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Concern, bitterness as furniture parts plant winds down Concern, bitterness as furniture parts plant winds down Concern, bitterness as furniture parts plant winds down
by：DIgao
2020-08-14
KITCHENER —
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was going to move out with me but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family so I was looking for a job here . \".
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid higher than other jobs in the economy and possibly full-time jobs, which is why kidina-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
com KITCHENER —
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was moving out with me, but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family, so I was looking for a job here.
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid more than other jobs, and they may be full time jobs, which is why Kitchener-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
com KITCHENER —
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was moving out with me, but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family, so I was looking for a job here.
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid higher than other jobs in the economy and possibly full-time jobs, which is why kidina-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was going to move out with me but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family so I was looking for a job here . \".
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid higher than other jobs in the economy and possibly full-time jobs, which is why kidina-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
com KITCHENER —
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was moving out with me, but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family, so I was looking for a job here.
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid more than other jobs, and they may be full time jobs, which is why Kitchener-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
com KITCHENER —
Ivan Graham knew that his work at the Knape & Vogt plant in kidina was coming to an end, but he was not prepared for the day that officially started.
It\'s on the factory notice board-
An official notice with Graham\'s name, employee number, and the date of his last day at workApril 24.
It was later extended to May 16.
After 33 years of punching, he received 14 weeks notice.
The factory in Manitoba Avenue produces office furniture components such as Drawer slides and flat panel display brackets, which are scheduled to be closed in June 27.
\"When you see your name on the board and it says \'permanent layoff, \'the situation is very different,\" Graham said . \".
\"I know it\'s coming, but it\'s a bit shocking because I \'ve never been fired since I started working here.
When the factory was called Waterloo furniture components, Graham began to work in the factory.
He paid off his mortgage, set up a family, took his children to the annual company Christmas party, and then took his grandson to the Festival party.
\"Yes, it\'s emotional,\" Graham said . \".
\"I used to like to come to work. I don\'t like it now.
Knape & Vogt announced its closure a year ago, five months after it bought 300,000 --square-
Foot Factory from CompX International.
The layoffs of 230 employees in the factory have been carried out in stages.
Knape & Vogt transferred jobs to a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When the closure was announced, the company noted that it served its customers and produced the same products as the Kitchener CompX factory.
\"After having the company for 4 to 5 months and staying with customers and employees, it is clear that, the best way to serve our customers is to do this from one facility rather than two, \"Knape & Vogt vice-
President Peter Ross said at the time.
The factory is one of many factories in Ontario that have been shut down due to the transfer of work to the United States.
Notable cases last year included Kellogg\'s grain factory in London and Heinz tomato sauce factory in Limington.
On Thursday, Unilever announced it would close its sauce and dry soup mixing plant in Bramalea and move its work to the United States.
Roots of Knape & Vogt plants date back to 1932.
The business was launched in the form of Waterloo metal stamping parts.
A division of Waterloo Music.
It manufactures music trade accessories and toy musical instruments from a factory in Regina Street.
It became a piece of Waterloo furniture in the 1950 s and moved to William Street before opening a shop on the city avenue of Manitoba.
CompX, based in Dallas, Texas, acquired the company in the 1990 s.
Graham started working in the factory in early 1980, when he was 30.
\"I was fired by Bud,\" he said . \"
The Bard plant in kidina, Canada, built the car frame and hired thousands of people during peak hours.
He left after being caught in a regular layoff at the Homer Watson Avenue factory.
\"I went to the west and worked for a year,\" Graham said . \".
\"My wife was moving out with me, but then she decided she didn\'t want to leave her family, so I was looking for a job here.
\"A friend told him that a furniture parts factory driven by the city of Manitoba was hiring.
Graham applied for a job.
\"I have been working here since then,\" he said . \".
He\'s employee number one. 105.
He operates the printing press, installs other equipment, and is active in his union, 7155 of United Steel Workers in the United States.
Dan Gagne began working at the factory in 1984, when it was a piece of Waterloo furniture.
Like Graham, he was fired.
