LONDON, Ont.—Mark’s Work Wearhouse has pulled Caterpillar-brand boots from its London, Ont., stores after the heavy-equipment giant shut down a local locomotive plant.

The national work-wear chain says it is showing support for the 420 workers who lost their jobs at Electro-Motive, Canada’s last manufacturer of locomotives.

The retailer announced the move on its Facebook page Saturday, a day after U.S.-based Caterpillar revealed its plans to close the plant following a labour dispute.

Cat demanded workers take a 50-per-cent pay cut to keep Electro-Motive open.

The CAW unio members rejected the proposal, prompting the company to lock them out Jan. 1.

Caterpillar subsidiary Progress Rail Services insists the cost structure at the London plant was unsustainable, even though Caterpillar last week reported a 58 per cent increase in its quarterly earnings with a $5 billion profit.

Click here for the full story behind Caterpillars closure of Londons Electro Motive plant.