50 years after Bombardier moved to La Pocatière, the famous factory has changed hands. For the mayor, a real page of history has been turned. The company’s contribution to the local economy is unambiguous. “It cannot be denied. They are hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands of people who have worked there over the years,” he explains.
The mayor, who thanked the Bombardier family directly, also praised the efforts of all the workers who had passed through the factory over time. What will be his role for the plant to hope to regain growth? “It’s the ability to tell people Listen, this is our advantage company, it’s a company that has set other small businesses apart. We must continue to support them. »
The head of the Bombardier Staff Union in La Bouquet, Claude Michaud, fears that more workers will be laid off next fall as there are fewer and fewer Azure trains, from the Montreal Metro, to deliver.
For him, the solution will pass through Quebec’s cooperation. “If the government listens to us, the local content, the REM project, the Quebec City tram project, other projects currently on the table … Yes, there is a future here at La Pocatière,” he says. Who depends on these projects to keep jobs.
Both Mayor Hudon and the president of the trade union have expressed great interest in meeting Alstom managers quickly to find out their intentions for the Pocatoise plant.
The pioneer that brought others
The presence of the pioneer in Quebec has allowed over the years the creation of many local companies such as Graphie 222, which specializes in digital printing and engraving on metal. Those who founded it at the time were playing hockey with the executives from Bombardier, who were having many problems.
” distance Toys In hockey, they would go to the factory to see some problems, and then one day they said, Can you do this to us instead? We deal with companies and we are in dire straits. And one of the things that leads to something else is that he (the founder) has started developing a business. Today, these needs are widespread and we deliver them everywhere throughout North America. »- Bruno Morin, Managing Director, Graphie 222
Now, Bruno Morin is well established in La Pocatière, and is not concerned that Bombardier no longer owns the plant. “Alstom is really dedicated to the rail sector, so I don’t think that’s really a problem,” he says.
However, he explains that concerns are still very much present for Canadian manufacturers who do not always have an advantage in international trade. We do buy American products, but Americans don’t want to buy Canadian products. He concludes that this is the most difficult matter for Canadian companies.
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