WINDSOR, ONT. -- Ken Lewenza, one of the architects of the third shift at Windsor Assembly says he’s saddened by the loss of 1,500 jobs but still believes it is a success story in Canada’s automotive manufacturing history.

“On our first agreement the first third shift was an 18-month experiment and today we have people retiring that started with the minivan, ending with the minivan,” says Lewenza.

Windsor Assembly was the first in Canada to implement a third shift, and Lewenza admits it was a tough sell.

Lewenza is encouraging all union members, especially the people impacted by the loss of 1,500 jobs, to stay optimistic.

“If you just give up we would have never had the third shift initially because Lee Iacocca denied the third shift and it wasn’t until Bob Eaton took over where he decided the third shift was possible in Windsor.”

Lewenza says Unifor must continue to press FCA to bring another product into the Windsor Assembly plant.

Hear his entire interview with CTV’s Michelle Maluske here.