Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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CAW weighing strike against GM
Thursday, 5 June 2008 - 4:33pm
“It’s an expression of the frustration and anger that people have after being told by the union just two weeks ago that their plant was going to remain open past 2011,” Hargrove said in an interview.
“Two weeks later, General Motors announces, in violation of our collective agreement, they’re closing it and people are angry.”
Calling a strike to put further pressure on GM is not off the table, Hargrove added.
When the union launched its blockade early yesterday morning, they demanded that GM reverse its decision or at the very least explain its sudden about-face.
A meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow with some of GM’s top brass, but Hargrove said he’s looking for than just an explanation and wants something concrete from the company.
“What’s next is the meeting tomorrow morning in Detroit with the top officials at General Motors and we’ll just play it by ear after that,” he said.
Workers wearing red CAW T-shirts and waving flags continued to stand guard outside GM headquarters today and Chris Buckley, president of CAW’s Local 222, encouraged members and supporters to turn out for a 3 p.m. announcement.
GM has blamed rising fuel prices and less demand for gas-guzzling pickup trucks as the main reasons for closing the truck plant in Oshawa—a move that will put 2,600 people out of work.
The union had signed an agreement in May in which the CAW agreed to several concessions in order to maintain those jobs.
The union also said the automaker promised that Oshawa would build a new generation of light-duty trucks to be introduced in 2011 in exchange for millions of dollars worth of labour cost reductions.
TORONTO—The Canadian Auto Workers union still is considering the possibility of a strike to protest General Motors’ decision to close a plant in Oshawa, Ont., president Buzz Hargrove said today as he lent his support to workers who continued to blockade the entrance to the company’s Canadian headquarters.
Hargrove had warned GM that the union would fight its decision to close an assembly plant in Oshawa next year and said he fully supports the workers’ actions.
“Two weeks later, General Motors announces, in violation of our collective agreement, they’re closing it and people are angry.”
Calling a strike to put further pressure on GM is not off the table, Hargrove added.
When the union launched its blockade early yesterday morning, they demanded that GM reverse its decision or at the very least explain its sudden about-face.
A meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow with some of GM’s top brass, but Hargrove said he’s looking for than just an explanation and wants something concrete from the company.
“What’s next is the meeting tomorrow morning in Detroit with the top officials at General Motors and we’ll just play it by ear after that,” he said.
Workers wearing red CAW T-shirts and waving flags continued to stand guard outside GM headquarters today and Chris Buckley, president of CAW’s Local 222, encouraged members and supporters to turn out for a 3 p.m. announcement.
GM has blamed rising fuel prices and less demand for gas-guzzling pickup trucks as the main reasons for closing the truck plant in Oshawa—a move that will put 2,600 people out of work.
The union had signed an agreement in May in which the CAW agreed to several concessions in order to maintain those jobs.
The union also said the automaker promised that Oshawa would build a new generation of light-duty trucks to be introduced in 2011 in exchange for millions of dollars worth of labour cost reductions.