Who could have guessed that nearly 700 Chinese workers would lose their jobs overnight in auto molder Progressive Moulded Products Ltd.'s recent layoff?

One-third of the 2,000 workers at the Concord, Ontario, factory were of Chinese descent, Chinese newspaper Ming Pao reported.

Since the factory didn't have a union, workers joined forces with representatives from the Canadian Auto Workers and held negotiations with the owner, who has agreed to pay wages up to June 2008 and health insurance until the end of July. Progressive also said it will give each laid-off worker C$1,500.

"It's difficult to find a job in Canada. Now the factory is closing, where can I get the money to pay bills and support my kid?" Ming Pao quoted one of the former workers, identified as Ms. Zhang, as saying.