Caterpillar Crawls Away

A $5 million in Tax Break Election Promise

One of the many media events staged by Stephen Harper during the last election campaign was one where he announced a $5 million in tax breaks for Caterpillar’s Electro-Motive Diesel plant in London Ontario.

Nine months later, Caterpillar gave the plant workers an ultimatum. Either accept a 50% pay cut and cut your benefits package, or you will risk losing your jobs.

The workers went on strike in January.

Caterpillar shared last week that its fourth-quarter profit jumped 60 per cent and that their 2011 revenue reached $60 billion.

Today Caterpillar announced they will be moving those London jobs to Indiana. A state that just passed right to work legislation. Could we possible find a better example of trickle-down economics is an utter failure.

Stephen Harper is typically silent on the issue today.