TORONTO -- Workers from the defunct Wagner Brake plant vowed they would picket outside a Brampton, Ont., courthouse today when a colleague appeared on assault and theft charges stemming from a plant sit-in three weeks ago.
The charges arose from a week-long occupation of the now-closed Wagner Brake and Lighting Products plant in Brampton that ended Sept. 12 when employees accepted an offer of improved severance pay ranging from $250 to $4,500.
The agreement, reached with the aid of provincial mediator Ray Illing and representatives of Premier William Davis' office, also stipulated no charges would be brought against the workers who took part in the demonstration.
Stan Bullock, publicity director of the United Electrical Workers, said Thursday 20 unionists would throw up a 'peaceful, informational' picket line outside the courthouse where Leonard Thompson was to appear to face two charges.
According to provincial court records, Thompson was charged by Peel Regional Police with theft under $200 _ of a key belonging to the firm _ and with assaulting Kim Jenee Bettles, an employee of Hunter Investigation and Security Ltd. of Brampton.
The firm was hired by Wagner to provide security during the strike.
Bullock said the union had asked police to charge a truck driver accused by the strikers of assaulting a picketer with a two-by-four. Police have not laid the charge.
'They say they're still investigating, but they handled the other charge very quickly,' Bullock said. 'We can't help but feel we got the brush-off from the government and there is complicity between Wagner and high levels in the Davis Government to teach the workers a lesson.
'We feel Wagner tried to get one last pound of flesh before they take their production line back to the United States and the Davis government has decided to punish the strikers.'
The plant, formerly called Tung-Sol before its sale to the U.S.-based Wagner company owned by McGraw-Edison, is now closed, except for an office and warehouse, which still employ 18 workers.
The plant is located in the provincial riding represented by Davis.
