It is finally official that Stellantis NV is selling its Branpton, Ontario, plant, althoigh rumours to that end have been rife for weeks. The Unifor union is apoplectic and complaining loudly about Stellantis' "betrayal".
But, hold on, the plant is being sold to Canadian armoured vehicle maker Rochel. That's a win, isn't it? There may be some principled workers who object to manufacturing vehicles that may be used in wars and other conflicts. But the vast, vast majority of them probably won't care who they are working for so long as they have a job.
"More than 2,000 workers" have been laid off and idle at the plant since 2023. You'd think Unifor would be pleased that someone has stepped in to replace the feckless Stellantis. And the kicker? It's a Canadian company replacing a foreign company.
I did see one Unifor spokesperson complaining that, instead of 2,000 employees, Rochel would only be employing a few hundred, and that might be a valid issue (although still better a few hundred than zero). But Rochel CEO Roman Shimonov is upbeat about employment: "Our goal is to employ thousands of people, and we'll definitely give the first priority to Brampton people".
So, what's not to like?
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