Workers Receive Owed Monies Following Plant Occupation
January 5, 2010, 10:49 AM EST

Workers at M&I Air Systems received their pay cheques in the days following a plant occupation and demonstration by the workers and supporters, held on December 21.

The Mississauga, Ontario plant suddenly closed its doors on December 15, throwing 180 people out of work, 150 of which were members of CAW Local 252. The employer refused to pay outstanding monies owed to the workers following the closure, which prompted the workers to take immediate action.

"The action taken by these workers was absolutely necessary, as the employer refused to have any dialogue with the local union and/or the local plant committee," said CAW Local 252 President Abbot Harvey. "This situation underscores one more time, the importance of legislative protection for workers and their families."

I don't know how many people caught this classic send off to the CAW head honcho in this week's NOW magazine but it's well worth a read as former CAW auto worker Kevin Wilson calls bullshit on the latest CAW leadership's caving to neo-liberal policies and the bosses.

Unlike Ford, GM isn't even waiting to see how many concessions the CAW leadership is willing to hand over before announcing that they're sack 1200 workers in Windsor.

Seems every time I open the newspaper these days one of the big three is hammering their workers and the once militant CAW is bending over backwards with excuses for the bosses.

This time it's CAW Economist Jim Stanford blaming the old boogyman of the foreign worker when he says;

"Most of the vehicles are sold by companies that are not based here and most of those sales are imported from offshore. Places like Japan, Korea, Europe,"

Now that may be factual, but is it really the best analysis that a union economist can come up with?

It's an analysis that shifts the blame from where it belongs, the capitalists at General Motors, and onto the international working class.

By,Bruce Allen is the Vice-President of CAW Local 199 ,
St. Catharines, Ontario.

The decline in overall union density, particularly in the private sector, has been a defining characteristic of the crisis of organized labour in this country for many years along with the debilitating effects of contract concessions. The union bureaucracy's predominant response has been to barely acknowledge there was a problem never mind seriously attempt to address it. That is until now.

Hot on the heals of a new contract with the UAW (which saw it's members strike for the first time in almost 30 years) Chrysler has announced plans to cut 12,000 jobs including a shift at the Brampton assembly plant.

This happened in Ontario with the last CAW contract with the "Big Three". How the hell can you agree to a contract then accept massive job cuts for your membership?

CAW decries exporters' proposals that would cut workers' pay if currency rises above a pre-set level

High dollar may hit wages

From traffic stop to taser death, Mounties answering questions over routine traffic stop death.

The Toronto Star also carries a special on Canadian troops in Afghanistan today.

Widespread poverty in Canada, particularly among aboriginal peoples, is tarnishing the international reputation of a country that considers itself a moral beacon to the rest of the world leading CUPE to condemn a "Conspiracy of silence."

CAW shelves right to strike

Employees at Magna International who vote to join the Canadian Auto Workers won't have the right to strike under a historic labour relations deal.

In a dramatic change regarding fundamental labour rights, the CAW confirmed yesterday it has agreed to shelve the key strike provision in efforts to build a new management-union relationship at Magna, the country's biggest auto parts maker.

I can't even put into words how angry this makes me, fortunetly A very nice rant by another blogger was already written.