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Windsor

It Is Possible Essex Engine Layoff Could Stretch Into Next Week

Workers on the line at the Essex Engine Plant in Windsor could be back on the job Monday, but the head of their union local is not 100% sure.

John D'Agnolo, president of Unifor Local 200, says it all depends on the availability of parts for a plant in Kansas City, Missouri.

The plant, which makes F150 Ford pickup trucks, was forced to shut down when fire and explosions ripped through the Meridian Lightweight Technologies plant in Eaton Rapids, Michigan May 2.

Essex Engine supplies the plant in Missouri with V8 engines.

While machining and trades workers are still on the job in Windsor, the motor line is at a dead stop.

D'Agnolo says he met with company officials Thursday morning.

"I asked them the question, 'what's going on for next week?' Right now they are still waiting, and as soon as they let me know, I will let everybody else know," he says. "They still adjusting the inventory -- if they can't get the tooling from Meridian sites, we could have more down days."

D'Agnolo says Meridian also supplies plants for Toyota, General Motors, and Fiat-Chrysler.

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Rogers Centre in Toronto before a game between the Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, August 7, 2024. Photo by Mark Brown/WindsorNewsToday.ca

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