Corporate Injustice in London

Well, Caterpillar did it, as was likely its plan all along, and is shutting down the EMD plant in London.

The fact that they did this less than 24 hours after the state of Indiana passed its "Right to Work" legislation and crippled union action in the very state where that business is setting up a new plant in Munice is proof enough.  Furthermore, the 50+% wage cut they were demanding to the London workers with their idea of negotiating being "Take it or leave it," followed by the lockout on Jan 1 is further proof that they had no interest in keeping the factory open. As Martin Regg Cohn of the Toronto Star noted, Caterpillar just got the factory to strip it of its tech and intellectual property for themselves and throw away the husk.

What really galls me is those people who automatically blame the CAW union for this blow to the city despite the self evident observations. Some people just will hate the idea of workers fighting for their rights and a fair share in the fortunes no matter what the real facts are. Yes, labor demands have to be reasonable, but that doesn't mean much when the management has no interest in being the same.  After all, if Caterpillar's profits are up 83% this year and GM's own locomotive business just negotiated a far more equitable labor deal in the US, then it's obvious that CAT was spoiling to screw their workers and London.

Now, I fear for the fate of this city and its future.  I realize the idea of my city suffering Flint, Michigan's impoverished fate is a bit much, but it is not a welcome thought regardless.

David Olive at the Toronto Star suggests we can fight back  by getting the Federal Government to nationalize the plant or imposing tariffs on CAT products.  Of course, there is no chance of any of this beyond excuses from Harper and his cronies, but we can least write to them and try to put them on the defensive to whatever degree we can. 

For myself, I hope people will remember that during this lockout, of all the local MPs, it was Irene Mathyssen of the New Democratic Party alone who spoke up and stood with the workers against this injustice while the Tory ones gave excuses and remember that in the next election.  Sure, simply voting is not enough to affect change in this world, but participating in the regular political process in our society has to be part of it.

As for myself, I just hope this city can weather this storm and for this whole affair to wake people up for how ordinary people, the 99% are being so mistreated.