Winnipeg garment industry shrinking rapidly: union

Winnipeg's garment industry is being reduced to producing samples and niche products, according to a local union representing garment workers.

In the past six years, the number of people working in the garment industry in Winnipeg has dropped by half, says Maria Jordan, theManitoba regional director ofUNITE HERE, which represents needletrade, textile and industrial workers in North America.

The 100 workers at Western Glove Works arethe latest to lose their jobs, as the companyannounced last week that it will move its jeans manufacturing to Asia early next year.

The garment industry in Winnipeg is only a shadow of its former self, Jordan told CBC News.

"At times, there's some samples and they'll supplement," she said."Some of the stuff is done here because there are shorter-run stuff and they need to go out quicker, and the quality [control] is here to oversee it here.

"But as far as huge manufacturing facilities with 1,000-plus workers or 500-plus workers, I don't think we'll ever see that again in Winnipeg."

In 2001, UNITE HERE had more than 1,200 members in Winnipeg.Today there are fewer than 500, Jordan said.

"They don't find other work in the garment industry, but they do find other work in the hospitality industry and home care, child care, nannies," she said.

Jones blamed the elimination of quotas on Canadian products manufactured in China for the significant job losses in the garment in industry in recent years.