Unions Must Prepare to Occupy Plants Shut Down in Trade War
We must prevent machinery from being moved at all cost.
In the coming weeks, a massive wave of factory and mill closures in resource and manufacturing sectors will sweep the country as the trade war wreaks havoc on the economy. Donald Trump is putting HUGE economic pressure on companies to move their manufacturing across the border. While thousands will face temporary layoffs in the short term, the simple economics of the situation will cause many companies to attempt to move their operations entirely to the United States. Defending those factories is the only way to stop those layoffs from becoming permanent.
We need to understand that once the plant machinery crosses the border, it is never coming back.
If we want to have a manufacturing sector left in this country when this trade war ends, we need to fight for every job, every plant, every forklift. There is no reason to let companies pull their machinery out of this country because of an economic assault from Washington.
With Donald Trump threatening to annex Canada by economic force, this is a legitimate security question. Any company that attempts to move their operations outside of the country should be nationalized.
If the Canadian government takes a laissez-faire approach and leaves everything up to the market, it is clear the direction the market will go. This crisis will require massive government intervention in the economy on a scale not seen since WWII. As Canada ramped up war production, dozens of crown corporations were created. Massive public investment in industry transformed the Canadian economy almost overnight. Trudeau says this is the most serious crisis the country has faced since WWII, yet somehow I suspect there will be no eagerness on behalf of government to take the necessary steps to defend jobs.
Government will not act unless their hand is forced by workers’ action.
Unions, activists and grassroots organizations must prepare plans to hold these plants by any means necessary. Factory occupations, road blockades, border blockades, and massive demonstrations are in order. Lie down in front of the trucks. Chain yourself to the machinery. Factory closed, factory occupied!
I agree but its pretty obvious its an intended escalation. Nationalizing autoplants will , no doubt , bring accusations of “ communism” paving the way for attempted annexation . I say attempted as its unclear what percentage of the US military would comply with an illegal order from the President.