Windsor, Ontario – Workers who occupied a parts plant in Windsor, Ontario to prevent Chrysler removing equipment have agreed to accept an offer of payment owed to them.

The workers, who are members of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) Local 195, occupied Aradco and Aramco in Windsor on March 17 to prevent the automaker from removing parts and tooling until the workers received compensation. Other union members surrounded the plant in support of the workers inside. The final agreement involved a substantial portion of the severance, termination and vacation pay owed.

The two plants, owned by U.S.-based Catalina Precision Products, primarily supplied engine mounts and other metal parts to Chrysler, but the automaker abruptly ended its contracts over a payment dispute and the two plants were closed.

CAW Local 195 president Gerry Ferham said it was shameful that such action was needed to get an agreement. “Employers must be held accountable in these tough times and must honour their obligations to their workers,” he said. “More needs to be done at the government level to ensure workers get what they are legally entitled to. We must ensure that workers go to the top of the list of creditors during a bankruptcy.”