Report

CAW asked to keep working as deadline looms

Representatives from the Canadian Auto Workers union and Ford continue to work on new national agreement. The deadline for reaching a deal is tonight at midnight.

Urging solidarity in these high-stakes last hours, CAW leadership has asked its members to stay on the job at all locations. In an update this morning, union leaders claimed that leaving the job site would have "serious negative consequences" for the bargaining committee's ability to get a strong result.

The CAW is currently in negotiations with all three of the Detroit automakers, though Ford has emerged as a top priority for the organization. Ford has reportedly been more willing to consider the union's proposal of a lower rate and longer "grow-in period" for new hires, rather than moving to the two-tier wage system that has been adopted by the United Auto Workers – the two-tier system is still being advanced by General Motors and Chrysler. If a deal is indeed reached with Ford, the CAW will take it to GM and Chrysler to match.

Should an agreement not be reached by 11:59 PM this evening, CAW officials report there could be a work stoppage at "one or even all three of the companies." A strike at all three automakers would affect roughly 20,000 employees.

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