, ‘If you want to sell in Canada, then you have to manufacture in Canada.' You've got to give a commitment to the Canadian economy and to Canadian workers,” he said.
The union is now looking to change the terminology in the close-out agreement so the plant could be reopened if the market improves. Mr. Lewenza said Daimler told him it would consider this.
Mr. Lewenza said he will also be contacting Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche in the next few days to secure a meeting in Germany to discuss future trucking opportunities in Canada.
Daimler has said it will close the factory next March, eliminating almost 2,000 jobs including workers previously laid off.
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