Media advisory - Today - CAW Launches New Report on Economic Significance of
Navistar to Chatham, Calls on City Council to Urge All Levels of Government
to Intervene

CHATHAM, ON, June 28 /CNW/ - The CAW has released a new report on the economic significance of the Navistar Truck Plant to the community of Chatham and will be presenting its findings to the Chatham City Council this evening.

The union will be calling on city council members to urge provincial and federal elected officials to intervene in the shuttering of Navistar. The Navistar plant has been closed for more than a year, with hundreds on indefinite lay-off.

The presentation will be preceded by a march from CAW Local 127 hall to the Chatham Civic Centre.

Navistar workers and supporters will march from the Local 127 Hall located at 280 Merritt Avenue, Chatham Ontario at 5 p.m. to the presentation. The presentation to City Council will take place at 6 p.m. at the Civic Centre - 315 King Street West.

    
    Some key findings from the report:

    -   Over a five year average (2004 - 2009), Navistar created 1,000 direct
        jobs and 6,500 indirect jobs;

    -   Each year, Navistar workers:  -  paid $20 million in income, payroll,
                                         sales and property tax;
                                      -  earned $54 million which was
                                         funneled back into the local
                                         community;

    -   While the market dropped due to the recession, analysts are
        predicting an increase in heavy truck purchases over the next several
        years;

    -   Leading analysts Freight Transportation Research Associates are
        currently forecasting an increase of 50 per cent in heavy-duty truck
        sales in 2011 and further increases beyond that, bringing the heavy-
        duty truck market back to more historic levels.
    

The full study is available at: http://www.caw.ca/en/9071.htm

For further information: CAW Local 127 President Aaron Neaves, (cell) 519-350-1031; CAW National Representative Jim Mitchell, (cell) 905-441-4546 or CAW Communications Shannon Devine, (cell) 416-302-1699