Politicians weigh in as Ingersoll Strike enters 11th day

NDP visit IMT Defence workers on strike 208 unionized employees at IMT Defence have been off the job for 11 days.

Some area politicians are visiting striking workers at an Ingersoll defence contractor.

All 208 unionized employees at IMT Defence have been off the job for 11 days — demanding the end of a two-tier wage system for identical work.

Stopping by the picket lines Thursday, London North Centre MPP Terence Kernaghan backed the call for wage parity.

“People should be paid exactly the same. Otherwise, it’s completely unfair. It ought to be illegal,” he said.

Union leadership suggests more MPPs will arrive on Friday.

No new talks have are scheduled with the company.

Meanwhile, following a delay, strikers are allowing a company van to cross their lines.

They allege it is carrying recently hired non-unionized assemblers — a change made from a bitter labour dispute at IMT two decades ago.

It resulted in clashes between strikers and replacement workers.

“I don’t see them going to the roots they did last time with the full scabs” stated Jay McDonnell, president of United Steel Workers 2918. “A lot has changed since then. We are secured goods now, whereas before, I don’t think we were. So, they can’t just bring in any Joe Blow off the block.”