Faulty parts have resulted in the temporary layoff of more than 100 workers at the local Bombardier plant.
This week around 70 finishers, with up to another 50 next week, were laid off from the plant after it was discovered that axles from China for the new subway cars being built in Thunder Bay were machined too fine.
“The rocket cars are down. We have no wheels to put on so we’re at a temporary layoff this week,” CAW Local 1075 president Dominic Pasqualino said.
While the workers will most likely be back before Christmas Pasqualino said because the layoff was unexpected, it’s never easy.
“Everybody’s concerned whenever they lose work obviously. I think they want to come back as soon as possible,” he said.
Other jobs at the plant still need to be filled, however, as the company continues to hire welders and machinists.
“All the other jobs are not being impacted at this time,” Pasqualino said.
But that could change if a contract dispute with the company and workers in La Pocatiere, Que. isn’t settled. Around 330 workers at that plant, northeast of Quebec City, have been on strike since Nov. 1. They build the roofs and walls for the subway contract in Thunder Bay.
“If they don’t settle sooner or later we will run out of roofs and walls and that will have a much bigger effect,” Pasqualino said.
