By Sean Meyer/London Community News

London councillors want to get help to former Electro-Motive Canada (EMC) workers as quickly as possible and they are turning to Ottawa for some assistance.

However, members of the city’s Finance and Administrative Services Committee said during their meeting on Monday (Feb. 6) that they wouldn’t tell the federal government what manner that assistance should take.

Mayor Joe Fontana said the city’s earlier request — prior to the closure announcement — to allow Employment Insurance (EI) benefits during the lockout was not accepted by the federal government, as the current system does not allow for payouts during a lockout or a strike. While suggesting the federal government could choose to help expedite the EI system, Fontana said there were other options to examine, such as providing the former workers with assistance through the Ontario Works system.

“We can’t dictate what the federal government should do with Employment Insurance. We tried that, and they told us to mind our own business. So we will try it this way now that there is a closure on the issue,” Fontana said. “Some of these people have now been without a paycheque for one month. So until things get settled with the company, there may well be some financial stress and some issues we want to help with.”

Ward 8 Councillor Paul Hubert was among those saying the method of assistance shouldn’t be so narrowly defined as to suggest EI was the only way the workers can be helped. The EI situation, Hubert pointed out, could be further complicated by any severance the workers may yet receive.

“The ins and outs of that is neither here, nor there, for us,” Hubert said. “The motion would be in order that both the provincial and federal government, along with our staff, assist these folks in any way we can. If that means speeding up the process, great.”

Ward 6 Councillor Nancy Branscombe said she was concerned the city was trying to “micromanage” the EI system and that a broader approach could prove to be more effective.

“I am happy to help, I guess my concern is how far down in the weeds do we want to get. I would rather leave it more general and do whatever we can to encourage they to look at EI and what they can do without getting so specific,” Branscombe said. “We are treading in things that aren’t our jurisdiction. We can still show support without mucking around in their business anymore than we like them mucking around in ours.”

The committee voted to have Fontana write the appropriate federal minister to request the assistance.

The issue of assisting the workers wasn’t the only matter related to EMC dealt with by the finance members.

With visions of former industrial sites such as Westinghouse and Nortel in the recent past, the committee discussed what the responsibilities are of Caterpillar as it pertains to the EMC factory itself.

Ward 5 Councillor Joni Baechler brought up the issue of what could happen to the EMC property itself now that the factory has been closed.

“The question is around the site and what may or may not happen. A lot of folks seem to have the Westinghouse situation in the back of their mind around site contamination. Westinghouse was different perhaps with the PCBs,” Baechler said. “But there is still a concern about if this property is sold and whether or not we might be involved. We should make sure staff is following up around the site.”

Fontana said there are many issues that could come up if Caterpillar should choose to close it, or if someone else has use for it, but that it would be prudent for the administration to bring back a report on the decommissioning of the factory.

After 62 years in operation, Fontana said there might be environmental issues pertaining to the site. However, Caterpillar should certainly be aware of their responsibilities.

“I think I may have mentioned to Caterpillar in one of my better moments that they better not fool around with us and think they can just abandon the site and think they would get away with it, leaving us with a big bill,” Fontana said. “If we have learned anything, ie: Westinghouse, Nortel, there are significant environmental issues that have to be taken into account in any of these things. The responsibility, first and foremost, falls on the company.”