Canadian GM Strike Over - Guess Who Won?

Gorehamj · October 19, 2017

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
10-19-2017

In the end, the union that represents hourly workers at the Cami plant in Ontario Canada dropped the requirement that the Cami plant be the lead plant for Equinox, GM's hottest non-truck vehicle. That move would have been the best guarantee of future jobs at the location. So, like many things, the strike ended up being all about money. The Candian workers will get a raise and a bonus, which has the practical effect of moving them even further from the lower-paid Mexican workers that threaten their jobs and the Candian plant's future. GM did throw in a perq that will made it a bit harder to move the plant, but it is small potatoes. “We weren’t able to secure a lead production letter from General Motors, but we were able to improve some of our programs that would soften the event if be designated the lead plant for Equinox if there in fact is a layoff or closure in the future,” Unifor Local 88 President Dan Borthwick said in a phone interview with Bloomberg. The strike lasted a full month.

Snoringbear · October 24, 2017

On October 19, 2017 at 7:01 AM, Gorehamj said:

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
10-19-2017

In the end, the union that represents hourly workers at the Cami plant in Ontario Canada dropped the requirement that the Cami plant be the lead plant for Equinox, GM's hottest non-truck vehicle. That move would have been the best guarantee of future jobs at the location. So, like many things, the strike ended up being all about money. The Candian workers will get a raise and a bonus, which has the practical effect of moving them even further from the lower-paid Mexican workers that threaten their jobs and the Candian plant's future. GM did throw in a perq that will made it a bit harder to move the plant, but it is small potatoes. “We weren’t able to secure a lead production letter from General Motors, but we were able to improve some of our programs that would soften the event if be designated the lead plant for Equinox if there in fact is a layoff or closure in the future,” Unifor Local 88 President Dan Borthwick said in a phone interview with Bloomberg. The strike lasted a full month.

How much of one hour's wages goes to union dues? Just curious....

Brichter · October 24, 2017

WTF? It's always about the money.

SteveBBB · October 24, 2017

44 minutes ago, Snoringbear said:

How much of one hour's wages goes to union dues? Just curious....

Union dues are usually 2 hours pay per month.

Snoringbear · October 25, 2017

1 hour ago, Brichter said:

WTF? It's always about the money.

Umm, what isn't about the money?

revrnd · October 25, 2017

We said in '08 after our plant (Oshawa Truck Assembly) was announced to close that we could work for minimum wage and still wouldn't be able to compete with the Mexicans.

Snoringbear · October 25, 2017

4 minutes ago, revrnd said:

We said in '08 after our plant (Oshawa Truck Assembly) was announced to close that we could work for minimum wage and still wouldn't be able to compete with the Mexicans.

That sucks for sure. Don't know what the answer is though....

revrnd · October 25, 2017

Canadian and US wage packages are pretty close. There isn't much workers on either side of the Detroit River can do, when competing w/ low wages and other 'benefits' of doing business on the other side of the Rio Grande.

Snoringbear · October 25, 2017

4 minutes ago, revrnd said:

Canadian and US wage packages are pretty close. There isn't much workers on either side of the Detroit River can do, when competing w/ low wages and other 'benefits' of doing business on the other side of the Rio Grande.

Yeah; quick story. I'm retired now but worked 35 years for a semiconductor company. My company decided to relocate an operation from Texas to Mexico which we did. Naturally, the folks at the texas plant were bitter about it. About five years later the decision was made to relocate this same operation from Mexico to China. And, I was involved in the relocation and subsequent startup in China. One evening while having dinner with some of the Mexican team they got to talking (lots of margaritas and tequila shooters) about how unfair it was to pull up the operation and move it to China. I didn't say much, just listened. But, thought to myself that they probably didn't show much sympathy for the U.S. folks when their operation was relocated to Mexico. Guess maybe the "what goes around comes around" rule may have applied in this instance, don't know...

revrnd · October 25, 2017

6 minutes ago, Snoringbear said:

Yeah; quick story. I'm retired now but worked 35 years for a semiconductor company. My company decided to relocate an operation from Texas to Mexico which we did. Naturally, the folks at the texas plant were bitter about it. About five years later the decision was made to relocate this same operation from Mexico to China. And, I was involved in the relocation and subsequent startup in China. One evening while having dinner with some of the Mexican team they got to talking (lots of margaritas and tequila shooters) about how unfair it was to pull up the operation and move it to China. I didn't say much, just listened. But, thought to myself that they probably didn't show much sympathy for the U.S. folks when their operation was relocated to Mexico. Guess maybe the "what goes around comes around" rule may have applied in this instance, don't know...

That sounds similar to something that happened in the nearest city to me a few years ago. A well known ice cream company closed their own ice cream plant & outsourced it to a 3rd party outfit in Nova Scotia (A province on the Canadian East Coast). The locals there were overjoyed that employment was coming to their area which has historically had high unemployment. They didn't have much to say when they were asked by a reporter about the people in Ontario that were losing their jobs.

The multinationals have 'whipsawing' plants & the various levels of gov't against each other down to a science.

BTW, my '86 Monte Carlo SS was built in the Arlington plant.

Snoringbear · October 25, 2017

25 minutes ago, revrnd said:

That sounds similar to something that happened in the nearest city to me a few years ago. A well known ice cream company closed their own ice cream plant & outsourced it to a 3rd party outfit in Nova Scotia (A province on the Canadian East Coast). The locals there were overjoyed that employment was coming to their area which has historically had high unemployment. They didn't have much to say when they were asked by a reporter about the people in Ontario that were losing their jobs.

The multinationals have 'whipsawing' plants & the various levels of gov't against each other down to a science.

BTW, my '86 Monte Carlo SS was built in the Arlington plant.

Yup, never ends. The Arlington plant that has been able to not only protect its operation but expand it as well. They now build (final assembly) Suburbans, Tahoes, GMC versions, Escalades. Not only is their cost excellent so is Productivity, quality and Mgmt/labor relations. Consequently, their total cost of business is excellent which is why GM decided to expand the plant foot print. Btw, I know where Nova Scotia is - it's north of the Red River, right? Thought so ?....