Document dYoQkOnOewqORprLYxGGnGq1q

FILE NAME Allied Signal Bendix ASB DATE 1980 June 23 DOC ASB026 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Newspaper Article - Bendix Workers Bitter Over Closing STAR Bendixworkers 23/0 bitter over closing ' Smith By Dale Brazco Toronto Star Earl . president and gener- WINDSOR --- Bendix Automo- al manager of Bendix said in a - tive of Canada Ltd. welcomes you proclaims the sign the reception lounge but that was not the case yesterday when the company sud- denly closed up shop and prepared to leave town of press release closing the Windsor | ae plant after 50 years operation was strictly an economic decision He said the Bendix corporation had recently reviewed its worldwide operations and in light of the it . depressed auto industry decided more As the 500 auto workers filed out , plant space than it need- of the plant gate for the last time had yesterday some broke into mock- down The company decided to shut ing renditions of God Bless Ameri_ ca while others yelled out We're . going to Japan that's where all the : jobs are : Andy Marockaon international representative of the United Auto Workers union UAW said that the 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 dog Marocko said in an interview It's like they're saying Here we're leaving ; John Moynahan president of UAW local 195 says that strict legislation covering plant closings is urgently needed to prevent American corporate bastards from ing closing plants without warn- . down its Canadian operations com pletely and move the work to South Bend Ind he said Smith denied he worked for the - company when approached by a re3 porter outside the front door of the . plant But later he brought out press release and then directed a security guard to escort the report- er off the premises saying it was private property ; an He said any further information would have come from the head office in Michigan ; A Toronto consulting firm has been hired by Bendix to help the workers find other jobs 12 All the employees will get 12 ~ weeks severance pay Smith said - . Economic move }- [+ | For weeks it had been rumored the American giant was going to move its brake operation to Southfield Mich But the workers didn't believe the gossip until they saw the doors of the plant close in their faces yesterday morning _ ~ From total of almost 600 employees in its two Windsor plants |- several years ago Bendix had cut back recently to 150 plant workers and 30 office workers - The first plant on Argylle Rd was closed earlier this year after the union fited compensation 7. Really scared claims on behalf of 19 former em- | }- I'm really scared I don't know _ ployees who had become ill or died from cancer ot 2 what I can do said Ben Belanger 49. Bendix has been his bread and butter for the past 29 years Company officials insist the clos- ing of the second plant was not con- nected to the union's action - 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 hearthroken auto worker who along with several members of his shift crew had tried unsuccessfully to drown . his sorrows at a local hotel Belanger like the 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 . Where can I work in Windsor : the way things are All the jobs are leaving town but I'm too old to go after them said Belanger who lost his wife in a car accident a few : - years ago the Some of pres ed younger workers ex- - The latest plant closing was an- ticipated by many of the workers who were already on layoff It was only a matter of time be- fore the axe fell said Roger But- ler 33 an year veteran of the Bendix assembly line te He said he found ironic that only two days earlier he had received a letter from the company notifying him that his summer vacation had been approved But in way I'm kind of glad Butler said I've been worried all along about the cancer scare I wouldn't leave the plant on my own because the money was too good But now that he has no choice in | ae oe ae ee ee . ere ee er the matter Butler said he may take his nearly 4,000 in severance pay and get into the bakery business in ae pressed hostility towards the U.S. parent firm for pulling out Throw all the Americans out of Canada stockman George Thorne 33 yelled to reporters after the company told him his services were no longer needed after 12 years They rape the country dry make big profits here and then pull out And our government does nothing at all to protect Canadian workers Adel Skaff 39 also a year veteran of the assembly line echoed Thorne's complaint about American parent companies : Why didn't they close the plant in Michigan and keep the jobs open here They owed us that much he said gesturing with rage They just put in a million automatic assembly line I guess jz they'll just tear out now and give New Brunswick m, set The union says it hopes to up a meeting with company officials in an effort to change their mind about closing the plant but admit they aren't optimistic Company officials meanwhile seem have ruled out any possibility of a second chance and have put the buildupifnogr sale The Bendix plant closing is one of long list announced by auto makers and their parts suppliers many of which are located in the Windsor area . : of Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. has announced it will mothball a NS ners ee a ra aa | Windsor casting plant employing- more than 800 workers and Chrys~ ler Canada Ltd. said it will close its arens Windsor engine plant which em ploys 480 : Cana- Rockwell International of Cana- da Ltd. said last April it will close a - Par Windsor wheel covering plant wedink amolove 100 work^,re