TORONTO, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ - Thousands of CAW members working at Ford
facilities in Oakville, Windsor, St. Thomas and Bramalea have voted in favour
of a new agreement, ratifying the deal by 83 per cent during a series of
meetings held over the past two days. The deal was reached on October 30
between the two sides.
"No one should mistake workers' approval as satisfaction with the new
agreement," said CAW President Ken Lewenza. "Members had faith in the union to
negotiate the best agreement possible and protect their interests over the
long term, but the problems faced by industry cannot be resolved at the
bargaining table."
We need government and policy makers to wake up to the fact that the country's
industrial base is rapidly eroding and with it, the entire middle class."
The deal is the second cost-cutting agreement reached between the CAW and Ford
in 18 months and includes cuts to benefits, a reduction in vacation, break
times and co-pays on health care, all of which were pattern items from the
agreements with Chrysler and General Motors.
During the negotiations Ford also announced it would be closing the St. Thomas
assembly plant in 2011, eliminating 1,400 jobs in the already hard-hit
community. Workers at the plant manufacture the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury
Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car.
"This has been an extremely stressful and difficult year for Ford workers,
just as it has been for hundreds of thousands of workers right across the
country," said Mike Vince, chairperson of the CAW-Ford Master Bargaining
Committee and president of CAW Local 200. "Our members have been dealing with
terrible insecurity as a result of financial crisis and recession and this new
agreement will give a greater deal of job security right until 2012."
The new agreement expires on September 17, 2012 and covers approximately 7,000
Ford workers.
The results by location are as follows:
CAW Local 1520, St. Thomas
Production: 80% in favour
Skilled Trades: 81% in favour
Combined total: 80% in favour
CAW Local 200, Windsor
Production: 81% in favour
Skilled Trades: 75% in favour
Combined total: 80% in favour
CAW Local 707, Oakville
Production: 90% in favour
Skilled Trades: 91% in favour
Combined total: 90% in favour
CAW Local 584, Bramalea
Total: 85% in favour
CAW Local 240
Office: 100% in favour
CAW Local 1324
Office: 83% in favour
Combined Totals:
Total Production: 84% in favour
Total Skilled Trades: 81% in favour
Total Office: 94% in favour
Overall total: 83% in favour
SOURCE Canadian Auto Workers
CAW Communications, Shannon Devine, (cell) (416) 302-1699; or John McClyment,
(cell) (416) 315-3202
