New Democrats, Liberals clash over GM layoffs
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates continues to press the government to support automotive workers and their families by addressing the CAMI strike in Ingersoll.
The NDP transportation critic said the issue has led to 435 auto workers in Niagara to be laid off.
“Over 3,000 CAMI auto workers have been on strike in Ingersoll for two weeks,” said Gates. “These workers are striking because they need GM to commit to keep building the Equinox here in Ontario.”
Gates said the strike at the CAMI automotive plant has caused a backlog in the supply chain, resulting in 255 employees at General Motors in St. Catharines and 180 employees at Spencer ARL in Niagara Falls to be laid off, beginning this week.
“The workers are fighting back and trying to keep these jobs in Ontario — not just for themselves but for their children and grandchildren. They’re trying to protect thousands of jobs all over Niagara and across Ontario. If this government had an auto strategy you’d realize that if those CAMI jobs get shipped away so do thousands of jobs across Ontario.”
Gates said workers are fighting to keep jobs in Ontario, and asked why the government is not “fighting along with them?”
Brad Duguid, the minister of economic development and growth, said the Liberal government “clearly” is, and has been, fighting for the auto sector for years.
“We’ve provided more support for the auto sector than any government in recent history,” he said.
“Our thoughts today continue to be with our auto workers, and our auto sector in this province. We will continue to urge both parties — General Motors and the workers — to reach a conclusion to these negotiations as soon as possible because we know there are ripple effects now across our auto sector, including places like St. Catharines.”
Gates questioned why the government won’t produce a strategy that supports auto workers in Ontario, which led Duguid to question where Gates has been during the last several years.
Duguid said the investments the government have made, in partnership with the auto industry, “saved the sector.”
“We wouldn’t be talking about the auto sector today were it not for the investments this government has made,” he said.
“Since 2004, this government has invested $1.4 billion, leveraging $15.8 billion in creating and retaining more than 72,800 jobs.”
In a press release issued on Monday, the NDP criticized the Liberals for giving themselves a standing ovation during their response, “as 3,000 employees are on strike” and “another 1,000plus workers across the automotive sector are laid off.”