Union Shuts Down Nemak Plant In Protest

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Photo from Unifor Canada Facebook page

Workers and union officials have shut down operations at the Nemak plant in protest over the planned closure of the plant to shift production to Monterey, Mexico.

“Nemak cannot get away with betraying its workers or Canadians simply because they are motivated by corporate greed,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “They can’t take millions in government handouts one day and then desert their loyal workforce and the community of Windsor the next.”

The Union says that since 2015, Nemak received more than $5 million dollars from several government sources including a $1.5 million grant from the province of Ontario, $1.3 million in tax breaks from the city of Windsor, and $3 million in federal funds.

“This plant has made nothing but profits and closing it is an avoidable, short-sighted decision that will take a devastating toll on 180 workers, their families, and the community,” said Dias.

In July, the company announced plans to move production of the I-6 diesel aluminum engine block and the Corvette engine block and bedplate to its facilities in Monterey, Mexico.

Unifor says this decision violates an agreement Nemak signed to keep the plant open until 2022, after workers agreed to a 4-year wage freeze.

“Nemak signed an agreement with us to keep this plant open until at least 2022,” said John D’Agnolo, Unifor Local 200 President. “Workers decided this morning that it was time to send a message to their employer that they expect the company to live up to the agreement,”

Unifor leadership said that they met with Nemak CEO Armando Tamez Martinez last week in Monterey, Mexico but said that talks were unproductive.