Ford’s closure of St. Thomas assembly plant to affect thousands of spinoff jobs

TORONTO — The impact of the closure of a Ford assembly plant in southwestern Ontario will extend far beyond the plant itself, costing the region thousands of spinoff jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue, according to union officials and local politicians.

Ford (NYSE:F) announced Friday the plant in St. Thomas, near London, will close in 2011 due to a lack of demand for the full-sized sedans it produces.

The closure of a major manufacturing facility can be disastrous to the region in which it’s located, and Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza estimated that 6,000 spinoff jobs will be lost above and beyond the 1,400 workers directly employed by the plant.
Full story

Recession over? Come visit St. Thomas

By HANK DANISZEWSKI, SUN MEDIA
Maybe Mark Carney should take a stroll along South Edgeware Road in St. Thomas before he declares this recession over.

Last week the governor of the Bank of Canada predicted our economy would start to grow again this summer after three consecutive quarters of shrinkage.

But head out to the small cities and towns surrounding London and that prediction elicits a lot of head-shaking and rueful laughter from people who doubt that good times will quickly return to this area.
Full story

Navistar set to slash staff, production in Canada

Posted by Ian:
We’ve been down this road in St. Thomas with Sterling Trucks, and now Chatham is about to find out there is no turning back when head office wants to shift production to Mexico. Today appears to be the beginning of the end for Navistar in that city as the once bustling plant becomes little more than a kit shop.

TORONTO, June 29 (Reuters) – Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) is set to significantly reduce its presence in Canada as it shifts much of its heavy-duty truck production to more cost-competitive locations in the southwestern United States and Mexico.

The company, which has been producing vehicles in Chatham, Ontario, since 1923, is set to cut its staff there by about 90 percent, the Canadian Auto Workers union said on Monday.

“We’re amazed that this company continues to do this,” said Sonny Galea, who represents office workers and technicians for the CAW at the International Truck and Engine Corp plant.
Full story

Building an empire, one tree limb and cottage hook-up at a time

CEOBrian Hollywood is leading St. Thomas Holdings Inc., through a period of expansion, albeit one small step at a time.
The most recent announcement came to light ten days ago when the purchase of Tal Trees Inc., of Belleville, Ont., was proclaimed to city council at the close of regular business.
But what exactly have St. Thomas taxpayers, the real shareholders in St. Thomas Holdings, acquired in Tal Trees when the deal is finalized on July 2?

Sterling Truck Corp. Closes After 11 Years

Former Sterling Truck plant in St. Thomas

Sterling Truck Corp. officially ended its 11-year life span last month when the last Class 8 rolled off the St. Thomas, Ontario, assembly line, part of a final order for ABF Freight System Inc.

Parent firm Daimler AG declined requests last week from Transport Topics to discuss Sterling. But Dave Elliot, president of the Canadian Auto Workers, Local 1001, which represented workers at the plant, said the final new truck, of 257,300 produced, was completed on March 4.
Full story

All remaining employees at Chatham truckmaker given layoff notices

CHATHAM, Ont. — Layoff notices have gone out to all remaining employees at the Navistar truck plant in Chatham, Ont.

The notices would take effect June 27, just three days before the company’s current contract with the workers expires.

Navistar is required by law to issue the notices however, CAW national representative Joe McCabe says the truckmaker has gone an unexpected step further.

Layoff notices were also circulated to management staff and those not covered under the collective agreement.
Full story

$100,000 Club defies economic downturn

Ian McCallum

In the same week the last truck rolled off the line at the Sterling plant, the 2008 Sunshine Club membership list crossed our desk.
So, while 700 or so hard-working employees at the South Edgeware Road plant bid farewell to the final medium-duty truck — and their jobs — the $100,000 club at city hall swells by nearly 25 per cent in the past year.

Federal budget is nothing but ‘magic beans’

Ian McCallum

Jack (The Mouth) Layton roared into St. Thomas on Wednesday for a town hall meeting that, for the most part, focused on the task at hand — addressing the needs of Canadian families ravaged by a vicious downward spiral of plant closings and layoffs.
“This is driving people into homelessness and despair,” warned
Layton. “How are we going to bring the economy back if that’s how
we’re treating people?”

Action centre gives Sterling workers hope for the future

Posted by Ian
“You made the mistake, why should we suffer. Why should the
people of St. Thomas suffer, the taxpayers as well as the employees?”
Fighting words from Maurice Beaudry aimed across the bow of top brass at Daimler AG, the parent company of the soon-to-close Sterling Truck plant.And Maurice knows of what he speaks, because in his former position as manager of the Economic Development Corporation in the early 1990s, he played a leading role in convincing Freightliner to locate in St. Thomas. Read his full comments at Maurice Beaudry speaks out .

And below, an update on how workers are coping with the plant scheduled to be shuttered this spring.

© Copyright 2008, Sun Media Corporation
St. Thomas truck plant will close in March
BY NORMAN DE BONO

The way Rob Belore sees it, there is some hope.

As Sterling Truck in St. Thomas prepares for its March shutdown, its action centre is helping laid-off workers find a job or go back to school.

During recent weeks, the centre has hosted dozens of businesses and organizations that have made pitches to its workforce.

Time to work together on future

“During the economic downturn we are experiencing, it is important that our citizens realize what council can do to alleviate the situation, particularly for the people at Sterling and Local 1001.”

Thus began Mayor Cliff Barwick’s impromptu economic state of the union address Monday, following a deputation by CAW Local 1001 seeking council’s support to secure the future of the Sterling Truck plant.

While grim-faced union members packed the gallery, Barwick offered little more than platitudes and an assurance, “My office will continually be available to you.”