The President of the FTQ, Michel Arsenault, as well as Alain DeGrandpré, president of Joint Council 91 of the Teamsters Union in Québec, joined in the demonstration. They presented ringing arguments in favor of keeping these jobs in Montreal.
It is known that Flextronics management announced the closing of its Montreal plant last February in response to demands by Nortel, its main customer. Nortel demanded that Flextronics lower its production costs significantly. The company had no other choice but to transfer its production to Mexico.
“The skills are simply not available right now in Mexico,” protested Serge Bérubé, president of Teamsters Local Union 1999, which represents the 700 employees of Flextronics. The knowledge and abilities of the Flextronics employees are unequaled anywhere in North America, period.”
The Teamsters union met with the company’s management several months ago, but the latter claim that their order books are empty.
“Plant management would have been better off hiring salespeople and promoting its products a year or two ago. We know that there is a market, and not only in Quebec, but also throughout Canada. This poor planning will have a devastating effect on the employees of the plant,” explained Michel Arsenault, President of the FTQ.”
Rumors are circulating that the production of the Ville St-Laurent plant might be brought back to Montreal.
“Why relocate, only to then bring production back to Montreal? This corporate strategy makes no sense at all; it doesn’t take a degree in business administration to see that,” concluded the President of local Section 1999 of the Teamsters.”
For more information contact: Stéphane Lacroix, Teamsters Union – 514-609-5101
