“People are scared”: 5,000 London jobs lost in January alone

LONDON – Ontario NDP MPPs Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), Teresa Armstrong (London—Fanshawe), and Peggy Sattler (London West) say the loss of roughly 5,000 jobs in the London region in a single month is a devastating hit to families already struggling to keep up with the cost of living.

“Losing five thousand jobs in just one month is absolutely terrifying,” said Kernaghan. “That’s thousands of people lying awake at night wondering how they’re going to pay the bills or support their children. London families didn’t cause this, but they’re the ones paying the price.”

Armstrong said people are tired of watching jobs disappear while the future feels more uncertain every day.

“People are scared right now,” said Armstrong. “Even workers who still have jobs are worried they could be next. When layoffs happen this fast, nobody feels safe.”

Sattler said uncertainty facing workers at the Nestlé ice cream plant is making an already bad situation worse.

“Hundreds of Nestlé workers don’t even know what the future holds as the company looks to sell off its ice cream business,” said Sattler. “After thousands of jobs have already disappeared across our region, families cannot handle another major employer hanging in the balance.”

The London region, amongst many communities across the province, has seen a sharp rise in unemployment following widespread layoffs across manufacturing and other sectors. After nearly eight years of this government, people are right to feel like there is no plan to protect jobs or communities. Ontario workers deserve stability, not wave after wave of layoffs while their government shrugs and moves on.