Windsor West Conservative MP Harb Gill says workers are still waiting for answers after Stellantis announced a deal to sell its idled Brampton Assembly Plant to defence contractor Roshel.
The sale has drawn criticism from Unifor and the federal government, which argues Stellantis is abandoning commitments tied to public funding and the future of more than 2,200 laid-off workers.
Speaking on AM800’s The Shift with guest host Kristen Siapas, Gill said many workers are wondering what happened to the promises made to keep jobs at the plant.
“What happened to those 2,000 workers? What are they going to do now? And if somebody were to tell you that, you know? One of those workers says to you they feel like the prime minister elbowed them in the face, I certainly wouldn’t be able to argue against that,” Gill said.
Gill noted that the federal government launched a dispute resolution process last November after Stellantis announced plans to move Jeep Compass production to Illinois.
He says Canadians still haven’t seen what came of it.
“If they initiated the dispute resolution process, what happened next? What was enforced? Was anything recovered? The government needs to show results at the end of the day,” Gill said.
Stellantis has offered to repay government funding connected to the Brampton retooling project, while Ottawa says it will pursue all available options to protect workers and recover taxpayer money.
Gill said the sale is also raising concerns in Windsor, where roughly 6,400 Unifor Local 444 members at Windsor Assembly are awaiting the outcome of contract talks with Stellantis.
“If this can happen in Brampton, what security or assurances do we have that our production lines will be secured?” he said.
Unifor says a four-party meeting involving union leaders, Stellantis, federal officials and Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the future of the Brampton plant and protections for workers in Brampton, Windsor and Etobicoke.
In a message to members Tuesday, Local 444’s Windsor Assembly Plant Committee said the sale raises “legitimate questions” about Stellantis’ commitment to its Canadian operations and reinforces the need for stronger job security language in the current round of bargaining.
The committee said Thursday’s meeting is an important opportunity to seek answers and clarity, while ensuring Windsor workers remain front and centre in discussions about the company’s future in Canada.