Government must help people left jobless by Ford delaying third shift: NDP
21 hours ago
TORONTO — Ford Canada is "playing Russian roulette" with the lives of 350 would-be employees who learned just days before they were to start work that they wouldn't have jobs after all, the NDP's economic development critic said Monday.
Paul Miller said he's "disgusted" with Ford and wants the Ontario government to help workers who were supposed to start work on Monday, only to be notified last week that Ford was delaying the start of a third shift at its plant in Oakville, Ont.
Many of the 350 people affected left other jobs to take positions at Ford, said Miller, who called the company's treatment of its new hires "unacceptable."
"They're playing Russian roulette with these people's lives," he told a news conference at the Ontario legislature.
"It's not fair, it's morally wrong and this government should be responsible for pushing forward and pushing the other companies to follow through."
Miller called on the province to put in place a contingency plan to help people affected by Ontario's struggling manufacturing sector.
More vehicle models need to be brought into Ontario for manufacturing, which would create further jobs through retrofitting work and operating the facilities, he added.
The new Ford hires have already gone through tests, job interviews and medical exams.
One of them, Ben Stanley, said he left his previous job to take on a position with Ford after he was "wooed" by the company. Now, he said, he can't go back to his previous job and he doesn't know what he'll do to support his wife and children.
"Three days notice is just totally ridiculous," Stanley said. "It's 350 people with families, mortgages."
Brenda Austin has eight years experience working in the auto manufacturing industry and left a higher paying job to go to Ford, where the long-term potential for earning was better.
She said she cried all day last Tuesday after receiving the phone call telling her she wouldn't be starting a new job on Monday.
"I am the only income in my house - I have no benefits now, I have no job," Austin said. "I have no idea how we're going to survive this."
21 hours ago
TORONTO — Ford Canada is "playing Russian roulette" with the lives of 350 would-be employees who learned just days before they were to start work that they wouldn't have jobs after all, the NDP's economic development critic said Monday.
Paul Miller said he's "disgusted" with Ford and wants the Ontario government to help workers who were supposed to start work on Monday, only to be notified last week that Ford was delaying the start of a third shift at its plant in Oakville, Ont.
Many of the 350 people affected left other jobs to take positions at Ford, said Miller, who called the company's treatment of its new hires "unacceptable."
"They're playing Russian roulette with these people's lives," he told a news conference at the Ontario legislature.
"It's not fair, it's morally wrong and this government should be responsible for pushing forward and pushing the other companies to follow through."
Miller called on the province to put in place a contingency plan to help people affected by Ontario's struggling manufacturing sector.
More vehicle models need to be brought into Ontario for manufacturing, which would create further jobs through retrofitting work and operating the facilities, he added.
The new Ford hires have already gone through tests, job interviews and medical exams.
One of them, Ben Stanley, said he left his previous job to take on a position with Ford after he was "wooed" by the company. Now, he said, he can't go back to his previous job and he doesn't know what he'll do to support his wife and children.
"Three days notice is just totally ridiculous," Stanley said. "It's 350 people with families, mortgages."
Brenda Austin has eight years experience working in the auto manufacturing industry and left a higher paying job to go to Ford, where the long-term potential for earning was better.
She said she cried all day last Tuesday after receiving the phone call telling her she wouldn't be starting a new job on Monday.
"I am the only income in my house - I have no benefits now, I have no job," Austin said. "I have no idea how we're going to survive this."
