Autoblog

Canadian Auto Workers vote to merge with rival, form 'super union'

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:31:00 EST

How would you respond to the headline "No More Auto Workers Union"? Our northern neighbors will likely be bidding goodbye to their Canadian Auto Workers Union, as the membership has agreed to merge with the country's Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union.

The Vancouver Sun is reporting that a unanimous vote of delegates at the CAW's convention has approved the merger. If finalized, the new organization will have more than 300,000 members, most of them working in manufacturing, communications and transportation. The CEP still has to vote on the proposal in October, but its president seems bullish on the merger, describing it as a "bigger and better union," according to the report.

CAW president Ken Lewenza (pictured above) agreed, saying, "This union will pose a serious challenge to the unrepresentative, unfair economic and political systems workers now find themselves caught in."

A new name for the combined organization has not yet been determined.

Canadian Auto Workers vote to merge with rival, form 'super union' originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

CAW making progress in drive to unionize Honda in Ontario

Jeff Sabatini — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Honda, UAW/Unions, Canada

Honda of Canada Manufacturing in Alliston, Ontario, is unique in providing an employee recreation center with an NHL regulation-size hockey arena. But it could soon have another claim to notoriety: The first Japanese auto plant to go union.

According to Ward's Auto, Canadian Auto Workers President Ken Lewenza is bullish on efforts to organize the facility, which builds Honda Civic and CR-V, as well as the Acura MDX and ZDX. "We're getting some enthusiastic and strong support," he told Ward's, "but we're not there yet."

Both the CAW and the United Auto Workers have been trying for decades to organize at one of the Japanese transplant factories, but have met resistance, both from employees as well as the automakers. Lewenza says Honda has devoted "resources and time into keeping the union out," according to the report, including giving employees a handout that the CAW feels misrepresents Honda's wages when compared to unionized Chrysler, Ford and General Motors plants in Canada.

The report says labor talks between the CAW and the Big Three scheduled for September will be crucial for the union, given the resurgent strength of the Canadian dollar. Canada's labor costs are viewed as too high by the automakers, setting the stage for potential conflicts at the bargaining table. Of course, if the CAW could add to its 25,000 member base with Honda's roughly 4,500 Canadian workers, it could only help the union's negotiations.

CAW making progress in drive to unionize Honda in Ontario originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Canadian Auto Workers lobby government for national auto policy

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM, UAW/Unions, Canada

Shortly after General Motors announced it would eliminate an assembly line at Oshawa, thereby eliminating 2,000 jobs, the Canadian Auto Workers union got on the phone to set up meetings with ministers from the three major political parties in Canada. The CAW didn't just want to jawbone and complain, either - it entered the meetings with a slate of breathtakingly ambitious initiatives that would comprise a national auto policy.

We're not sure if the union asked for everything hoping they could at least get half, but most of the ideas have little chance of leaving the printed page: the government should maintain minority stakes in automakers, devalue the Canadian dollar, secure manufacturing commitments from automakers, examine the feasibility of a Canadian carmaker and halt free-trade negotiations with the EU and other carmaking nations like Japan and Thailand. And in a move reminiscent of the Saab trustees' request to the U.S. government, the CAW, citing a "moral obligation" on the part of GM because the Canadian government still owns ten-percent stake in The General, asked MPs to strongly encourage GM to "to ensure continued investment in Canadian facilities and jobs."

After those bombshells, the additional requests of formally laying out a national manufacturing footprint and building a green automaker are soggy firecrackers by comparison. The blunt response of a Tory (conservative) MP who's a member of the Tory auto cacus was, "they want a highly labour-intensive auto industry behind protectionist walls and subsidized by taxpayers." CAW chief Ken Lewenza did claim that all parties agreed on the need for a national auto policy, nevertheless, we have a feeling it won't have much in common with the CAW's proposals.

Canadian Auto Workers lobby government for national auto policy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: GM reaches deal with Canadian Auto Workers union

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions

After two weeks of intense negotiations, General Motors Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union have reached a deal that will help the automaker cut costs, allowing it to meet the terms for additional government loans. Ken Lewenza, head of the CAW, said it was "a struggle" to reach a deal with GM, but he added that the union had done the best it could under the circumstances, saying: "we have protected most of our core benefits."

Wages, pensions and most benefits were preserved, although restructured in some instances. The union's pension rates will be frozen until 2015, for instance. The deal also keeps GM's plants in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock open for the foreseeable future. In total, it is believed that the new deal will result in $15 to $16 hourly wage savings on average. The announcement comes a day after the UAW reached a deal of its own with GM.

Although a different agreement was signed with the CAW in March, it had been rejected by the provincial and federal governments who wanted more cost-cutting to avoid bankruptcy. Although GM now appears to be heading in the same direction as Chrysler, hopefully there will be enough progress before the June 1 deadline to keep Chapter 11 a viable option. All told, the recent deals mean that 16 GM factories will close and an additional 21,000 hourly workers will be out of a job.

[Source: CTV]

REPORT: GM reaches deal with Canadian Auto Workers union originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 May 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fiat CEO Marchionne: "If I was a betting man, I would suggest Chrysler is going to fall into Chapter 11"

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions

After yesterday's Chrysler news regarding the first-lien holders and the U.S. Treasury coming to terms, we hope none of you thought the Pentastar had gotten off the see-saw. The latest tidbit comes from Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, but it comes via CAW head Ken Lewenza. According to Lewenza, Marchionne said that with two days left before Chrysler's got to show viability or go under, that "regardless of all the bondholders and stakeholders coming to the pump," if Marchionne had to put his money on the outcome he "would suggest Chrysler is going to fall into Chapter 11."

Also according to Lewenza, Marchionne also said "the Canadian plants are about as well positioned as you could possibly be,"so who knows, this could be Lewenza taking a dig at Chrysler and engaging in a little self promotion. Now we only have to wait and see if Fiat issues a 'clarification' of what Marchionne is reported to have said. For while Fiat isn't expected to put any money in for its potential stake in Chrysler, it is still being looked at as a possible savior, and those aren't the kinds of sentiments you want to hear from the person leading the cavalry moments before the battle is decided.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd | Image: Giuseppe Cacace/Getty]

Fiat CEO Marchionne: "If I was a betting man, I would suggest Chrysler is going to fall into Chapter 11" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

CAW President Lewenza issues address responding to Nardelli/Lasorda letter

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, UAW/Unions, Canada

The top dogs at Chrysler sent a letter to the Canadian Auto Workers union that essentially said that the automaker needed wage concessions of $19 per hour, or else it was Game Over. As a further way to apply pressure, Chrysler's letter frequently referenced the U.S. and Canadian governments as heavies, all of them now waiting for the CAW to provide the necessary "support."

In response, CAW members burned the letter, but not before making notes so it could pen a response of its own. In an official response, CAW President Ken Lewenza calls Chrysler's missive "the most offensive attempt yet" to undermine the CAW, then decries statements made by the Canadian government about the situation. He follows that with a point-by-point defense of the CAW's cost and efficiency, and accuses Chrysler of not only playing with the numbers, but of changing the rules every time a game is agreed upon.

He finishes by stating that instead of looking at the CAW, Chrysler should be speaking to its bondholders who, so far, appear to have been left out of game of sacrifice. You can read those and the rest of his thoughts in the full letter after the jump. Hat tip to Bob!

[Source: CAW]

Continue reading CAW President Lewenza issues address responding to Nardelli/Lasorda letter

CAW President Lewenza issues address responding to Nardelli/Lasorda letter originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments