Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com - View Single Post - Workers in Oshawa, Ontario threaten strike against GM

camaro5 · 04-28-2008, 09:38 PM

This is from Jan 2008. Any updates? If they don't get additional product... Their contract is up Sept. 17.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan 25th 2008 5:29PM

Workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario have given the automaker until this fall to confirm that additional models will be built there, or else... STRIKE! The Oshawa plant currently builds the Chevy Impala and Buick LaCrosse, and is scheduled to build the Chevy Camaro when it enters production in February of 2009, but that's it. Other rear-wheel-drive products were also promised, but because of the weak dollar and new CAFE regulations, GM is apparently rethinking whether those vehicles will be built at all.

Apparently back in 2006, the Canadian Auto Workers union agreed to concessions to reduce costs, convert to a more flexible manufacturing process and guarantee that future vehicles would be built at the plant. They're now claiming that GM wants additional concessions to secure those future vehicles, and all GM has to say is that "future products for Oshawa are in flux." According to CAW, it has until this fall to make those future product not in flux, or else the General will have another strike on its hands to deal with.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/25/r...ke-against-gm/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CAW's position:

CAW Local 222 Responds To GM Decision
January 24, 2008 - 4pm EST
The following statement was released January 24, 2008 by the CAW leadership at GM Oshawa:

On Feb. 14, 2006, our National Representative John Scanlan was sent a letter from the Company asking that we open up our contract in order to secure future product in Oshawa. The actual verbiage is as follows, “The prize is future product and future job security for the Oshawa workforce and the positive impact that has on the communities where we live. If we are able to obtain the first vehicle for the Zeta platform, other vehicles will follow. Conversely, if we fail to obtain the first product off the Zeta platform, that product will likely be produced elsewhere.”

Call it putting “a gun to our heads”, but your Union leadership entered into talks immediately and negotiated a Shelf Agreement that was ratified by the membership. This Company came out with a media blitz today (Jan. 24/08) announcing the suspension of the rear wheel drive platform for Oshawa (except the Camaro) and is moving the production of vehicles considered for Oshawa to Lansing, Michigan. Stew Low, General Motors of Canada spokesperson said, “no vehicle beyond the Camaro was ever approved, so you can’t cancel something that wasn’t there.” Shame on you GM!

Your Oshawa workforce, our members, have for generations built quality products at record pace. We have made this Company billions of dollars and you have the nerve to slap us in the face like this. Do you think for one minute that we are going to crawl into bargaining on bended knee and beg for jobs? The Company promised us jobs when we did the Shelf Agreement. They implemented the changes right away but have yet to deliver on their commitment.

This Company is taking the recent rise in the value of our dollar and loss of market share as reasons for their decision. Bullshit! This Company is investing billions of dollars overseas and assembling vehicles in countries with low wages and benefits with a total disregard for Human Rights and Health & Safety. They believe this is okay as long as the corporate executives get their bonuses and they get their best bang for the buck.

We are officially putting General Motors on notice. Live up to the commitment given to us in the Shelf Agreement or you will not be getting a Collective Agreement this fall.

We bargained in good faith and we now question whether the Company did. We convinced our membership that buying into GMS was the “ticket to the show”. Don’t mistake honesty and integrity as signs of weakness. Our membership has made their sacrifices to get product and product they will get, now or in September.

We are proud of the members of CAW Local 222 and together we will win this fight, whatever it takes.

https://www.cawlocal.ca/222/newsdetails.asp?NewsID={4E0C7098-718D-4ADA-A028-3E6FDE49EEBF}

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is who's building the new Camaro?

If they're not on strike?

What has been done to resolve the situation?

GM announced today they are cutting back on truck production in Oshawa, that can't help the situation...

