THUNDER BAY – TRANSPORTATION – Sixty employees at Bombardier in Thunder Bay are being laid off. Bombardier is shifting manufacturing from Thunder Bay to the company’s facility in Kingston Ontario. The move is coming as a result of delayed production at the Thunder Bay facility in meeting delivery deadlines for the Toronto Transit Commission.
The TTC has been continually pressuring Bombardier to meet the production schedule.
Delays in the production have the TTC demanding action. Bombardier says that they are taking bold action.
“We’re taking bold and decisive action,” stated Bombardier spokesman Marc-Andre Lefebvre. “We’re doing everything necessary to hasten the deliveries and make sure we honour our commitments.”
Bombardier has much of the work being done in Mexico, and Thunder Bay officials with the company’s union have repeatedly complained that they have had to do a lot of work to repair defective work, or to re-do work in order to meet the quality standards required for the TTC Contract.
A labour dispute at the Thunder Bay production facility last year also slowed down production.
The move in shifting production saves Bombardier jobs in Kingston, but costs jobs in Thunder Bay.
Thunder Bay also makes bi-level cars for GO Transit and is completing a Toronto subway contract.
