Car workers protest in Oshawa, Windsor

Thousands of workers took to the streets yesterday in Oshawa and Windsor, the province's two biggest automaking centres, to send Ottawa a message: Protect manufacturing jobs before it's too late.

In Windsor, close to 40,000 people converged on the Ford Test Track in the city's largest demonstration in about a decade.

"If we don't have rules to govern trade in Canada's auto industry, the income of people who work in it is going to continue to decline," said Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Auto Workers president.

Trade agreements are to blame for the loss of 17,000 auto jobs in the past two years, he maintained in an interview with Canadian Press.

Meanwhile, about 700 people blocked traffic en route to Oshawa MP Colin Carrie's riding office on Simcoe St., said Ken Freeman, president of the Durham Region Labour Council.

The protesters carried banners, many with the slogan: "Colin doesn't seem to Carrie about manufacturing jobs," Freeman said.

The rally included auto workers from Bramalea and Woodbridge as well as teachers and nurses, he added.

Oshawa has lost 7,300 manufacturing jobs in the last four years while General Motors has cut 1,100 jobs, Freeman said.

"It doesn't matter if you're in steel, auto or wood. Manufacturing jobs are leaving this country at an alarming rate and we have a government that doesn't seem to care."

Another rally is scheduled in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Source : http://www.thestar.com