04-28-2008, 09:38 PM	#1
camaro5 Drives: X-15 Velocipede Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Florida Posts: 4,630	Workers in Oshawa, Ontario threaten strike against GM This is from Jan 2008. Any updates? If they don't get additional product... Their contract is up Sept. 17. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jan 25th 2008 5:29PM Workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario have given the automaker until this fall to confirm that additional models will be built there, or else... STRIKE! The Oshawa plant currently builds the Chevy Impala and Buick LaCrosse, and is scheduled to build the Chevy Camaro when it enters production in February of 2009, but that's it. Other rear-wheel-drive products were also promised, but because of the weak dollar and new CAFE regulations, GM is apparently rethinking whether those vehicles will be built at all. Apparently back in 2006, the Canadian Auto Workers union agreed to concessions to reduce costs, convert to a more flexible manufacturing process and guarantee that future vehicles would be built at the plant. They're now claiming that GM wants additional concessions to secure those future vehicles, and all GM has to say is that "future products for Oshawa are in flux." According to CAW, it has until this fall to make those future product not in flux, or else the General will have another strike on its hands to deal with. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/25/r...ke-against-gm/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The CAW's position: CAW Local 222 Responds To GM Decision January 24, 2008 - 4pm EST The following statement was released January 24, 2008 by the CAW leadership at GM Oshawa: On Feb. 14, 2006, our National Representative John Scanlan was sent a letter from the Company asking that we open up our contract in order to secure future product in Oshawa. The actual verbiage is as follows, “The prize is future product and future job security for the Oshawa workforce and the positive impact that has on the communities where we live. If we are able to obtain the first vehicle for the Zeta platform, other vehicles will follow. Conversely, if we fail to obtain the first product off the Zeta platform, that product will likely be produced elsewhere.” Call it putting “a gun to our heads”, but your Union leadership entered into talks immediately and negotiated a Shelf Agreement that was ratified by the membership. This Company came out with a media blitz today (Jan. 24/08) announcing the suspension of the rear wheel drive platform for Oshawa (except the Camaro) and is moving the production of vehicles considered for Oshawa to Lansing, Michigan. Stew Low, General Motors of Canada spokesperson said, “no vehicle beyond the Camaro was ever approved, so you can’t cancel something that wasn’t there.” Shame on you GM! Your Oshawa workforce, our members, have for generations built quality products at record pace. We have made this Company billions of dollars and you have the nerve to slap us in the face like this. Do you think for one minute that we are going to crawl into bargaining on bended knee and beg for jobs? The Company promised us jobs when we did the Shelf Agreement. They implemented the changes right away but have yet to deliver on their commitment. This Company is taking the recent rise in the value of our dollar and loss of market share as reasons for their decision. Bullshit! This Company is investing billions of dollars overseas and assembling vehicles in countries with low wages and benefits with a total disregard for Human Rights and Health & Safety. They believe this is okay as long as the corporate executives get their bonuses and they get their best bang for the buck. We are officially putting General Motors on notice. Live up to the commitment given to us in the Shelf Agreement or you will not be getting a Collective Agreement this fall. We bargained in good faith and we now question whether the Company did. We convinced our membership that buying into GMS was the “ticket to the show”. Don’t mistake honesty and integrity as signs of weakness. Our membership has made their sacrifices to get product and product they will get, now or in September. We are proud of the members of CAW Local 222 and together we will win this fight, whatever it takes. https://www.cawlocal.ca/222/newsdetails.asp?NewsID={4E0C7098-718D-4ADA-A028-3E6FDE49EEBF} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is who's building the new Camaro? If they're not on strike? What has been done to resolve the situation? GM announced today they are cutting back on truck production in Oshawa, that can't help the situation... __________________ Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge General Motors ASEP, A.S. Automotive Technology, Telecommunications Specialist, CISCO Network Engineer STANDARD DISCLAIMER camaro5 is furnishing this information "as is". camaro5 does not provide any warranty of the information whatsoever, whether express, implied, or statutory, including, but not limited to, any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or any warranty that the contents of the information will be error-free.