Town hall meeting tonight - Ingersoll - Auto Industry Crucial to London-area Economy, says new CAW Analysis

LONDON, ON, April 24, 2012 /CNW/ - The auto industry is a critical part of the London-area economy, says a new analysis by the CAW. More than 11,000 jobs in the area directly rely on maintaining and growing the industry.

The analysis of the auto industry in the London area, including Ingersoll, has been released as part of the "Re-think the Economy, Re-think Canada's Auto Industry" campaign, launched on April 16 by the CAW.

"This campaign proposes proactive measures that governments and the auto companies should follow to maintain and strengthen the existing Canadian auto industry," said CAW Local 88 President Dan Borthwick.

"Over the last five years the greater London region lost a stunning 10,100 good manufacturing jobs, or 1 out of 4. Our communities cannot afford to lose any more."

This evening in Ingersoll, the CAW will host a community forum on auto jobs and the community.

Ingersoll Community Forum
Today - April 24 at 6 p.m.
CAW Local 88 Hall
364 Victoria Street

Speakers include:

• Ken Lewenza, CAW National President
• Bill Murnighan, CAW Research Director
• Kelly Gilson, United Way Oxford
• Michael Harding, Rogers TV Innovations Host
• Justine MacMeekin, Wilfrid Laurier student

Some key information about the auto industry in the London area:

• The greater London region hosts a major share of the nation's auto industry with two assembly plants, a military vehicle plant and dozens of independent auto parts facilities
• 487,561 passenger vehicles were built in the region in 2011 (or 1,336 per day).
• The industry produced vehicles and parts worth an incredible $11 billion in the region in 2011 (or $30 million per day).
• The auto industry directly employs 11,000 people in the greater London region.
• Thousands more jobs are created to supply the industry: jobs in steel, plastics and other manufacturing and services. More jobs are created by the spending power of auto workers' paycheques.
• Auto workers' paycheques pumped $678 million into the regional economy in 2011 (or $1.9 million per day).
• The major original equipment manufacturing (OEM) jobs in the region stimulate an estimated 73,000 additional jobs throughout the economy.
• In 2011, auto workers in London and region paid $187 million in income, payroll and sales tax (or $511,000 per day), funds which support vital public services like health care, education, employment insurance, public pensions and social services.
• Auto worker's fundraising efforts also directly support community organizations such as the United Way, women's shelters and food banks.

For more information, please contact CAW Local 88 President Dan Borthwick (cell) 519-532-4179 or CAW Communications Shannon Devine (cell) 416-302-1699 

For more information on the campaign or to read the entire analysis, please visit: www.rethinktheeconomy.ca