Sarnia, Petrolia, Wallaceburg, Chatham, Tilbury, Windsor -
(TORONTO) -- Southwestern Ontario and Windsor-Sarnia have been caught in Ontario’s economic storm. Workers in these communities have been hit hard says the Ontario Federation of Labour.
Job loss in Windsor-Sarnia has been sharp and widespread. Over the first four months of 2009, there were 21,200 fewer people working than in 2008. But the bad news didn’t start this year. Windsor-Sarnia manufacturing sector has been hit hard. This sector was already down 35 per cent – 26,900 jobs – since 2006.*
“Communities all across Ontario are reeling from the economic storm that has hit our province, Canada and the world. Thousands and thousands of people have lost their jobs,” said OFL President Wayne Samuelson, who has been on the tour since its June 8th launch in Kenora. “Cities and towns are on red alert as public services are cut back at a time when people and communities need them most.”
The OFL’s Drive to Work is a province-wide tour to find out how the recession is really affecting people and communities. Since its launch on June 8th until the finish in Toronto June 25th the Drive To Work Caravan will have talked to thousands of Ontarians and listened to what they had to say on the need to preserve and create good jobs and maintain strong public services for healthy communities. The Caravan is gathering stories, videos, letters and ideas over the three-week tour and will bring the messages to Premier Dalton McGuinty.
It’s time to tell the stories behind the statistics. No one and no community is alone in this struggle.
Upcoming events on The Drive To Work:
June 19 Sarnia 9:20 a.m. Meet locked out workers (CAW)
Vulcan Products
260 Centre Street
Sarnia, Ontario
June 19 Wallaceburg 10:15 a.m. Drive by Sydenham District Hospital
325 Margaret Avenue
And
Liberal MPP Maria Vanbommel’s office
Unit 6
208 Margaret Avenue
10:30 a.m. Rally
HE Vanatter Ltd. (closed plant)
Parking lot
102 Arnold Street
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Chatham 12:30 p.m. Drive through parking lot at Navistar
508 Richmond Street
Chatham, Ontario
(plant closing June 2009 CAW)
1:00 p.m. Rally/BBQ
CAW 127 Hall
280 Merritt Avenue
Chatham, Ontario
Tilbury 2:45 p.m. CAW 1941 Adjustment Centre
37 Mill Street
Tilbury, Ontario
Windsor 5:00 p.m. Press Conference
635 McEwan
Windsor, Ontario
(pension security, human dignity)
June 20 Amherstburg 10:30 a.m.
Rally
General Chemicals (closed)
Parking Lot
395 Front Road North
Amherstburg, Ontario
(pension security, human dignity)
*Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, Special Runs (January to April)
Follow the progress of the DRIVE TO WORK CARAVAN on the DRV2WRK website:
http://www.drivetowork.ca
RSS feeds http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Drv2wrk
twitter posts http://twitter.com/drv2wrk
Blog http://www.drivetowork.ca/blog/
Facebook community http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84266611429 and
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/DRV2WRK
Job loss in Windsor-Sarnia has been sharp and widespread. Over the first four months of 2009, there were 21,200 fewer people working than in 2008. But the bad news didn’t start this year. Windsor-Sarnia manufacturing sector has been hit hard. This sector was already down 35 per cent – 26,900 jobs – since 2006.*
“Communities all across Ontario are reeling from the economic storm that has hit our province, Canada and the world. Thousands and thousands of people have lost their jobs,” said OFL President Wayne Samuelson, who has been on the tour since its June 8th launch in Kenora. “Cities and towns are on red alert as public services are cut back at a time when people and communities need them most.”
The OFL’s Drive to Work is a province-wide tour to find out how the recession is really affecting people and communities. Since its launch on June 8th until the finish in Toronto June 25th the Drive To Work Caravan will have talked to thousands of Ontarians and listened to what they had to say on the need to preserve and create good jobs and maintain strong public services for healthy communities. The Caravan is gathering stories, videos, letters and ideas over the three-week tour and will bring the messages to Premier Dalton McGuinty.
It’s time to tell the stories behind the statistics. No one and no community is alone in this struggle.
Upcoming events on The Drive To Work:
June 19 Sarnia 9:20 a.m. Meet locked out workers (CAW)
Vulcan Products
260 Centre Street
Sarnia, Ontario
June 19 Wallaceburg 10:15 a.m. Drive by Sydenham District Hospital
325 Margaret Avenue
And
Liberal MPP Maria Vanbommel’s office
Unit 6
208 Margaret Avenue
10:30 a.m. Rally
HE Vanatter Ltd. (closed plant)
Parking lot
102 Arnold Street
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Chatham 12:30 p.m. Drive through parking lot at Navistar
508 Richmond Street
Chatham, Ontario
(plant closing June 2009 CAW)
1:00 p.m. Rally/BBQ
CAW 127 Hall
280 Merritt Avenue
Chatham, Ontario
Tilbury 2:45 p.m. CAW 1941 Adjustment Centre
37 Mill Street
Tilbury, Ontario
Windsor 5:00 p.m. Press Conference
635 McEwan
Windsor, Ontario
(pension security, human dignity)
June 20 Amherstburg 10:30 a.m.
Rally
General Chemicals (closed)
Parking Lot
395 Front Road North
Amherstburg, Ontario
(pension security, human dignity)
*Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, Special Runs (January to April)
Follow the progress of the DRIVE TO WORK CARAVAN on the DRV2WRK website:
http://www.drivetowork.ca
RSS feeds http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Drv2wrk
twitter posts http://twitter.com/drv2wrk
Blog http://www.drivetowork.ca/blog/
Facebook community http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84266611429 and
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/DRV2WRK
For More Information:
cope343
© The Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl.ca