CAW members begin voting on new GM deal
Roughly 10,000 members of the Canadian Auto Workers union are voting Tuesday and Wednesday on a new labour deal with General Motors.
The tentative deal, which was reached over the weekend, covers CAW members at GM's Ontario operations in Oshawa, St. Catharines, Woodstock and Windsor.
The deal would extend the current collective agreement for an additional year to September 2012, with no reduction in average assembly-worker base pay of $34 an hour.
Oshawa plant worker Linda Landry voted yes to the concessions, even though it means giving up a $1,700 special bonus and reduces paid time off to 40 hours a year from 80 hours.
She wants to make sure the plant stays open — so she'll have a pension.
"I'm frustrated, I'm angry," said Landry. "You know what it's like to PMS? That's how I feel. I'm just so mad that I'm getting bashed all the time."
The concessions add up to an estimated $148 million.
Oshawa truck plant worker Karen Clark hopes that governments will recognize the workers' contributions and step in to help the struggling companies.
"It's difficult to have to make concessions when the reason that our industry's in this condition is not our fault," she said. "But I'm going to stand behind my union. It has vowed to be part of the solution, so I support them."
The new deal is contingent on GM winning financial support from the governments of Canada and Ontario.
Federal Industry Minister Tony Clement has suggested the deal may not be acceptable to Ottawa, although he seemed more receptive today.
"I'm not here to pass judgment," Clement said after a speech to the C.D. Howe Institute. "For government money to flow, there has to be the ability to be competitive in the new marketplace, there has to be a viable plan on a go-forward basis, there has to be the right kind of management decisions that have been made."
Clement suggested that in the end, the only thing that will save the auto industry is the American consumer.
"If you're asking me what will save the auto sector in North America, it's what American consumers do and buy, not just what Canadians do and buy."
GM and Chrysler have until March 31 to finalize restructuring plans to get access to Canadian government financial aid.