Workers Walk Out of Ontario Daimler Heavy-Duty Truck Plant

About 1,100 workers at a Sterling heavy-duty truck plant in St. Thomas, Ontario, went on strike Thursday night after the company could not reach a new contract with members of the Canadian Auto Workers, Bloomberg reported.

Production at the plant, which manufacturers log-hauling and automobile carrying trucks under the Sterling nameplate for Freightliner LLC — DaimlerChrysler AG’s heavy-duty truck unit in North America.

The workers walked out after Daimler refused to retreat from its demand for workers to pay for more of their health-care benefits, Bloomberg said.

Bob Chernecki, assistant to the president of the CAW, told the Canadian Press that wages and time off were also issues for discussion.

The two sides began negotiations in January. Workers at the factory won the right to have the CAW represent them in October.

Company spokesman Chris Brandt declined to comment, Bloomberg reported, but said Freightliner would issue a statement sometime Friday.

According to CP, the CAW is the largest industrial union in Canada.