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Former Electro Motive Diesel 29.5 year employee Ross Seeley at a coffee shop on May 7, 2012 in London. Seeley says life is pretty good these days not having to go to work and has been living off his severance package since the plant shut down. His biggest worry is how the shutdown will affect his pension as he was 6 months away from retiring and although he says he still will have to work, the pension decision will determine how long or hard he may have to do so.

'Life's pretty good' for ex-Caterpillar worker facing retirement

Watch Video: 'Would you take a 50-per-cent wage cut?'

Multimedia

Former Electro Motive Diesel employee a weakened Ralf Zapke, lays in a hospital bed on May 7, 2012 in London at the London Victoria Hospital undergoing chemotherapy as he fights cancer and treatment for a blood disorder. Zapke says health wise it has been tough, but he says he hasn't lost his sick benefits or life insurance. He is working hard to fight the cancer and blood disorder is just worrying about getting better enough to go home.

Still fighting

Cancer patient 'hoping for turnaround' after Caterpillar layoffs

Former Electro Motive Diesel employee Ted Radaczynski at home in the back yard on May 7, 2012 in London. Radaczynski has been living off his severance package since the plant shut down and now will start collecting unemployment while he continues to look for work. Although he and his family don't want to leave the London area, he may have to leave to find work. )

Starting over

As job options dry up, laid-off Caterpillar worker looks West

Former Electro Motive welder Kelly Gordon, posts job on the boards at the Job Action Centre, set up to help former EMD employees find work, in London on May 7, 2012. Gordon was able to secure work at the centre one day a week and continues to live off her severance package.

Three months later

Single mother 'hopeful' but still struggling after Caterpillar's EMD shutdown

Making ends meet

Job loss leaves single mother strapped

Featured Stories

Pipe in the holding area of the PCL Fabrication facilty in Nisku, Alta. Nore than 15,000 tradespeople are working in Nisku and nearby Leduc building components and modules for the oil sands and other energy projects.

Manufacturing

Oil sands fuel a new manufacturing boom – in Alberta

Profiles

Slideshow

Shutdown: Faces of London's EMD factory closing

Next steps Would you move to Alberta to find work?

Pictures

A pair of gloves and a coffee cup are left on the table on the mostly empty picket line at Electro-Motive Canada, following a vote by the employees agreeing to take a severance package negotiated by the CAW and the company in London, Feb. 23, 2012.

Deal reached

Cleaning up a picket line

Recent news

Locked-out workers and supporters picket at the Electro-Motive plant in London, Ont., in January.

Caterpillar, CAW strike closeout deal

Analysis and opinion

CAW workers picket outside at the Electro-Motive plant in London, Ont., on Feb. 3, 2012, the same day that U.S.-based heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. announced it was closing the plant and moving its production to Indiana.

Why we're seeing the ugly new face of capitalism

Earlier series: Remade in Canada - The future of factories

SHUTDOWN: FACES OF A FACTORY CLOSING
On Feb. 3, 2012, Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services unit announced it would cease operations at its Electro-Motive Diesel locomotive assembly plant in London, Ont. Coverage of the news has garnered immense response from Globe readers, with thousands of comments posted on stories since the announcement. This is a story The Globe and Mail will follow as the year unfolds, through the prism of the lives of half a dozen workers affected by the plant’s demise, and the community members who are bracing for the ripples.

Join the conversation

Murray MacDonald is happily self-employed after losing a manufacturing job in 2008.

Your stories

Those coping with job loss hope for better days ahead 0

In this January 26, 2012 photo, Caterpillar-owned Electro-Motive workers picket a Caterpillar equipment dealership in London, Ont.

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Have you suffered long-term unemployment? 0

Upset businesswoman staring at a pink slip.

EARLIER

Laid off? Know your legal rights 0

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