Workers challenge Premier’s stance on auto sector investment

Premier Dalton McGuinty visited the General Motors power train plant in St Catharines Tuesday morning and talked to workers on the factory floor.

It was part of a tour of the city, which included a speech at the St Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce luncheon. McGuinty talked about how Ontario’s bailout of GM and Chrysler protected thousands of other auto parts industry jobs.

Workers at parts plants such as Henniges Automotive in Welland take issue with that. They say they’ve seen no bailout benefits at all. In fact, their plant will close by the end of the year, joining other auto parts plants killed off by the recession.

Darren Cochrane, president of United Steelworkers Local 455 told CHCH News: “It just goes on and on and on.”

“I guess it comes down to ‘who’s next.’ Maybe the government needs to open their eyes and see that the Niagara area, for manufacturing has dropped off significantly in the last 5 years.”

Henniges makes rubber sealing for GM and Chrysler. More than 300 people will lose their jobs when layoffs begin in September.