TPW 9/17

[rpepka]

Originally Posted by Fyx

* Strike deadline at just before midnight on Monday
* Talks continue with all three automakers, focus on Ford
* No deal yet with Ford, negotiations "fluid"
TORONTO, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Facing an end-of-day strike deadline, the Canadian Auto Workers union said on Monday it was hopeful it could reach a framework agreement with Ford Motor Co and avert a damaging work stoppage, but it warned that talks could still fall apart.
While focusing on Ford, the union was still in negotiations with the other two Detroit car companies, Fiat SpA's Chrysler Group LLC and General Motors, but both automakers are still demanding "significant concessions," the CAW said in a leaflet to its members.
The union, which represents some 20,000 workers at the Detroit Three automakers, chose Ford on Sunday as the lead company for contract talks, saying it has been most receptive to a CAW proposal to cut labor costs. The main issue is the industry's insistence that the CAW accept a permanent two-tier wage scale for new hires and veteran workers.
Without a tentative agreement before the strike deadline of 11:59 p.m. on Monday (0359 GMT, Tuesday), the union said it could stop work at one or all three automakers.
"We are optimistic though that with this latest development a strike can be avoided," the CAW said in the flyer, referring to its focused negotiations with Ford.
If the union reaches an agreement with Ford by the deadline, it will require a firm commitment from GM and Chrysler that they could work within that deal framework to avoid a strike at those two companies, CAW President Ken Lewenza said on Sunday.
"We do not yet have a deal with Ford, there are many details still to be worked out, but our hope is to establish a framework that we will then take to General Motors and Chrysler," the union said in the flyer. "Even at this late stage, negotiations are fluid and it is still possible that talks with Ford could fall apart."
Labor costs have been the key sticking point in negotiations that started last month.
All three automakers - with Chrysler the most publicly outspoken - have argued adamantly that Canadian labor costs are the highest in the world and must drop to match those of their United Auto Workers (UAW) in the United States, or future production and investment there will be put in question.
The CAW, however, seeing the profits once again being generated by the automakers, wants some payback for concessions its members made during the 2008-09 financial crisis.
The Detroit Three and United Auto Workers in the United States have used a two-tier wage scale for the past several years to bring labor costs closer to those of foreign automakers.
The CAW is adamant that its new workers, who start at 70 percent of veteran workers' wages, must over time reach the same pay scales as existing workers. In the United States, they do not.
It has proposed a lower starting wage as well as an extended "earn-in," the time it takes new hires to reach the highest end of the pay scale, from the current six years to 10 years.
A strike at all three companies would result in lost production of about C$200 million ($206.50 million) a day at the companies and their suppliers, according to the CAW.


See the bolded part above.

That would be nice if that came true.

[panther2469]

happy TPW

[rpepka]

Originally Posted by panther2469

happy TPW

I will be much happier when I know that there will be no strike!

[Fyx]

The Canadian Auto Workers union said it had reached a new four-year tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. just hours ahead of its strike deadline Monday night.
Ken Lewenza, CAW president, said the union leadership had agreed unanimously to take the proposed contract, which runs to Sept. 2016, to its members for ratification.
He said the primary motivation for the union in the negotiations was to win new work, and said the contract with Ford would create at least 600 new jobs in the country.
Pressure was mounting on the union to get a deal ahead of its strike deadline at 11:59 p.m. Monday night.
But the union warned its membership Monday that if Chrysler and General Motors didn’t agree to follow the framework established in the Ford agreement by the strike deadline they should prepared to hit the picket lines at the other two.

[Fyx]

Good news above, now just hope GM accepts the framework of the Ford deal.

[rpepka]

CAW reaches four-year deal with Ford hours before strike deadline

Scott Deveau | Sep 17, 2012 4:13 PM ET | Last Updated: Sep 17, 2012 4:33 PM ET
More from Scott Deveau | @scottdeveau
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young Canadian Auto Workers union President Ken Lewenza speaks on the phone during a break amid negotiationswith Ford in Toronto on Monday September 17, 2012. CAW says it has reached a tentative four-year deal with Ford.

