Municipal leaders across Windsor-Essex are being urged to pressure the federal government to develop a National Auto Strategy.
Unifor Local 444 President Dave Cassidy plans to visit every municipal council across the region, requesting that they send a letter to the federal government asking for the creation of an auto strategy.
The request comes after Fiat Chrysler announced on February 27 that the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant will be cancelled on June 29, a move that will impact 1,500 jobs.
Speaking before Essex town council Monday night, Cassidy said the government has to listen if everyone is calling for change.
"Windsor-Essex County is going to feel a big blow from the announcement from last week, so it's important that we get some type of an auto strategy together. Be it business, academia, government, labour, all of us coming to the table," he said.
Cassidy told town council that every municipality has a vested interest in an auto strategy.
"There's 3,500 [workers] between active and retired just from our local that live in this town, so it's a big negative effect on the Essex community and all the municipalities," he said.
Cassidy has discussed the issued with MP's and MPP's across the area, but feels a letter from every municipality in Windsor-Essex will send a message to Parliament Hill.
"It's going to affect everybody and are people going to be able to live in these communities? I think it's going to make a difference," he added.
Cassidy hopes to address Wednesday's meeting of Essex County council.
He also plans on speaking at an upcoming meeting of the Windsor city council.