CAW strikes again, at the Big 3's exspense

[doh]

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/395084

KITCHENER — Unionized workers at the former Ledco Ltd. auto-parts plant, which closed abruptly in January, will get severance pay after all.

But instead of receiving the money from their bankrupt former employer, the cash is coming from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

The Big Three automakers agreed to cough up $1.2 million in severance payments to the Ledco workers during the last round of bargaining with the Canadian Auto Workers.

Ledco manufactured tooling and metal parts for the auto industry, primarily for suppliers to GM, Ford and Chrysler.

Sixty-six members of Local 1524 of the auto workers union, which represented Ledco workers, will be presented with severance cheques at the CAW Hall on Wabanaki Drive in Kitchener Friday morning.

Ford, GM and Chrysler officials will attend the ceremony along with local and national CAW leaders, including Ken Lewenza, who is slated to succeed Buzz Hargrove as CAW national president this fall.

Fred Stein, who worked at Ledco for 12 years as a machinist, was pleased to finally be getting some cash in recognition of his service at the company.

“It’s a little disappointing that other companies had to step up and get the money for us,” he said. “At the end of the day, though, it’s nice."

Stein didn’t know yesterday how much he will be receiving, but he noted that it could mean he and others who collected unemployment benefits in the interim may now have to pay some of that money back. He has since found another job, but he did not want to say where as he is working as he is just finishing his probation.

The amount of severance each worker will receive will be based on his or her years of service.

Tim Mitchell, president of CAW Local 1524, would not comment on the severance deal, saying he and other officials would answer questions at the ceremony Friday.

Ledco, which began operations in Kitchener in 1932, closed its Strasburg Road plant on Jan. 24 and filed for bankruptcy, citing the high Canadian dollar and intense foreign competition as the reasons. About 90 people in total lost their jobs, including about 30 non-unionized office staff.

[Uzzy]

I think CAW Local 1524 should be coffing up the severance pay, not auto companies.

[rozz]

Those bas-turd needs to die!!! GM and Ford aren’t exactly rolling in the dough.

[Ambalanche]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

I think CAW Local 1524 should be coffing up the severance pay, not auto companies.

Exactly! WTF??

[SSJ]

I'm no union lover (Actually, I think they are doing nothing but contributing to the downfall of the North American ecomony) but I can't blame the CAW for this. The Big 3 were stupid enough to agree to this. They didn't have to. Not really sure what they are thinking.

[Crazy4Camaro]

Originally Posted by SSJ

I'm no union lover (Actually, I think they are doing nothing but contributing to the downfall of the North American ecomony) but I can't blame the CAW for this. The Big 3 were stupid enough to agree to this. They didn't have to. Not really sure what they are thinking.

Ummm, in case you haven't seen their tactics before...it's AGREE or we will strike you. Just like the UAW did to GM until they coughed up $200+ million for job cuts at American Axle! Nothing like holding a company hostage. What BS!!

[fp115]

Originally Posted by Crazy4Camaro

Ummm, in case you haven't seen their tactics before...it's AGREE or we will strike you. Just like the UAW did to GM until they coughed up $200+ million for job cuts at American Axle! Nothing like holding a company hostage. What BS!!

Don't you mean $2.6 billion? $2 billion before taxes.

[hunchman]

Originally Posted by rozz

Those bas-turd needs to die!!! GM and Ford aren’t exactly rolling in the dough.

You need to die. No one held a gun to GM or Ford's head over this.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by hunchman

You need to die. No one held a gun to GM or Ford's head over this.

No, but I'm sure they did as they always do; "give it up or we strike." One of the guys at my plant was wearing his "CAW, provke us and we'll STRIKE!" T-shirt yesterday.

[EldoFan]

I'm thinking the Big 3 are fed up......but instead of causing another harmful strike, they'd just rather cough up the dough and wash their hands of the matter (though, enabling the union & this kind of behavior at the same time)

[CaptainDan]

Originally Posted by hunchman

You need to die. No one held a gun to GM or Ford's head over this.

Of COURSE they held a gun to their heads! "Pay us $1.2 million, or we strike at a plant that supplies you!" Otherwise, why on earth would GM and Ford cough up over a million dollars, which they need desperately themselves, to cover what some OTHER company owes!

[Crazy4Camaro]

Originally Posted by fp115

Don't you mean $2.6 billion? $2 billion before taxes.

Nope, I mean 200+ million...."Published: May 9, 2008
General Motors said Thursday that it had agreed to give as much as $200 million to a parts supplier, American Axle and Manufacturing, to help settle a 10-week strike that has reduced or halted production at 32 G.M. factories."

[hotrod1949]

Originally Posted by CaptainDan

Of COURSE they held a gun to their heads! "Pay us $1.2 million, or we strike at a plant that supplies you!" Otherwise, why on earth would GM and Ford cough up over a million dollars, which they need desperately themselves, to cover what some OTHER company owes!

Ledco is closed, picketing that affected another companies business would be stopped by court order ASAP. What needs to change is Ontario law to make workers prefered creditors in a bankruptcy, at least as far as wages and minimum severance are concerned.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by Crazy4Camaro

Nope, I mean 200+ million...."Published: May 9, 2008
General Motors said Thursday that it had agreed to give as much as $200 million to a parts supplier, American Axle and Manufacturing, to help settle a 10-week strike that has reduced or halted production at 32 G.M. factories."

You didn't factor in the loss due to the days that people didn't work.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by hotrod1949

Ledco is closed, picketing that affected another companies business would be stopped by court order ASAP. What needs to change is Ontario law to make workers prefered creditors in a bankruptcy, at least as far as wages and minimum severance are concerned.

He isn't talking about picketing now. Nobody is doing that, or talking about it. He means picketing/striking when the contract that secured payment from the Big 3 was being bargained.