MONTREAL -- About 900 employees of Canadian engineering giant Bombardier (IW 1000/281) went on strike Monday at their Ontario factory over benefits and pension plans, the Unifor union said.
The workers at the Thunder Bay plant -- which primarily produces subway and tram cars for Canada's largest city, Toronto -- have been without a contract since May 31.
They rejected management's latest offer, made on Saturday, with company demands for concessions on benefits and pensions the main sticking point.
"We all need to work together to ensure that good jobs survive in this province," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said. "Unifor is prepared to stand its ground to ensure the good jobs we already have are not whittled away."
Employees have been on so-called legal strike since June 10, but only physically walked off the job Monday.
No talks have been scheduled, and the company has not made a new offer since Saturday.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014
