Collins & Aikman to close Stratford plant

Automotive interior supplier Collins & Aikman recently announced it will close its Stratford, ON operation, putting 308 employees out of work. Officials at United Steel Workers of America, which represents hourly employees at the plant, were told that the first 100 employees would be let go July 2. The remaining employees will be let go on or before Oct. 15, when the facility closes.
Officials from Collins & Aikman were not available for comment. The corporation recently lost a contract with Johnson Controls and new work with Honda is being handled by a Collins & Aikman facility in Guelph. Top wages at the Stratford plant are about $21 per hour, according to a report carried in the Stratford Beacon Herald.