In the early morning of August 2, Northstar Aerospace workers and retirees from Local 112 held an information picket to demand their employer uphold its pension plan obligations.
“We’re here for the people on fixed incomes,” said Graham Davies, Plant Chairperson.
Current retirees who built the company, some working for Northstar for more than 40 years, could face a 25% cut to their income because of Northstar’s insufficient funding of the pension plan.
More than 40 workers and Unifor members from the Greater Toronto Area gathered outside the Northstar facility in Milton, Ontario to leaflet and speak with employees and management arriving for the morning shift. Unifor National President and Local 112 member Jerry Dias addressed the crowd and the workers’ fears.
Dias told the crowd “We have blood and sweat in this place, and there is no way that they’re taking the machinery out of here and cutting our members’ pensions. When we say my sisters and my brothers, we mean it and we will fight for you.”
The demonstrate was arranged after Northstar’s sudden announcement that it will be shutting its doors and moving equipment to Chicago and Windsor, the union then learned that members, including current retirees, faced the threat of a cut to their pensions. Despite the company being on solid financial footing, so far it has refused to properly fund the target pension.
To help support retirees and the members of Local 112 in this fight you can send a message to Northstar. Contact Northstar aerospace Krista Bunn, Human Resource Manager at kbunn@nsaero.com (905) 875-4000 ext. 2498
For more information, read Unifor’s press release Northstar Aerospace must act to safeguard pension plan.