Unifor reports Amherstburg Crown Royal plant closed 2 days early without notice

The union representing more than 160 people in Amherstburg, Ont., says the owners of the Crown Royal whisky plant closed its doors two days ahead of schedule without advance warning.

In a statement released Wednesday, Unifor says members were notified that it was their final day on site, during their shift.

The union says the workers will be compensated for the two unworked days.

“It’s clear Diageo didn’t want to face the scrutiny that would have come on the final day of operations, so its overseas executives opted to slink out of Ontario instead,” said Unifor Local 200 President John D’Agnolo in the statement. “Canadians will not forget that Diageo is a company that chose to walk away from a loyal workforce and add insult to injury by bottling a marquee Canadian whisky in America.”

WATCH MORE: WATCH: Doug Ford dumps out Crown Royal whisky in protest of Ontario plant closure

Diageo, Crown Royal’s parent company, announced last August that it would cease operations at the bottling facility this month, aiming to shift some bottling volume to the United States and Quebec.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford then threatened to boycott and remove the whisky from liquor store shelves across the province.

Earlier this month, Ford had cancelled his plans for a boycott after Diageo made a deal to commit nearly $23 million in new investments in Ontario.

Key elements of the agreement include Diageo investing $2 million for new packaging for pre-mixed beverages from a co-manufacturer in east Toronto, $1 million for organizations that support the growth of Ontario’s agricultural sector and $500,000 for economic development in the Amherstburg area.

Diageo will also invest $5 million in Ontario-based marketing and promotion, and a commitment to explore options to establish a new Ontario canning facility.

READ MORE: Ford keeping Crown Royal on LCBO shelves after Diageo makes $23M deal