The impact of job losses at Chrysler's Windsor Assembly Plant is on the minds of those in Windsor-Essex's business community.
Reaction to the news that the automaker is ending the third shift at the plant on September 30 has been widespread and swift, particularly among business and political representatives at the annual Warden's Luncheon Friday at the Ciociaro Club in Tecumseh.
All have expressed shock and disappointment at the announcement, but many are pledging to do what is necessary to lessen the blow on the local economy. Rakesh Naidu, president and CEO of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, said he understands the ripple effect beyond those being laid off at WAP.
"It goes beyond those 1,500 and that's our bigger concern," said Naidu. "What about the jobs in the supply chain? So, we are hoping that the losses could be minimized."
Naidu said many of those feeder plants are members of the chamber, and he has pledged to work with them, as well as with elected representatives at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to help cushion the impact.
Essex County Warden and Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara is also disheartened by the news, but he understands how the auto industry works and he is confident the region will recover.
"We understand markets go up and down, they're cyclical and so forth. We've seen it here for years," said McNamara. "We're going to bounce back from this."
The cancellation of the third shift at WAP is due to what Chrysler called a correction in inventory, in relation to consumer demand. Sales for minivans such as the Chrysler Pacifica, made at WAP, have declined for four straight months.