CAW

June 9, 2008 (Oshawa, ON) - General Motors of Canada today confirmed that, following ongoing discussions with the CAW over the past several days, it will take action today to seek collaborative or such necessary legal means required to end the ongoing blockade of its Canadian Headquarters allowing the company to reasonably continue conducting its business in Canada. GM Canada lost some vehicle production this past Saturday as a result of other CAW actions in Oshawa.

TORONTO, May 21, 2008 -- The Canadian Auto Workers union and Chrysler Canada are hosting the official launch of a new action centre which will provide enhanced services and programs for the more than 1,000 workers laid off with the third shift closure at the Brampton Assembly Plant.

Workers and others will gather at the centre for the ceremony and open house today, May 21.

Contract Comes Four Months before Deadline

OAKVILLE, Ontario, May 4, 2008 – For the first time in its history, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited has reached a collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) more than four months before the current contract expires. Ford employees represented by the CAW ratified the new deal in a vote held today.

Highlights:
* Three-year collective bargaining agreement covering more than 9,000 employees reached after unprecedented bargaining process.
* Employees ratify the unique-to-Canada deal four months before the current contract expires on September 16, 2008.
* Base wages remain stable during the life of the contract and a 'new hire' wage rate is established for first three years of employment.

TORONTO, Jan. 18 /CNW/ - CAW President Buzz Hargrove applauded an announcement by federal Liberal opposition leader Stéphane Dion to create a $1 billion fund to support manufacturing and promote green production if his party is elected to government.

He commended Dion for recognizing the important role the manufacturing sector plays in the health of the Canadian economy and for having the vision to invest in companies using new technologies to make Canada a leader in green manufacturing.

"This fund would provide a much needed boost to struggling manufacturers and the workers they employ, particularly the auto industry which is grappling with unfair trade, a slowing US economy, a high dollar and environmental challenges," said Hargrove.

TORONTO, Dec. 10 /CNW/ - The Canadian Auto Workers is continuing its fight to save the Ford car assembly plant in St. Thomas, Ontario, and has received no indication whatsoever that Ford has decided to close the plant, despite a story in the Detroit News this weekend.

The plant is currently operating on one shift of production, as a result of Ford's shrinking market share in North American vehicle sales.

WINDSOR, ON, Nov. 20 /CNW/ - The devastating news today that auto parts maker Lear Corporation is closing its Windsor plant with the loss of more than 160 jobs is another tough blow for workers and a community already reeling from high unemployment, CAW President Buzz Hargrove says.

Hargrove blasted the federal Conservative government for standing idly by while unfair trade deals and the high Canadian dollar wreak havoc on the Canadian auto sector and Canadian manufacturing overall.

ST. THOMAS, ON, Nov. 19 /CNW/ - CAW shop floor leadership from independent automotive parts plants across Ontario voted overwhelmingly today in support of the Framework of Fairness Agreement between the union and parts maker Magna.

After a detailed presentation this morning at CAW Local 1520 hall followed by a lively debate with speaker after speaker coming to the microphones, more than 300 of approximately 325 elected in-plant shop floor leadership at the meeting voted in support of welcoming all Magna workers into CAW under the FFA.

TORONTO, Nov. 8 /CNW/ -- Two hundred and fifty Magna workers at Windsor Modules voted overwhelmingly in favour of their first collective agreement negotiated by the CAW, voting in favour of joining the union under the Framework of Fairness on November 7, 2007. According to CAW President Buzz Hargrove, this group will be the first of many to join the union.

Below are some of the highlights of the new agreement, released today.

Wage Increases

- Immediate $3 an hour raise for all production members plus a wage increase of 50 cents at six months of service and an additional 50 cents at 1 year of service.
- Skilled Trades will receive a wage increase of 50 cents at six months of service and an additional 50 cents at 1 year of service

Wage Adjustments

WINDSOR, ON, Nov. 7 /CNW/ - The more than 250 workers at Windsor Modules, a division of Magna, have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a first collective agreement negotiated by the Canadian Auto Workers union and to join the union under the Framework of Fairness agreement (FFA).

