By Sean Meyer/London Community News

On a night members of city councillors often behaved like kids on the schoolyard, they found common ground in their unanimous support for the locked out workers at Electro-Motive Canada.

During their meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 10), councillors voted 13-0 to support motions tabled by Ward 14 Councillor Sandy White and Ward 3 Councillor Joe Swan. White’s motion called on the federal and provincial governments to get involved in the dispute while Swan’s would urge EMC and its unionized workers to return to the bargaining table with the help of a provincial mediator while further supporting the needs of those on the picket line.

Prior to debate on the two motions, Mayor Joe Fontana said he has been in daily contact with both officials from Caterpillar, as well as Ken Lewenza, national president of the Canadian Auto Worker (CAW). The mayor, who once sat as the federal Minister of Labour, said he respected the collective bargaining process, but that the two sides need to get back to the negotiating table.

Fontana said London residents have supported the plant, no matter the ownership at the time, for over 62 years. And Caterpillar should not ignore that support.

“Cheap labour is not the answer to creating and building good quality locomotives or anything else,” Fontana said. “When two parties sit down together, understand what they both have to offer, there is no doubt in my mind there is an agreement that is possible.”

In presenting her motion, White called on her fellow councillors to set aside any political agendas and support the workers who have been locked out by EMC since Dec. 31 at 11 p.m.

“The public is bringing to our attention they are concerned politicians are appearing as they are opportunistic. We need to demystify that statement,” White said. “There are times we have to take opportunities, absolutely, its politics, it’s a bloodsport, but this is the one time I am asking us to come together . . . put your egos aside and put the workers first.”

White, who grew emotional at times, said the workers walking that picket line are suffering and that council has to “stand together and make a difference in these workers lives. We need to show that we care.”

Ward 6 Councillor Nancy Branscombe said she was also concerned about the dispute becoming “a political football or ping-pong ball,” however, she was pleased this is not the case.

“I am very pleased it crosses ideological and party lines. I think we all need to stand together and fight for jobs in this community,” Branscombe said. “It sends a pretty strong message. We can’t tell the other levels of government what to do, but this sends that strong message.”

Ward 8 Councillor Paul Hubert was another of the voices calling for not only unanimous support for the workers, but to continue efforts to bring the two sides together.

“I think what I am hearing from all the commentary is that it is coming from the heart, it is coming from the soul, it is coming from our minds,” Hubert said. “And now it is time to put some shoe leather to it and make it happen.”

Swan is no stranger to the sacrifices of the labour movement having walked a picket line, with his father, as a nine-year-old — ironically enough — at the former General Motors Diesel.

As the councillor for Ward 3 (where EMC is located) Swan said bringing his motion forward was not about focusing attention on himself or any other member of council. Rather, the motion, Swan said, was about bringing the two sides back to the bargaining table and fighting for the future of these workers.

“We need to get a clear focus that it is not just this plant, but every manufacturing plant in this community is now at risk,” Swan said. “If people believe we are going to stand idly by and watch our jobs move to other communities because of a lack of drive, a lack of determination, a lack of commitment, they’ve got it wrong.”

Ward 12 Councillor Harold Usher expressed a sense of urgency in the dispute as workers continue to suffer while the company and the union struggle to find common ground.

By unanimously passing the two resolutions, Usher said council has shown solidarity and is also sending an important message to both EMC and the CAW.

“When we pass a motion of this nature, it will provide some inspiration to the workers, and hopefully, some advice to the company. We need to get these people back to the bargaining table,” Usher said. “Time is of an essence, these people have been out there 10 days, two weeks, God knows how long they will be out there. We don’t want to see them suffering. If they suffer, the rest of this community suffers”