CAW President to Make Announcement on Big Three Bargaining

[paddyk]

TORONTO, April 28 /CNW/ - CAW President Buzz Hargrove will be making a
critical announcement today about the union's 2008 negotiations with the
Big Three North American auto makers, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

Today at 2:30 p.m.
Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen Street West - City Hall Room 2nd floor

Media who are unable to attend, but would like to participate can call:
1-800-732-1073

For those who will not attend, but would like to receive the materials,
please email Shannon Devine at: Shannon.devine@caw.ca


http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../28/c2147.html

[K-1]

Let me guess, if the Big 3 ask for anything, the CAW strikes...

[Uzzy]

His last big announcement was that he wil not let his legacy be a two-tier wage system (he would rather let his legacy be the Big 3 pulling out of Canadian production -Uzzy).

I wonder if he's come to his senses, but I seriously doubt it.

[paul8488]

And that's the end of Big 3 manufacturing in Canada. Maybe Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Suzuki, and other import brands will buy their soon-to-be-empty plants?

[paul38469]

The CAW will be in a difficult position in the next negotiations. For a long time the big 3 have enjoyed a cost advantage building in Canada, related to our lower dollar and universal health care. But now the dollar is close to par with the US dollar and with recent deals with the UAW, there is no longer a cost advantage here. Obviously the pressure will be on to reduce costs to manufacture here. Soon Oshawa car will be ready to bulid 500 000+ cars on the new flexible manufacturing line and only the Camaro is confirmed. GM will certainly hold off on confirming anything else for Oshawa until the negotiations are done.

[1931Chevy]

CAW President Buzz Hargrove Statement

As we all know the condition of the big 3 has improved in the last year and with the big bonuses the executives at the big 3 are getting i will say screw you because we are not going to give any special treatment on the negotiations and that means we want more money

[zabolots]

Aside from the Camaro, does the CAW really have any bargaining power? Sure they can stop W-body production, but how catastrophic would that be?

It should be interesting...

[1931Chevy]

Ford will try to work some kind of deal because they cannot stop the edge and mkx production since those 2 are selling at good numbers

[JT87]

Originally Posted by zabolots

Aside from the Camaro, does the CAW really have any bargaining power? Sure they can stop W-body production, but how catastrophic would that be?

It should be interesting...

Reducing their top-selling car (Impala) to 0 sales flow?

Plus, theres a pickup plant, and the Chrysler LX plant (Challengers, Chargers, 300s), the Ford Oakville plant (Edge/MKX, and Flex I think) on this side of the 401.

[zabolots]

Originally Posted by JT87

Reducing their top-selling car (Impala) to 0 sales flow?

Plus, theres a pickup plant, and the Chrysler LX plant (Challengers, Chargers, 300s), the Ford Oakville plant (Edge/MKX, and Flex I think) on this side of the 401.

I was specifically referring to CAW vs GM. Obviously losing the LX plant production would hurt Chrysler and Ford can't afford to lose the Edge/MKX.

As far as the Impala, what % are retail vs fleet? I'm sure GM would be fine for a while if Oshawa went down, particularly the truck side (which may already be down due to the AA strike).

But now that the CAW has agreed to a deal with Ford, the other mfr's will probably fall in line (unless somebody's willing to play hardball for the 2-tier wage agreement).

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by zabolots

As far as the Impala, what % are retail vs fleet? I'm sure GM would be fine for a while if Oshawa went down, particularly the truck side (which may already be down due to the AA strike).

They were down but were scheduled to start back up last week. Axles were to be diverted from Texas to indiana and Ontario. Someone from the Oshawa pant was saying the US Gov't put in a big enough order to run them full time for the next 2 years or something.

Originally Posted by zabolots

But now that the CAW has agreed to a deal with Ford, the other mfr's will probably fall in line (unless somebody's willing to play hardball for the 2-tier wage agreement).

I hope GM does. The Gov't order might hopefully have a delivery schedule with enough flexibility that they can idle the Canadian operations long enough to force the CAW to take the 2-tier wage system. The problem is that would screw the Camaro launch up. We can't have that.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by zabolots

Aside from the Camaro, does the CAW really have any bargaining power? Sure they can stop W-body production, but how catastrophic would that be?

It should be interesting...

What makes you so sure the Camaro will continue to be built in Canada?

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by fp115

What makes you so sure the Camaro will continue to be built in Canada?

It has been slated to go to Oshawa for some time now, but if Buzz threatens its launch, it will be sent somewhere in the US for assembly. Hopefully it's not too late in the planning stages to do that, and I don't think it is.

[tholland]

It might be significant that all Buzz's bluster has been directed toward GM lately, and now the press conference is about negotiations with big 3 NA. Change in strategy?? I don't think their bargaining position with GM could be much worse... I don't know if the recent Ford results may change things.

[gypsygirl5]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

They were down but were scheduled to start back up last week. Axles were to be diverted from Texas to indiana and Ontario. Someone from the Oshawa pant was saying the US Gov't put in a big enough order to run them full time for the next 2 years or something.

That someone was me, . I work in Oshawa Car. We had Saturdays scheduled right up until summer holidays, but the last few have been cancelled. Saturday overtime will resume once they can get enough parts. Right now, the third shift is on layoff and we are only being given enough parts to build 1000 cars per day. We are building very few Buicks, police cars and loaded Impalas, as the heavier duty parts needed for those models are in short supply.

The truck plant is running on dayshift only for three weeks, at this point.