THUNDER BAY -- The union representing workers at the city’s Bombardier plant are urging the province to increase protection for Ontario manufacturing jobs.
Unifor members met with local MPPs Michael Gravelle (Lib., Thunder Bay-Superior North) and Bill Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay-Atikokan) last week to encourage the two ministers to increase Ontario content requirements.
Currently, 25 per cent Ontario content is required to win contracts to produce public mass transit vehicles.
The union would like to see that number be much higher.
“Provincial dollars spent on mass transit for the province of Ontario should support Ontario jobs and Ontario communities,” Unifor national staff representative Andy Savela said in a media release.
“It’s the same logic that led to the current 25 per cent content requirement.”
Mauro had a private member’s bill working its way through channels in Queen’s Park last year prior to being named to Premier Kathleen Wynne’s cabinet. That bill had called for a 60 per cent requirement.
