Workload decline in Gander 'transparent to everyone': D-J Composites

D-J Composites Inc. says the declining workload and lack of orders at its Gander aerospace manufacturing operation were "transparent to everyone."

The company responded to its lockout of roughly 40 employees Tuesday in a written statement Thursday morning.

• D-J Composites in Gander picket after 'shocking and disrespectful' lockout

According to the company, productionat the plant has been declining since March 2015, around the same time the previous collective agreement expired.

"This workload decline and the lack of future orders was transparent to everyone," the company said."Equally transparent was the fact that since March 2015 until present day, we continued to employ more staff than were required."

'Goodwill' to employees

"We did thisout of goodwill to our employees to keep them employed," it said, and to ensure the company would have trained workers to meet demand when work picks up again.

According to the company, when the union voted "unanimously"in favour of a strike, it had "no choice other than to lock out employees" to protect theoperation.

"The nature ofthe work that we perform, the equipment that we use and our current work inprocess, required we take the necessary steps to protect ouroperations," the statement said.

"Despite the stoppage, we will continue all efforts to keep our Gander location as a going concern."

The company, which is part of U.S.-based D-J Engineering, said the current average hourly rate for the 33 unionized employees at the operation is $16.20.

The company said it offered to increase those wages slightly over the next few years in contract negotiations, but the offer was unanimously rejected by workers.

Unionized employees at D-J Composites are members of UniforLocal 597.