The Council of Canadians deplores the actions of American giant Caterpillar in closing its London Ontario plant. Caterpillar took this action after the workers rightly refused the company’s demand of a 50% wage cut. The company declared all-time record profits for 2011 one week ago and massive Canadian sales (including in the tar sands) are part of Caterpillar’s large revenues.
“The Harper government is a servant of the big North American corporations and is allowing companies like Caterpillar to run roughshod over Canadian workers and families,” said Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians. “This is tied as so many other closures to NAFTA which allows American companies to sell their goods in Canada without creating a single job here.”
The Council of Canadians is calling on the Harper government to impose tariffs on imports of equipment from Caterpillar on the grounds that their actions will have dire fiscal and social consequences for the London community and by their use of unfairly subsidized labour in Mexico and right-to-work Indiana.
“A government that prioritized its citizens over corporations could find a way,” added Barlow. “The people of Canada care about our workers and their families. Shame on Caterpillar. Shame on the Harper government.”
Investment Canada's failed to even review Caterpillar’s takeover of Electro-Motive in 2010. Today's closure is a direct consequence of that failure.
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