“This is ridiculous,” said Ken Lewenza, Canadian Auto Workers union president. “I’m pissed. Capitalism has to be regulated. To allow Siemens to have the right to move workers around, it’s ridiculous.”

Nearly 200 people, some holding signs that read “nation wrecking” and “Buy Canada”, stood outside Siemens’ Milton Ave. plant, near Barton Street, a week after the announcement it was closing by July 2011 and relocating the facility to Charlotte, North Carolina. It will leave about 550 people out of work. The CAW represents about 345 employees. About 200 people employed in the nearby office tower are not affected.

Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MPP Paul Miller said the provincial Liberals are standing by watching Ontario’s manufacturing base disappear. He said while Premier Dalton McGuinty makes a deal with the South Korean manufacturer, Samsung, for wind turbines, the Liberals area allowing Siemens, which builds gas turbines, to leave the city.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” said Miller. “The company will move to the U.S. then sell us their products at a higher cost. The Liberals are selling us out.”

Hamilton Mountain NDP MP Chris Charlton said the federal government has ignored while Ontario’s manufacturing companies become either foreign owned, or relocate to other countries.

“There has been no response from our government or from Ontario to deal with this issue,” said Charlton.

Instead, she said, Premier Stephen Harper is simply cutting corporate taxes to stimulate Canada’s industries.

“There is no evidence to suggest that will save jobs,” she said.

She said while the Conservatives are cutting corporate taxes, the United States governments are luring businesses with financial incentives.

“The U.S. are doing something to get jobs. We need to have a manufacturing strategy,” she said.

North Carolina offered tax breaks and grants to Siemens worth up to $22.75 million, while the county agency is providing up to a $120-million low-interest loan.

Lewenza says the rally was needed to shake workers out of their complacency and get them to fight for their jobs and community.

“We can bargain for a good closure,” said Lewenza. “But what will it do for an empty plant? How do we use these empty buildings for this new economy? We need the workers to stand up and be counted.”