Gagne\'s brother worked in the factory at the time, so he was hired soon.
\"I work with a lot of good people and a lot of people have been here for a long time,\" Gagne said . \".
\"In December, I will appear in 30 years.
Gagne met his wife Linda at the factory.
They have three children.
They paid off the house and let the two children go to school.
Their youngest child is still at home.
\"A lot of people are happy to work here and they make half of it.
A decent life, \"said Gagne. The best-
Paid work on the floor over $20an-
Enjoy an hour of full benefits and pension plans.
Gagne was told halfway.
His last day is Friday, February.
\"I must have been bitter.
\"I think I will stay here for another 10 years and I will retire, but that\'s not the case,\" he said . \".
Gagne\'s wife left the factory a few years ago, went to work in bud, and then lost her job when Bud closed in 2009, when she was a Kitchener Frame.
She is now working at Canada Post in Guelph.
He plans to find another job in the manufacturing industry, hoping to build and operate the printing press.
The 52-year-old said: \"I\'m a little younger when I retire, so I need to work for a few more years. year-old.
\"I don\'t know how hard it is to find another job or if it is easy, but I will never give up.
Kaylie Tiessen said: \"The closure of Knape & Vogt is part of the province\'s trend, and since 2000, traditional manufacturing in every region of Ontario has been declining, economists at the Canadian policy replacement center.
Waterloo lost 18 games.
It accounted for manufacturing jobs in 2000, and it was low.
Involuntary partial salary
Time and unstable employment, as well as long-term
Tyson says long-term unemployment.
Even with these changes, she said, due to investments in other areas such as technology, the region is performing better than many others.
\"Because these jobs are usually good jobs, they are paid higher than other jobs in the economy and possibly full-time jobs, which is why kidina-
Waterloo did better.
\"The unemployment rate in the region is 6.
The proportion in April was 8, lower than that of most of the larger communities in Ontario.
Marion Collins hopes that the difference will benefit her.
Like Graham and Gagne, she came to work at Knape & Vogt because her previous job was fired.
She used to work in the current Lear company.
When she was fired 35 years agoShe was 18.
\"I got a ride here, filled out an application and went home and they called me and I had to start that night,\" she said . \".
Collins starts with the plating department and then goes to welding, row forming, tool bed and Viceassembly. She\'s a lift-
Truck drivers earn more than $20an-
One hour, plus benefits.
Because of her qualifications, she will be one of the last employees to leave.
Collins made close contact with her colleagues. workers.
\"You work with these people is the third in your life, you work 40 hours a week, how many hours do you spend at home with your family? \" she says.
\"So they found a good company and destroyed it.
Collins, who had three grandchildren, bought a house in 2001, said she needed to find another job.
She doesn\'t know where.
\"I don\'t know.
All I know is that I have to try to get a good, decent job or start selling things.
\"About 10 years ago, the company hired about 1,000 people in two factories.
Layoffs started in 2006, according to employees.
\"At our peak, we used to run 24/7 metres and shift on weekends,\" Graham said . \".
\"We reached our peak when the dollar was around 80 cents.
When the dollar began to climb, we began to scale down.
About a year ago, the factory manager convened a meeting of union delegates.
They said the factory would be closed within a year.
They said it was a business decision and nothing could change it.
\"Everyone is shocked,\" Graham said . \"
\"I think this is the only way you can describe it.
\"The company and the trade union have reached a factory closure agreement through intensive severance negotiations --
The service fee is one week per year.
If they stay until the end of the redundancy notice period, they will receive a bonus of $500 to $3,000.
The closure agreement also extends dental and prescription drug benefits and provides training allowances for workers who remain on the termination date.
An operation center has been set up in the factory to help lay
Workers are looking for jobs and training opportunities.
Graham said for the first time in his life that his age helped him.
He plans to retire at the age of 63.
But he is worried about the economic future of his colleagues.
Workers in their early 50 s.
\"I think it\'s hard for people to find jobs with the same money and benefits because they\'re no longer there,\" he said . \".
Tpender @ therecord.
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