CAW President Buzz Hargrove congratulated the workers on their first union agreement. "I'd like to welcome this group of workers to the CAW, the first of many Magna workers whom I believe will vote to join our union."

TORONTO, Nov. 6 /CNW/ - Leaders from the major automotive CAW local unions across Ontario will meet today to discuss the Magna agreement, as part of the CAW Auto Council.

The deal has been met with support from most of the CAW local unions, with a few high profile dissenting parties. All will be in attendance at today's meeting as national and local union leaders discuss the future of the agreement.

Two weeks ago, the CAW National Executive Board held an emergency meeting where the board supported the Magna agreement, voting 16-1 in favour. Today's meeting is a precursor to the CAW Council to be held in early December where CAW President Buzz Hargrove has advocated a full debate take place.

Source: CAW

OTTAWA, Nov. 2 /CNW/ - CAW President Buzz Hargrove met with federal Minister of Industry Jim Prentice this morning where he pressed the Conservative government to take immediate action on the growing loss of automotive jobs in Canada.

The need for quick action was highlighted again yesterday with the announcement of 1,100 new job losses at Chrysler in Brampton and Windsor, Ontario, adding to the 4,200 jobs to be lost as manufacturing operations at General Motors in Oshawa converge and downsize beginning this month. It is expected that thousands more jobs in auto parts production will also be lost as they scale back operations to compensate for the lost work.

OTTAWA, Nov. 2 /CNW/ - CAW President Buzz Hargrove will be meeting federal Minister of Industry Jim Prentice this morning at 11:30 a.m. to address the crisis in the automotive industry, highlighted yesterday by the announcement of 1,100 new job losses at Chrysler in Brampton and Windsor, Ontario.

The new industry minister has taken a more hands on approach to business, yet has not, to date, pledged support for the high value-added automotive industry.

Industry and labour have jointly called for a drop in the dollar and strengthened trade regulations so that North American producers can fairly compete in Canada and abroad.

The CAW is calling for a new deal for Canadian workers and industry that would mirror the former Auto Pact between Canada and the U.S.

OTTAWA, Oct. 23 /CNW/ - If the Canadian federal government proceeds with a free trade agreement with Korea as it has promised to do, the impact on Canadian communities would be disastrous, according to a new study.

The study will be released by the Canadian Auto Workers union at the House of Commons Press Gallery this morning.

The study, "Provincial Employment Effects of Canada-Korea Free Trade," finds the job loss would be most acute in Ontario and Quebec, with an expected loss of approximately 17,400 jobs and 8,300 jobs respectively. Even resource rich provinces like Alberta and British Columbia will be set to lose thousands of jobs.

AURORA, ON, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - Frank Stronach, Chairman of the Board of Magna International Inc., and Buzz Hargrove, President of the Canadian Auto Workers, signed a historic agreement in Toronto today that will usher in a new relationship between Canada's largest automotive employer and Canada's largest private sector union.

The agreement, called the Framework of Fairness, will allow Magna employees to participate in secret-ballot votes regarding membership in the CAW. It also establishes an innovative new structure for labour relations involving workplace elections and referenda; a multi-faceted dispute settlement process; and the use of final-offer arbitration instead of work stoppages to settle contract disputes.

AURORA, ON, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire - FirstCall/ - Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG.A, NYSE: MGA) today announced the signing of an historic agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers ("CAW") that will usher in a new relationship between the two parties. The Framework of Fairness Agreement ("FFA") is a set of principles which establish the needs of workers and the needs of business to be competitive. The FFA represents a new labour model that aims to preserve the key components of Magna's Fair Enterprise system, while ensuring proper checks and balances.

TORONTO, Oct. 8 /CNW/ - Canada's automotive trade balance has deteriorated dramatically this year, with the country on track to record its largest automotive trade deficit in history, according to a new study released today by the Canadian Auto Workers union.

The report, Canada's Deteriorating Automotive Trade Performance, provides statistical evidence of the erosion of the country's once-impressive record in auto trade, and was authored by CAW Economist Jim Stanford.

Data covering auto exports and imports for the first seven months of this year indicate that Canada imported $4.3 billion of auto products (both finished vehicles and parts) more than it exported for that period. This year's automotive trade deficit could reach $8 billion.