ONTC fightback plans coming together

CAW Local 103 Vice-president Andy Mitchell, CAW National representative Brian Stevens and shop representative Pierre Boileau outline ONTC fightback plans Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s going to take a team effort to have this decision reviewed and overturned,” is how CAW National representative Brian Stevens opened a news conference Wednesday afternoon to outline ‘fightback’ plans regarding the Metrolinx GO Train contract.

Stevens says the window of opportunity to sway authorities to overturn the decision is tight as they expect the contracts to be signed July 11th.

He says a lot has transpired in last two days and says many municipalities and organizations in the northeast region are adding their voices to the growing call for the decision to be rescinded. He notes that FONOM is on board and that prior to the meeting Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren confirmed that his city will be passing a resolution for support at their council meeting this coming week.

“They know that any issue in one northeast town in Ontario affects the whole region.”

He also says that while numbers from the city, chamber and union are in the millions as they push forward they all must come to the same final figure as to what that cost will be to Ontario should the contract go forward and move to CAD.

Stevens says that while in the immediate wake of the contract loss puts 109 jobs in jeopardy, it spells further devastation down the line that will see the ONTC out of the refurbishing business for good.

“If this is let out of the province it loses the capacity to do the work again.”

“They will start to dismantle pieces and it is lost altogether.”

“Why would the province impoverish itself from doing its own work here in the province,” He asks.



The shop representative Pierre Boileau says there has been a drastic change in morale.

"Since the announcement came down it's been very stressful, a lot of the people on the floor, my members, are very upset feel betrayed. They’ve done a good job, actually an exceptional job on the coaches - put their heart in the job.”

There’s been some training going on through the main environment and to this day they thought they did a great job and figured we had the contract,” Boileau explains.

“It’s very disappointing to hear this news as of last Friday, the moods pretty low right now.”



Moving forward Stevens says the group will call for an immediate meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty, send letters to the opposition leaders and continue to gather support from all Ontario municipalities.

At the same time the group is calling on the community to help by sending their own letters of support the Premier and leaders of the opposition. A copy of the letter is in the photo gallery as well a copy of the Ontario Northland Economic and Social Impact Study report.