Metroland print plant closure a blow, says union

18 unionized workers losing job when Hamilton Web presses shut down for good April 1

HAMILTON, ON, March 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The closure of Hamilton Web, the printing plant at Hamilton Community News, shows that Torstar is not committed to its communities, says Unifor Local 87-M, which represents 18 print workers who will lose the jobs on April 1.

"I'm shocked and surprised the company is closing a busy pressroom that was turning out quality work and on the right side of the financial ledger," said Mark Newman, unit chair of the Hamilton Web and Hamilton Community News union. "Good people are forced to find new jobs —it appears the bloom is off Torstar's new ownership."

Metroland, which runs Hamilton Web and publishes Hamilton Community News's Stoney Creek News, Ancaster News, Dundas Star News and Hamilton Mountain News, is owned by Torstar.

Hamilton Web has operated out of its Arvin Avenue plant in Stoney Creek for 32 years.  The union was told the work will be sent to a non-union printing plant in Toronto and that the building has been sold.

"We are extremely disappointed that the company, without any consultation, decided to close a busy and profitable press room," said Carleen Finch, incoming president of Local 87-M. "It makes Torstar's public relations claims that it cares about serving its communities ring hollow."

Unifor Local 87-M is a composite Local of media and knowledge workers across southern Ontario, including large daily newspapers Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Toronto Sun. Unifor is Canada's largest private-sector union with more than 315,000 members in all sectors of the economy, including media.

SOURCE Unifor Local 87-M

Carleen Finch, [email protected], [phone].