It happened earlier this month but it’s still worth noting that when London was hurting, Ingersoll turned its back.
The way Caterpillar treated its employees in our city is well documented. Basically, the company insulted them with a lowball contract offer and shut the plant down after it locked the workers out. TSC stores stopped selling Caterpillar merchandise. But when the town of Ingersoll decided to buy a backhoe, it continued with its policy of going with the lowest bid – and guess whose that was?
Now CN has just put in an order for more than 40 locomotives from Caterpillar but that doesn’t surprise me. A company executive actually told the London Free Press, “We are aware of the issues at the EMD plant but we have a business to run”. Increasingly, people want to deal with businesses that have some form of ethics and prove their values are intact. So screw you CN. You just showed your true colours, too.
Meanwhile, in Ingersoll residents and others dug into their own pocket to try to make up the $2500 difference in hopes the town would change its mind about buying from CAT. On an $89,000. purchase that seems like a drop in the bucket. But council stuck to its policy even as councilors claimed they were disgusted by Caterpillar’s actions. How hypocritical to say you wish you could do the right thing but choosing not to do it. Thanks for nothing, neighbour. The next time you need a cup of sugar, don’t be surprised if Londoners aren’t too keen to give it to you.