The Canadian Auto Workers union said it had reached a new four-year tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. just hours ahead of its strike deadline Monday night.

Ken Lewenza, CAW president, said the union leadership had unanimously agreed to take the proposed contract, which runs to Sept. 2016, to its members for ratification.

He said the primary motivation for the union in the negotiations was to win new work, and said the contract with Ford would create roughly 600 jobs in the country.

Pressure was mounting on the union to get a deal ahead of its strike deadline at 11:59 p.m. Monday night.

But the union warned its membership Monday that if Chrysler and General Motors didn’t agree to follow the framework established in the Ford agreement by the strike deadline they should prepared to hit the picket lines at the other two.

The CAW said over the weekend it would be allocating all of its resources to getting deal with Ford, in part, because it was the only automaker that understood the union’s opposition to a permanent two-tier wage system being put in place in Canada.

Mr. Lewenza said the union had held “very productive” around-the-clock talks with Ford since, laying the groundwork for the new 4-year deal.

But no deal had been met with the other two yet, the CAW said.

Chris Buckley, the head of the CAW’s bargaining committee, said little progress had been made with GM Monday, but that talks would continue ahead of the deadline.
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Mr. Lewenza said GM and Chrysler were still “miles apart” from an agreement.

He encouraged GM and Chrysler to take a serious look at the contract accepted by Ford ahead of the deadline and agree to the pattern.

Mr. Lewenza said a last resort would be the withdrawal of its members labour.

The Detroit Three had set a goal in their talks with the CAW to narrow the gap between their labour costs in the U.S. and in Canada, which they argue is the most expensive jurisdiction in the world to build their vehicles.

All three automakers were pushing for a two-tier wage system to be adopted in Canada akin to the one currently in place in the U.S.

The CAW dug in its heels in opposition to a permanent two-tier system being put in place for its members, and countered with its own wage scheme, which included among other things, lowering the entry level wage for its members to roughly 60% of peak levels of wages, or roughly $20.40 an hour, down from $24 today.

It also included extending the amount of time before the workers reach the peak level of pay from six years to ten, both of which were accepted by Ford.

The proposed agreement with Ford includes lump sum payments rather than wage increases. It also suspends cost of living increases for workers until June 2016.

The tentative agreement with Ford also includes moving new hires into a hybrid pension plan akin the one the union adopted at Air Canada.

It does, however, keep intact the current so-called 30-and-out pension program.

One of the key issues in the talks with Ford was securing more work for the CAW’s members after 1,200 of Ford’s workers were laid off last year when the company shuttered its St. Thomas, Ont., plant, the union said.

Mr. Lewenza said he hoped to have every laid off Ford worker back on the job by the end of the contract, and potentially even see new hires over the course of it.

[dpslugger12]

Praying for an agreement and no strike! I want my car asap!

[Modern07]

Fingers crossed this gets sorted!

[rpepka]

Looks like there will be a strike.

[Modern07]

Originally Posted by rpepka

Looks like there will be a strike.

:bangdesk::upset:

[kmmink]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/caw-str...er-gm-1.958806

[Fyx]

NO STRIKE!! It's extended for now. Wohooo!!

[EE7]

Anybody else getting sick of unions...?

[NYBERB]

The Canadian Auto Workers said late Monday that they have agreed to extend contract talks indefinitely with General Motors and Chrysler, averting for now a possible strike that could have occurred at 11:59 p.m. tonight without an agreement.

The CAW has yet to reach a new contract with the automakers but has agreed to extend the deadline as long as progress is occurring at the bargaining table, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

If talks break down and the union decides to go on strike, it is required to provide the automakers with a 24-hour

They will continue to make our cars this week. No strike yet. Let's home the CAW workers were not distracted by the potential strike.