Wingham Wescast employees win $15 million settlement after two year dispute

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Victory for Wescast workers after two years of disputes

'I could live on the streets soon'

The union representing workers from the Wescast industries plant in Wingham are celebrating a large settlement.

Unifor officials say they’ve won a historic $15 million arbitration award for about 200 former Wescast employees.

They say it ends a nearly two-year severance and termination dispute.

“We simply cannot overstate the scale or importance of this victory—it is one of the largest and most significant wins for our members who deserve our deepest gratitude for their courage and persistence in this nearly two-year long fight,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Our union was more than happy to give Wescast and its overseas owners a $15 million lesson in workers’ rights.”

Wescast operated the casting plant in Wingham for more than a century, until its China-based owners decided to shut down in 2023.

“Although it was heartbreaking to be treated so disrespectfully by this company and see our basic rights trampled on, in the end it was heartening to see all of us united like never before,” said Unifor Local 4207 Plant Chair Joel Sutton. “I am proud that our legacy as Wescast workers is that we stood up for ourselves, took this fight head-on, and won a significant victory that not only benefits us, but all workers across Canada.”

Union leaders say the arbitrator ruled Wescast clearly violated its obligations to pay workers enhanced severance and termination pay as outlined in the collective agreement.