By Jonathon Brodie/London Community News

With orders from the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) national leadership and Local 27 union, an Electro-Motive Canada (EMC) locomotive that has been blocked since Jan. 25 has now been freed.

Last week, about 50 members of CAW Local 88 blocked the locomotive in Ingersoll, manning it for 24 hours a day to keep from moving.

Although the order to let it free was given yesterday, the locomotive has yet to move, said Local 27 president Tim Carrie.

“The elective leadership of the local plant and the national (union) talked about it yesterday and we believe it’s our best move on behalf of our members to back off and allow the locomotives to go where ever they’re going to go,” Carrie said.

Letting the locomotive go was a preemptive strike, added Carrie, before the local union and Electro-Motive Canada go into court today (Feb. 1) in what was supposed to be a decision on the matter. Proceedings are still continuing.

“It’s a lot better to go in front of a judge and say we voluntarily did it versus being ordered to do it,” Carrie said.

The locomotive was one of the last one’s to be assembled before the EMC lockout started Jan. 1 and was outside the plant when the lockout began.

It is expected the locomotive is going to Salford to be repainted, but Carrie pointed out the head of the company where it was headed had recently spoken out against EMC and was even on scene of the Ingersoll blockade supporting locked out workers.