November 16, 2022 at 7:15 am
Nearly 200 workers at an auto parts maker in Tillsonburg lost their jobs after being told Tuesday that the company would close.
The Adient Seating plant, which produces polyurethane seating foam, has been operating in the town for more than half a century. The 192 workers at the former Johnson Controls Ltd factory were told early Tuesday morning that Monday would be their last shift.
Unifor national president Lana Payne reacted to the sudden closure, condemning management’s sudden decision.
“It’s clear that Adient’s management has no decency or respect for the employees who have made them the very wealthy and successful multinational corporation,” Payne said. “A closure like this is completely unacceptable. Auto parts jobs like this are critical to the future of our automotive industry, especially as the industry transitions to electric vehicle manufacturing.”
Workers were told that jobs would be moved to Adient plants in Tennessee and Kentucky, both right-to-work states where safety agreements between employers and unions do not allow it.
Lorraine Sinclair of Unifor Local 1859 said: “We are all shocked, angry and frustrated that we are going into the holidays with a dismissal notice instead of a Christmas bonus.” Responding to this brutal decision . “
Negotiations between the union and Adient are said to be ongoing, with a meeting with local management scheduled for Friday and a meeting with company representatives on Dec. 5.