Document Lgj5LgVeXbjzzjBooNEGDBw0q

FILE NAME: Allied Signal Bendix (ASB) DATE: 1980 June 23 DOC#: ASB026 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Newspaper Article - Bendix Workers Bitter Over Closing By Dale Brazco Toronto Star WINDSOR -- "Bendix Automo tive of Canada Ltd. welcomes you," proclaims the sign irt the reception lounge, but that was not the case yesterday when the company sud denly closed up shop and prepared to leave town. As the 500 auto workers filed out of the plant gate for the last time yesterday, some broke into mock ing renditions of "God Bless Ameri . ca" while other's yelled out "We're going to Japan, that's where all the jobs are." , Andy Marocko, an international representative of the United Auto Workers union (UAW) said that the 12-weeks severence pay the compa ny is awarding its employees is an insult to the workers. "It's like they're throwing a bone to a dog," Marocko said in an inter view . " I t 's lik e.th e y 're saying: `Here, we're leaving.' John Moynahan, president of UAW local 195, says that strict legislation covering plant closings is urgently needed to ip rev en t "American c o r p o ra te bastards" from closing plants without warn Earl Smith, president and gener al manager of Bendix, said in a press release closing the Windsor plant after 50 years.of Operation' was strictly an economic decision: . He said the Bendix corporation v had recently reviewed its world wide operations and in light of the depressed auto industry decided'it had mote plant space than it need- ' ;; ed. . - ' , The company decided to shut j down its Canadian operations com- t pletely and move the work to South Bend, Ind., he said . ' Smith denied he worked for the : company when ap proached by a re- . , porter Outside the front door of the plant. But l?ter he brought out a press release and then directed a security guard to escort the report- ' er off the premises saying it was private property. , He said any further information would have to come from the head . office in Michigan. A Toronto consulting firm has ' been hired by Bendix to help the - workers find other jobs. . All th e employees will get 12 ' * weeks severance pay, Smith said. ' . ing. ,. Economic move . ~ For weeks it had been rumored the 1 American giant was. going to move its brake parts operation to South field, Mich. But the workers didn't believe the gossip until they saw the doors of the plant close in their faces yes terday morning. From a total of almost 600 em* , ployetes in its two Windsor plants several years ago, Bendix had cut 1 back recently to 150 plant workers - and 30 office workers. ., The first plant, on Argylle Rd., was dosed earlier this year after th e union file d compensation" ' ." Really scared "I'm really scared, I don't know what I can do," said Ben Belanger, 49. Bendix has been his bread and butter for the past 29 years. "With the new pension plan I was going to retire to the good life in five years, but now I get nothing, nothing at all," said the heartbro ken auto worker who, along with several members of his shift crew, had tried unsuccessfully to drown his sorrows at a local hotel. ' ' Belanger, like th e majority of . Bendix employees, has worked for - the company almost all their lives and now fear they are too old to get a job anywhere. claims on behalf of 19 former em- . ployees who had become ill or died '] from cancer. . : Company officials insist the clos- - ing of the second plant was not con- nectedtb the union's action. The latest plant closing was an-.' ticipated by many of the workers who were already on. layoff. . "It \yas only a m atter of time be- . fore the ake fell," said Roger But- ' ler,-33, an 11-year veteran of the , Bendix assembly line. , .. * He said.he found ironic that only J' two d5ys earlier he had received a j letter from the company notifying him that his summer vacation had , } been approved. . - ; * "But in ,a way I'm kind of glad," "Where can I work in Windsor Butler said. `Tve been worried all . the way things are. All the jobs are along about th e cancer scare. I < leaving town but I'm too old to.go* wouldn't leavb the plant on my own j after them," said Belanger, who because the money was too good." ' f lost his wife in a car accident a few But now that he has no choice in j years ago. the m atter, Butler said he may take - his nearly $4,000 in severance pay ; Sonte of the .younger workers ex and get into the bakery business in 1! pressed hostility towards the U.S. New Bruhswick. ` L * .parent firm for pulling out. The union says it hopes to set Up , "Throw all the Americans out of a meeting with company officials j Canada," stockman George Thorne, in an effort to change their mind ' 33, yelled to reporters after the about closing the plant, but admit J company told him his services wefe they aren't optimistic. no longer needed after 12 years. Company officials, meanwhile, [ seem to have ruled out any.possibil- ' "They ra p e .the country d ry , ity of a second chance and have put make big profits here and then puli the building up for sale. . j` out. And our government does The Bendix plant closing Is one of a . nothing at all to protect Canadian long list announced by auto makers , workers." . and their parts suppliers, many of * . Adel Skaff, 39, also a 12-year . which are located in the Windsor l veteran of the assembly line, echo area. , . ed T h o rn e 's c o m p la in t ab o u t Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. * American parent companies. has announced it will mothball a j , "Why didn't they close the plant Windsor casting plant employing * in Michigan and keep the jobs open more than 800 workers and Chrys- j here. They owed us that much," he ler Canada Ltd. said it will close its ' said gesturing with rage. Windsor engine plant which em ; > ploys 480. : ` j, "They just p u t in a $3-m!Illon Rockwell Interhational of Caha-. * automatic assembly line. I' guess da Ltd. said last April it will close a l . they'll just tear it out now arid give W indsor wheel covering p la n t A tthU A w m lA tre 1AA w A f lf o r c