TORONTO - The Ontario government has confirmed that American-based heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. will close its Electro-Motive plant in London, Ont.
Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid says he has heard Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) will close the locomotive plant in London, where 450 workers were locked out Jan. 1.
Duguid says he just received the news and has no other details, but said his thoughts were with the workers who will lose their jobs.
Just two days ago, Premier Dalton McGuinty criticized Caterpillar, although not by name, during a speech in London, saying the company was not living up to Ontarians expectations.
Electro-Motive had demanded pay cuts of up to 50 per cent when it locked out the employees, who are represented by The Canadian Auto Workers.
Locals feared Caterpillar always intended to move the locomotive manufacturing from Electro-Motive to a facility in the United States.
