The union representing workers at a Crown Royal bottling facility in southwestern Ontario says it has been shuttered two days earlier than planned, potentially marking the end of a lengthy tug-of-war over the plant’s future.
Plans to close the facility in Amherstburg, Ont., were first announced in the summer by Diageo, the international drinks maker behind the Canadian whisky.
Premier Doug Ford’s office initially took a business-as-usual approach to the announcement, before the premier decided to protest it at an event in September, pouring a bottle of Crown Royal onto the ground and calling Diageo executives “dumb as a bag of hammers.”
The premier insisted the company keep the plant open and save the Amherstburg jobs or face a total ban of its whisky at LCBO stores in Ontario.
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After months of tense back-and-forth, Ford reduced his demands. He accepted a promised $23 million of spending across the province as a peace offering and agreed Crown Royal would be sold in Ontario.
Locally, Unifor — which represents some 200 workers who were at the plant — has been less impressed with the offering. They said the early closure of the facility is the “final show of disrespect” from Diageo.
“It’s clear Diageo didn’t want to face the scrutiny that would have come on the final day of operations, so its overseas executives opted to slink out of Ontario instead,” said Unifor Local 200 President John D’Agnolo.
“Canadians will not forget that Diageo is a company that chose to walk away from a loyal workforce and add insult to injury by bottling a marquee Canadian whisky in America.”
The union said workers were only told the plant would close early during their shift on Wednesday. They’ll still be paid for the final two days of planned operations.
“This is a sad day for our members and for this community, which has a century long storied history of whisky making,” Unifor president Lana Payne said.
Global News reached out to both Diageo and the Ford government for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
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